Uniform police, the Public Order Response Team and the Dog Squad will be out in force in Footscray over the coming weeks, as Victoria Police runs a series of operations in the area.
Police will have a particular emphasis on addressing drug offending, public order issues, road safety and antisocial behaviour in the Footscray CBD, following concerns raised by local traders.
Highway Patrol officers and police from the local Proactive Policing Unit and Crime Reduction Team will also be saturating roads and other public spaces in the Footscray area to drive down crime.
A mobile CCTV trailer will be placed in Nicholson Street next week to further boost safety during this period.
The CCTV live feed allows police to monitor crime in real-time, while also providing a strong deterrent for people who may be in the area to cause trouble.
People breaking into cars to steal valuables has been a key issue in Footscray, with a 70% increase in theft from motor vehicle offences in the area last year.
While local officers will be conducting foot patrols of the area on the lookout for any suspicious activity, police also implore the community to lock their cars, shut all windows, and remove valuables from plain sight.
During the operation, police will be visiting local traders and community members to discuss safety measures to prevent crime.
This carries on from existing engagement with the Maribyrnong City Council, community health organisations and local businesses.
The concerted police focus in the area commenced earlier this week, with general duties officers patrolling the Footscray CBD on Tuesday with the Dog Squad, utilising Passive Alert Detector (PAD) dogs to detect those pedalling drugs in the community.
Seven searches were conducted as a result of the PAD dog detections, with varying quantities of cannabis and synthetic cannabis seized.
Five people were charged for drug relates offences, and one person was issued with a caution for cannabis possession.
A further five people were arrested on Tuesday, three of those in connection to alleged shop steals, and two for outstanding warrants.
The highly visible operation commenced this month and will continue over the coming weeks.
Quotes attributable to Maribyrnong Local Area Commander, Acting Inspector Chloe Hayward:
"Police will be out in force across Footscray as part of a series of operations over the coming weeks.
"Anyone coming into the area to cause trouble or commit crime is on notice - you will be detected and held accountable.
"While we always have police patrolling the Footscray and Maribyrnong area, this operation is about sending a clear message to offenders and the local community that we simply won't tolerate ongoing criminal activity and anti-social behaviour.
"Operations like these go a long way to improving safety overall by allowing us to build better relationships with locals and traders in the area."
