With Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell locked in Stage 3 lockdown for the next six weeks, Victoria Police says it is committed to supporting the state’s Deparment of Health and Human Services directions in containing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Anthoula Moutis Senior Sergeant of Police overseeing internal communications and phone hotline enquiries for all members of Victoria Police said the health and safety of Victorians was the force’s top priority.
Victoria Police would help the state’s Chief Health Officer to enforce the new Stage 3 restrictions in the city and that the force had extended its Operation Sentinel.
The health and safety of the Victorian community is our number one priority during this challenging period. Victoria Police will continue to support the Department of Health and Human Services’ lead and management of this effort.
“The community can expect to see a highly-visible police presence in metropolitan Melbourne, Mitchell Shire and right across the state,” said Sen Sgt Moutis.
“This includes a ring of steel around metropolitan Melbourne with vehicle checkpoints now in place across eight major arterial roads. The checkpoints will be operational 24 hours a day and will remain in place for the coming weeks.”
Over the 24 hours to Wednesday afternoon Victoria Police had:
♦ Issued a total of 63 fines to individuals for breaching the Chief Health Officer directions – 21 of these infringements were issued at vehicle checkpoints;
♦ Checked 21,813 vehicles at the vehicle checkpoints on main arterial roads; and
♦ Conducted 4,958 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places across the state.
She said that a total of 110,507 spot checks have been conducted since 21 March.
Since the Stage 3 restrictions came into effect across metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire on 11.59pm Wednesday 8 July, the police had :
♦ Issued 546 infringement notices to individuals for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions. 151 of these infringements were issued at vehicle checkpoints;
♦ Checked 85,886 vehicles at the vehicle checkpoints on main arterial roads; and
♦ Conducted 16,046 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places across the state
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Sen Sgt Moutis cited several examples of cases where the police issued fines for breaches of the Chief Health Officers directions over the past 24 hours
On Tuesday at 6pm police officers following up on reports of a gathering at Wavell Street in Bentleigh found 10 people in a driveway and footpath with stools set up around a gas heater consuming alcohol. They told police they thought that if they maintained 1.5m distance, they were able to gather in the street. All 10 were issued with fines.
Four people who lived in different parts of the city including Cranbourne, Collingwood and Cranbourne North had gathered at an Alphington home. When asked why they were there, they claimed that they had come to charge their phones. All four people at the gathering were issued with fines.
At a Thames Street home in Box Hill police found a gathering of five people who said they were there to celebrate a friend’s graduation. All five are to be fined for breaching regulations.
In another incident, on Monday, 13 July, sitting in a parked car outside a goods store in Seville. When asked why there were there, they said they were playing Pokémon on their phones. Both were issued with fines for breaching the Chief Health Officer directions.
The police were unable to provide any further breakdown of the fines issued.
