The Water Police Squad has been called to more than 500 incidents already this summer - prompting a water safety warning for the Australia Day long weekend.
With temperatures set to soar into the high-thirties and low forties and significant crowds expected at popular waterways - the Water Police Squad will be out in force with local units conducting proactive patrols to ensure everyone is following the rules.
Around 400 of the callouts have related to vessel collisions or vessel sinkings, people being in trouble on the water and needing to be rescued, injuries occurring on boats and jet skis and mechanical failures.
The remaining 100 relate to dangerous jet ski behaviour including speeding and travelling too close to other swimmers.
Recent examples include police responding to multiple jet skis were caught hooning and riding dangerously close to swimmers at St Kilda Pier and jet ski operators exceeding speed and travelling too close to swimmers at The Pillars in Mount Martha.
The callouts have resulted in around 280 infringement notices being issued - most for jet ski behaviour - with the top locations for offending in and around the Mornington Peninsula.
These figures show it's been a busy start to the summer for the squad - reinforcing the message for locals and visitors to the state's waterways this Australia Day long weekend to do their part in ensuring safety.
Water Police will have a presence at key areas across Port Phillip Bay, including inner Melbourne beaches and Hastings, the Mornington Peninsula, Surf Coast, Paynesville and inland areas including Lake Eildon.
Boaties, jet skiers and kayakers will be of focus - with police to converge on boat ramps to conduct breath tests and licence checks.
Police will also carry out vessel inspections to ensure operators have the required safety equipment on board such as lifejackets, torches and fire extinguishers.
The law requires boat users to wear a lifejacket on a powered vessel up to 4.8m, when travelling solo, and at heightened risk.
It is mandatory for jet skiers and kayakers to wear a lifejacket at all times, yet police are still seeing people without them. Children aged under 12 must also wear a lifejacket at all times when in open areas of a vessel.
The Water Police Squad will use police boats and jet skis to enhance its visibility on the water.
On top of patrols, the squad will also be running several targeted operations over the summer season to target rogue jet ski riders both on the water and at ramps.
Operation Summersafe will also continue at busy beachside locations over the Australia Day long weekend, which involves patrols by local police, Water police, the Public Order Response Team, Transit officers, and the Mounted Branch.
Mobile Policing Facilities will be stationed at St Kilda, Mordialloc and Rye over the long weekend, creating a visible reminder that police are in the area to keep people safe, while also serving as a deterrent for anyone looking to create trouble.
Operation Summersafe will also occur at other locations such as Altona, Williamstown, Port Melbourne, Safety Beach and Portsea.
The Water Police Squad continues to work closely with Safe Transport Victoria, Parks Victoria and the Victorian Fisheries Authority to enforce marine safety, as well as Life Saving Victoria and marine rescue volunteers to respond to search and rescue incidents and enhance safety on the water.
Quotes attributable to Water Police Squad Inspector James Dalton:
"We've had a busy start to summer - with more than 500 incidents and around 280 infringement notices issued for offences on the water already.
"While it's only natural to see a rise in incidents as people take to the water to escape the heat - we need everyone to play their part in ensuring safety.
"We are seeing far too many collisions occur and jet skiers travelling way too close to other swimmers and vessels and approaching shore at high speed.
"People need to remember that a split-second decision can have lifelong consequences.
"That's why will have a bolstered presence right across the state over this Australia Day long weekend to ensure everyone is following the rules.
"That means wearing a lifejacket, respecting the safety of other water users, and carrying the mandatory safety equipment."
