Hobart City Council proposes safety officer patrols to combat anti-social behaviour in CBD

Anxious retail staff, thugs carrying weapons, and “overt” drug dealing have prompted the Hobart City Council to propose a new security patrol force for the CBD.

The Hobart City Council is proposing to establish a new Safer Hobart Officer program to combat anti-social behaviour in the CBD. Picture: iStock

A team of safety officers could be deployed in the Hobart CBD to act as the city’s “eyes and ears on the ground” in an effort to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

The Safer Hobart Alliance, an advisory committee established by the Hobart City Council and comprising representatives of Tasmania Police, government agencies, and business and community groups, has unanimously endorsed a proposal to create a Safer Hobart Officer program.

The initiative, which councillors have been asked to review and provide feedback on, would see council-employed officers patrolling areas including Collins Court, Elizabeth St Mall, Wellington Court, and Mathers Place, where groups of young people often gather.

The Hobart City Council is proposing to establish a new Safer Hobart Officer program to combat anti-social behaviour in the CBD.

According to a report prepared by the council’s manager of community programs and director of community and economic development, these officers would provide a “visible on-street presence” and work to improve public safety in the city.

Their responsibilities would include monitoring and educating people about compliance with by-laws, referring vulnerable people to services, enforcing smoke-free areas, engaging with local businesses, and reporting issues to police and relevant council officers.

It comes amid a perceived escalation of anti-social activity in Hobart’s public spaces, with the report noting that evidence suggested “an increased carriage of weapons by some offenders”, as well as a rise in youth crime and “more overt” drug dealing.

However, statistics from Tasmania Police showed there was a “strong” decrease in retail crimes and public safety offences in the city in the first three months of this financial year compared to the same period in 2023-24.

“Due to the nature of the underlying anti-social behaviour being mostly low-level, it generally does not attract the attention of police, who are often responding to more serious types of offences,” the council report said.

Tasmania Police patrol Elizabeth Mall, Hobart CBD. Picture: Tasmania Police

“Retailers speak of increased anxiety among their staff, who are fearful of some of the people involved in the anti-social behaviours outside their stores, and sometimes within. They have advised that this has led to low morale among their staff and poor retention rates.

“The Safer Hobart Officers would be the eyes and ears of the city, they would have a strong customer service role, and have a focus on proactive engagement.”

The council currently uses contracted security firms to patrol parts of the city, such as Salamanca Square and the Castray Esplanade taxi rank between 10pm and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

In 2025-26, the city is spending $768,200 on security services.

The report said that police had been critical of private security patrols, claiming that they were not achieving “required outcomes”.

“Having designated staff present in public spaces is a model recognised for many years as a positive and proactive community safety program. These staff members would undertake many tasks that security guards cannot.”