Man arrested after trying to leave Melbourne’s public housing lockdown

Victoria’s top cop says police should be guarding Melbourne’s locked-down towers after a man allegedly bit an officer while trying to leave.

A man has been arrested after he allegedly bit a police offer while trying to leave the locked-down public housing flats in Melbourne’s north.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton addressed the media on Monday afternoon for the first time since the force was called in to lockdown nine public housing buildings after a coronavirus outbreak.

Mr Patton said early on Monday afternoon a 32-year-old man was arrested after attempting to leave one of the Flemington towers.

He said officers spoke to the man before a fight allegedly occurred where police were assaulted and an officer was bitten.

The man is currently being questioned over assault and resisting police as well as breaching the chief health officer’s restrictions.

Mr Patton also hosed down suggestions the defence force should be called in to guard the buildings.

He said police had more than adequate resources to deploy at least 500 officers per day to guard the towers in Flemington and North Melbourne.

“This is absolutely a policing role,” he said.

“Community engagement, community support, these are all key roles for Victoria Police.

“We have legislative power and authority to be able to conduct certain activities and that’s why we are there.

Police speak to a woman outside the public housing towers on Racecourse Rd in Flemington on Sunday. Picture: David Crosling

“We know that the ADF are supportive, they have been involved in our response to the coronavirus pandemic since day one.”

At least 500 police officers per shift have been tasked to guard about 3000 residents in nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne who are not allowed to leave their homes for at least five days.

Police are blocking all entry and exit points to each of the nine towers and working in pairs to patrol two or three floors each, as well as using CCTV cameras to check for noncompliance.

Mr Patton said the Australian Defence Force had been involved in their coronavirus response since day one, and force command would continue to work with the ADF to step through what role they could play.

State Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien has called for ADF personnel to be brought in to guard the towers to help free up police resources, while Victoria’s Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said they were a “relevant consideration” to help get the job done.

Sgt Gatt also said demands for 500 police per day to enforce the lockdowns were sprung on officers and they had received little training or planning.

But Mr Patton said he was “very comfortable” with the level of police resources they had available.

Victoria Police Minister Lisa Neville and Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, who says looking after the public housing buildings is a ‘policing role’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

He said police command were notified by chief health officer Brett Sutton on Saturday that there was a need to take drastic action and rapidly deployed from 3pm.

He said that included planning with other agencies and appointing a commander to oversee the operation.

“We absolutely have a clear plan,” Mr Patton said.

“The deployment model is evolving for us and we are refining and planning as we go and we’ll be using protective services officers as we go along.”

Mr Patton said Victoria Police had a 16,000-strong force and would be able to redeploy officers as required, like they had in many other emergencies such as bushfires.

He said the ADF would continue to be involved in Victoria Police’s coronavirus response through back-of-house operations.

“We’re now stepping through, now that we have this unprecedented operation, whether there’s a need for a further role for them, whether we can use them that may free up some police activities,” Mr Patton said.

Mr Patton said police were there to support the residents locked-down inside the towers.

“This is about police working with the community. You are the community were serve, you are the reason we’re there,” he said.

“For us it’s what can we do to work as your police to help you get through this environment and that’s what we’ll be doing as we move forward.

“It’s about helping the residents of these towers get through this extremely difficult period and we’ll do absolutely everything we can.”

At least 53 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the public housing buildings in Flemington and North Melbourne.