Police ramp up patrols across Geelong CBD

Extra police have hit the streets of central Geelong as Victoria Police ramps up its presence in the CBD with two targeted operations focused on crime and anti-social behaviour.

The top cop in Victoria’s west, Michael Reid, said Geelong remained a safe city, but police had heard concerns from residents and businesses who did not always feel that way.

Operation Pulse, which has been deployed at major Melbourne shopping centres over the past six months, is now operating in Geelong alongside a dedicated CBD tasking team established last month.

The operation will run until the end of the year, with officers patrolling Westfield Geelong, Market Square and the Moorabool Street bus interchange for periods of two to three weeks at a time.

Using both foot and vehicle patrols, officers are tasked with deterring offending and providing a highly visible police presence.

 

 

Operation Pulse was called into action within 90 minutes of its first patrols hitting the streets on Monday, responding to an alleged shop theft at Westfield Geelong.

The local CBD tasking team, made up of officers dedicated solely to central Geelong, is also conducting regular patrols through shopping precincts, laneways, the foreshore and transport hubs.

The team has been working alongside the City of Greater Geelong and other agencies to engage with people experiencing homelessness and connect them with support services.

Western Region Acting Commander Michael Reid said the two initiatives would complement each other and help improve community confidence in central Geelong.

“We’re quite confident these two initiatives will work well together, improve community safety and satisfaction for central Geelong,” he said.

“We’ve listened to our community, they’ve told us they don’t feel safe, that becomes an issue with me, so I’ve got to ensure they are feeling safe by introducing tactics and operations to improve their feeling of safety in Geelong’s CBD.

 

 

“It’s safe here in Geelong, I really believe that – I live here, I work here – but if people aren’t feeling safe, I want them to feel safe.”

Commander Reid said the number of additional officers deployed through Operation Pulse would vary, but residents could expect to see a strong police presence throughout the CBD.

In its first two weeks of operation, the CBD tasking team has made 14 arrests and laid 20 charges relating to offences including theft, affray, drug possession and public nuisance.

Among those arrests were two 39-year-old women who allegedly attempted to steal more than $900 worth of goods from a Geelong clothing store.

The team also arrested and charged four teenagers – three aged 14 and one aged 13 – following an alleged affray.

Police said Operation Pulse teams can be moved between locations based on intelligence and emerging issues as the operation continues throughout the year.