Lord Mayor Nick Reece’s plan for ‘safety officers’ with stab-proof vests to patrol city streets

Thirty council workers wearing stab-proof vests would patrol crime hotspots across Melbourne’s CBD, including Elizabeth St, if Lord Mayor Nick Reece is returned to the city’s top job.

Up to 30 officers wearing stab-proof vests would patrol crime hotspots across Melbourne’s CBD – including Elizabeth St – if Lord Mayor Nick Reece is returned to the city’s top job.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal that Mr Reece, if elected in October, would deploy 30 council workers – dubbed “city safety officers” – to patrol Melbourne’s streets around-the-clock in a bid to tackle crime and improve public safety.

The uniformed officers, who would be employed by the City of Melbourne, would also be out in force during Melbourne’s major events, such as the New Year’s Eve and Moomba.

Mr Reece (middle) and Ms Campbell (middle left) with traders Johnny Standish, Sanjith Konda and Apoorva Singla and resident Paul Crapper who support their policy. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Reece said they would be “highly visible” and work hand in glove with police.

“While they are not police, Melbourne’s city safety officers will be on the beat 24/7 in hotspots across the city watching for and clamping down on anti-social behaviour,” he said.

“Like we’ve seen in London and other big cities, such teams can be extremely useful in helping keep residents, traders and visitors safe.

“They’ll wear Kevlar vests and have body cams to ensure that any illegal activity is captured on film and can be used in court.

“They will also be trained in managing hostile situations.”

A man tries to take a coffee machine from a business on Elizabeth St in April. Picture: Supplied

The team would also work closely with the City of Melbourne’s other authorised officers to enforce local laws, including those prohibiting littering and drinking in public.

While the officers would initially focus on the central city, including high-traffic areas like Elizabeth St, Southbank and Docklands, Mr Reece said – if successful – the initiative could be expanded to other neighbourhoods in the City of Melbourne.

Under the policy, a hotline and an online portal would also be established for residents and traders to report safety concerns directly to the officers and the Safe City team, who operate CCTV cameras across the municipality.

Earlier in the election campaign, Mr Reece promised to install 200 extra CCTV cameras by 2026 at a cost of almost $14m.

Mr Reece’s running mate Roshena Campbell said their ticket was serious about deterring crime and ensuring every resident, trader and visitor feels safe.

“Our local businesses are the backbone of Melbourne’s economy and their success depends on a safe and secure environment,” she said.

Mr Reece has also promised to install 200 extra CCTV cameras by 2026. Picture: David Smith

While some Elizabeth St traders have thrown their support behind Mr Reece and Ms Campbell’s policy, it remains to be seen whether a majority believe it goes far enough after the Herald Sun in July revealed that traders were pleading for a permanent 24-hour police hub in the troubled precinct.

Visnu, who manages a take away outlet on Elizabeth St, previously told the Herald Sun he backed calls for a stronger police presence in the face of escalating crime.

“I always see police responding immediately to crime, but it would be helpful for us to have a permanent police hub here because my workers and I would feel safer,” he said.

“If people involved in crime see a stronger police presence, it will deter them.”

New Crime Statistics Agency data, exclusively obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun, shows the total number of offences – including assault, criminal damage and theft – recorded on Elizabeth St has increased by 50 per cent over the past five years.