Officers Richard, Wayne and Michael will also patrol parks, car parks and beaches, often accompanied by the Rapid Response cleaning team, during their shift.
The trio has have experience in spades which stands them in good stead as they say 'no day's the same" on patrol in Port Phillip.
Lending a hand with fallen tree branches, offering assistance to rough sleepers and keeping footpaths clear of obstructions are just some of the varied duties they may perform during the daily patrols.
Richard says there is no judgment when they interact with people. "We assist as best we can".
"I love this job. With our previous backgrounds in enforcement (not policing), we'd see people and never see them again. Now we can see them more frequently and get to know them - and they get to know us."
The early check hasn't detected a new rough sleeper. If it had, they would follow-up with a welfare check and offer to link them to a housing service provider.
Sometimes a vulnerable person they stop to help on the street may have housing and needs other assistance.
This is the scenario when they stop off at an arcade in Acland Street where an older woman is curled up in the cold after becoming intoxicated. A walker sits beside her but there is no blanket.
Richard gently tries to wake her. "It's your lucky day, you wake up and see me," he jokes. Meanwhile Michael calls an outreach organisation which quickly arrives to help her recover before taking her home.
A man on a scooter stops to see what's going on. "Thank you for helping her," he says.
On Fitzroy Street they recognise a man who loudly calls one of them a "f-ing liar". They say he is holding a grudge about his dog being taken away by the animal management team after it attacked people in alleged robberies.
Next stop is a parking lot where three rough sleepers leave so the Rapid Response team can litter pick and pressure hose the ground. Syringes are removed along with dropped rubbish. The area was spotless the day before and will be returned to that state by the time the teams move on.
Some more rough sleepers elsewhere in St Kilda are checked. One of them, Robert, is picking up litter to keep the area clean. Although he has health issues, he is keen to find housing and get back into the workforce. Articulate and witty, Robert jokes that he is a "precocious little b-stard". The conversation suddenly takes a serious turn when he says "I just need stability and a sense of purpose".
Rapid Response crew member John pressure washing.
A patrol in sand dunes on the St Kilda West Beach reveals an abandoned tent. They let it down and will remove it the next day. If there are concerns about an encampment, they return with police.
It's the end of the shift and they say it has been quiet.
The closely-knit trio enjoys some good-natured banter with each other after the patrol.
Wayne recalls the media excitement when he was recently filmed helping a Sydney visitor who had bogged his car on Elwood beach. "I also removed a rock blocking a laneway. We're pretty versatile, it's good we can all use skills we have gained over the years."
"Every day is different," Michael agrees. "We enjoy using our problem solving and resolution skills."
They relish the success stories - the people they get to know who proudly tell them they have found work or housing.
"Some people stay on your mind. But at the end of the shift, I think I've done my bit and helped make a difference - like we all do," Richard says.
