AS Mildura police continue to crack down on anyone trying to enter the region from hot spot areas, Superintendent Rebecca Olsen says the focus is on detecting those from out of town, not disrupting the daily commute of those in the border bubble.
Across Victoria about 1300 police and protective service officers are currently dedicated to coronavirus-related enforcement which includes about 400 roving patrols along the NSW and SA borders.
More than 80 extra officers from regional areas and Melbourne are now working across the Mallee to assist with COVID enforcement efforts, including checking permits at the SA border and near local border points.
Supt Olsen said in Mildura, police members are continuing roving patrols rather than setting up border stops on the George Chaffey and other local bridges, as seen during hard border closures.
“What we’re finding is that when we set up on the bridge it just impacts on border bubble travel which is not our intention,” Supt Olsen said.
“Our intention is to identify those travelling through the Mallee from hot spot locations in NSW, so we’re checking permits for anyone from those red or orange zones.”
Since border patrols started on June 26, police have checked 76,630 people along state borders and on major routes near the border.
The majority of checks in Victoria were carried out at alcohol and drug testing bus locations, with the remainder undertaken by mobile patrol units.
In Mildura, Supt Olsen said residents may have noticed an increase in police patrolling the region, with the number of marked and unmarked police vehicles having been increased.
Overall compliance with permits and COVID restrictions across Victoria is at 98.9 per cent with Supt Olsen saying it is a similar situation in Mildura with only a small number of people caught trying to travel through the Mallee from hot spots.
“What we’re finding is those who are travelling through the Mallee from hot spot locations have been providing false information on their permits and are being deceitful with the information they put on the permit,” she said.
“But we find general compliance is good and we are able to identify those (from hot spot locations) pretty easily and close to the border so we can return them to NSW police.”
Since stay at home directions were announced in New South Wales, Victoria Police has seen a significant reduction in traffic between the states with the majority of vehicles from the approved border zones or heavy transport moving freight.
