By Mitchell Clarke
Protective Service Officers (PSOs) will remain at Pakenham and Berwick station despite a massive operation to redeploy 240 officers from stations to major activity centres.
As part of Operation Shielding, the State Government announced from Thursday 9 April, PSOs will work in teams with uniform police to patrol high activity areas and provide a highly visible presence amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The teams will ensure essential workers and the community can feel safe when they are going to and from work, buying essential supplies or attending health clinics.
Public transport patronage is down by up to 90 percent, thanks to the coronavirus, meaning resources are able to be redeployed where they are needed most, however the state’s busiest stations, including Pakenham, Berwick, Narre Warren and Dandenong, will continue to be manned.
“We still need to provide a PSO presence on the public transport network, which we will do at the busiest 83 stations and via 25 mobile patrols that will patrol the trains and stations that are not permanently staffed,” Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said.
“It is important we redeploy our PSOs during this State of Emergency so we can deter crime and provide public reassurance in key retail precincts.
“Victoria Police is constantly reviewing its plans to ensure resources are deployed to the right place at the right time to best support the community.”
As reported by the Gazette, cruel thieves have recently taken advantage of the pandemic by breaking into a number of closed community facilities including Deep Creek Reserve and Emerald Lake Park.
It’s anticipated the additional police on the streets will assist in preventing any further opportunistic crimes on businesses already impacted by the outbreak.
“We are concerned commercial burglaries will increase during this period, so the new patrols will help support the many business owners who are more vulnerable to break ins,” Deputy Commissioner Patton added.
“In addition to the Shielding teams, police right across the state have committed significant resources to proactive night patrols in their local commercial retail precincts to detect and deter crime.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said the redeployment will provide police with the additional support they need during the coronavirus.
“Just like our healthcare workers and so many others in the community, our police and PSOs are on the frontline of Victoria’s response to coronavirus and this will provide them with the additional support they need,” Ms Neville said.
“This is a commonsense change to boost frontline policing so that Victorians can continue to feel safe if they’re leaving their home for food and supplies, medical care, exercise, or work or education.”
