Transcript

Inspector Paul Ross: The hummers have got this unique thing about them, they're different. Tonight we're going to see one of our proof of concept operations, and we've selected five locations throughout the state, one in each region, and tonight we're in Stonnington.

We're pretty fortunate Holden donated five Hummers to us, for about a six month period. They come black in colour and we designed some decals with the city landscape on them. The whole idea is that they go with the Safe Streets trials. They're also used in the CBD. We've marketed through the media that these vehicles are there for public order issues.

We've had a great response, especially down in Frankston, up in Shepparton and in the CBD. One of the Frankston sergeants told me how some of the young bucks are now coming up to them to talk to them because they are in a Hummer so it just breaks the ice. Looking at policing interstate, public order police do use different vehicles, so part of our trial was to use that.

So far great response from members, very positive from the public, and most of the media stories about the CBD issues there's usually a Hummer in the photo. So i think it's a great initiative for measuring the succes of how good the Hummers are. Whether the organisation buys them in the future that's another thing, but it definitely shows that having a different car, different decals, that the police are out there doing public order is pretty well received by the public.

Even having a photo shoot at fed square we had that many people come up and take their photos. It is probably a bit of a gimmick, but it means people are aware that Victoria Police are out doing public order, and we've now got that message out there, and it continues each weekend when they are used out in the CBD and other trial areas.

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