An extra 700 Victorian police officers will turn their effort to stopping the spread of coronavirus, as the state ramps up its lockdown.
Speaking to reporters today, Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton said Operation Sentinel, the police operation that has 500 officers around the state making sure Victorians are complying with the chief health officer’s directions, would be expanded.
“A whole amount of those main arterial roads you'd expect to see on the Hume Freeway heading out to Calder, going down to Geelong, heading to Gippsland. We're going to be there from midnight tonight. We're going to be checking people. We're going to be making sure they're adhering to those guidelines. If you don't have a reason to leave, you will be turned back around.”
Mr Patton said the Australian Defence Force would also be more visible from today however they “cannot replace police”. Police in NSW at the border city of Albury checking cars crossing the state border from Victoria. Picture: William West/AFPDespite most Victorians doing the right thing, Mr Patton lashed some people for being “stupid and selfish”.
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