Victoria Police has launched a five-month operation to make sure people are enjoying their summer safely.
Acting Superintendent of Victoria Police, Sharon McCrory said Operation Summersafe would run until the end of March and would see a highly visible presence on Victoria’s foreshores, from The Great Ocean Road through to the Mornington Peninsula.
“Residents and visitors to these areas can expect to see police proactively patrolling busy locations including the beaches, parks, shopping and entertainment districts and nearby public transport hubs,” Acting Superintendent McCrory said.
“Patrols will include local police supported by State-based specialist resources including the Mounted Branch, Water Police, Public Order Response Team and the Transit Safety Division,” she said.
“As always, our approach will be centred around keeping the community safe by maintaining public order, detecting and disrupting criminal offending, and keeping our roads safe by conducting roadside drug and alcohol tests.”
Acting Superintendent McCrory said highway patrol officers would monitor local areas and adapt their operations and general patrols to target reckless driver behaviour.
She said road policing operations would also continue to target speeding, impaired driving and driver distraction.
“With travel restrictions now lifted, police remind all drivers to keep road safety front of mind, be patient and exercise caution on the road to ensure everyone gets home safely,” she said.
Acting Superintendent McCrory reminded coastal area visitors to respect the communities they were visiting, including by being mindful of noise levels.
“Our message to anyone impacting others’ celebrations in the warmer months is simple – we will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour,” she said.
“Respect the community you are in, respect the local residents and, most importantly, respect the safety of others around you,” Acting Superintendent McCrory said.
