A joint public safety operation in Footscray yesterday led to five arrests, six warrants being executed, and the seizure of illicit drugs.
Uniform police - supported by the Public Order Response Team, Dog Squad, Mounted Branch, Highway Patrol and Proactive Policing Unit - saturated the Footscray CBD and train station to engage with the community and deter crime.
Officers from Sheriffs Victoria and local council also joined the blitz to ensure safety was targeted from all angles.
Police declared the area a designated area for weapons searches, with drug detection dogs also deployed to sniff out those carrying or dealing illicit drugs in the community.
The stop and search powers led to police seizing a box cutter and quantities of cannabis.
Police also:
- Impounded the vehicle of a learner driver who was driving unaccompanied and unregistered;
- Executed six outstanding warrants;
- Located a missing young person and returned them home;
- Served an intervention order; and
- Issued two cautions for cannabis possession.
Five people were arrested including a 35-year-old Footscray woman who had failed to appear at court for burglary and criminal damage offences. She was later remanded for failing to appear at court while on bail.
Four men, aged 22 from Donnybrook, aged 21 from Cheltenham, aged 26 from Springvale South and aged 24 from Weir Views, were charged with theft and drug possession offences.
The Sheriff's office collected more than $26,000 in unpaid fines and wheel clamped six vehicles which had outstanding warrants against them.
Police and council officers also visited a range of local traders and businesses to engage with the community and discuss any safety concerns.
An Omni operation provides police with additional powers to search for weapons within a designated search area under the Control of Weapons Act.
They remain a key tool for police to detect people who choose to carry weapons in the community and take them off the streets.
Thursday's blitz was conducted in addition to the regular operations local police stage in the area.
Quotes attributable to Maribyrnong Local Area Commander, Inspector Paul Morgan:
"Improving the overall safety and amenity of an area takes a multi-faceted approach - that's why joint operations like these are so important.
"From a policing perspective we brought in a range of specialist resources to ensure we were targeting crime from all angles.
"We had PORT officers patrolling the streets to deter anti-social behaviour, the Dog Squad detecting those carrying illicit drugs, Highway Patrol targeting road safety and proactive police engaging with traders.
"We know this all-in approach to safety has an impact, so we'll continue to work with our local partners and run similar initiatives on top of daily patrols."
