Officers from the Mounted Branch rescued two sisters last night following reports they were struggling in waters off St Kilda Pier.
The members were patrolling along Jacka Boulevard, as part of Operation Summersafe, when a member of the public flagged them down reporting two children were in the water and needed help about 7.40pm.
The acting sergeant and leading senior constable rode down to the foreshore before they stripped off their police equipment and entered the water.
Two other mounted branch teams stayed back on the shore with the equipment, horses and raised the alarm.
Both officers swam out to the pair, aged 10 and 11-years, and from what it appears were just in time.
The first officer was able to make it back to shore with one of the girls.
The second officer, in very difficult circumstances, had to fully submerge herself and push off the bay floor to try and bring the young girl to the surface and out of an undertow.
They encountered rough and choppy waters and a strong pull into the pier near construction infrastructure.
The pair were exhausted and very lucky to escape serious injury, with the officer able to make her way onto nearby rocks and the young girl assisted back to the shore by a member of the public.
The young girls were checked over by ambulance paramedics before they were left in the care of their mother.
Police would also like to thank the member of the public who assisted with the rescue.
