FRANKSTON police will launch a strategy next month that they say will enhance patrols and make policing more efficient.
The Frankston Divisional Operations Support Office – DOSO – will allow police on restricted duties due to injury or illness to oversee calls made to triple zero and take jobs from patrol units that don’t necessarily require a police presence.
The DOSO police can then call complainants and prepare crime and intelligence reports and referrals, without taking up the time of police on active duty.
“This will allow greater patrol time for units on the road to focus on key areas for us in relation to volume crime and anti-social behaviour,” Acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Michie said.
“The members won’t be on patrol but will mostly be made up of members who are unable to have face-to-face contact with the public. They will be sworn police officers and some will be in uniform and some not.”
CCTV from the Frankston City Council and Bayside Shopping Centre will be beamed into the police building for active monitoring during incidents which have been called through to triple zero.
“The CCTV will constantly be on so members in the office will also be able to view it in between other tasks,” Sergeant Michie said.
“If a brawl broke out on the street but it was over before police arrived the DOSO could view the incident and send direct intelligence, including CCTV stills, to the computers of units already on the way.”
Frankston City Council’s Jarred Stevens said the DOSO unit would provide beneficial back-up to police and lead to a safer city.
“The CCTV cameras will be monitored 16 hours a day,” he said.
“A policeman will be sitting behind a camera with vision of any crimes that may occur. He can then continue watching while police are on their way to the crime scene and provide them with information when they get there.
“He can also help with minor crimes that may not need police attendance straight away.”
Mr Stevens, the council’s coordinator of compliance and safety, said the initiative would save police travel time by having a DOSO officer back in the office doing the paperwork for crimes they investigated.
Police are planning for potential CCTV coverage of the Frankston, Kananook and Seaford train stations to also be beamed live into the DOSO. This is expected to complement the work being done by PSOs and the transit police.
Because the DOSO will generally be made up of members on restricted duties, patrol times of active police will not be diminished. A side benefit is that it will enable members not actively working on the road to keep up with current trends and intelligence.
“The partnership between Frankston police, Frankston City Council and Bayside Shopping Centre is only becoming stronger with initiatives like this,” Sergeant Michie said.
“Community safety is a matter for everyone so the more eyes and cameras looking out the better.”
Geelong police station has reportedly had a DOSO up and running for about two years “with great success”.
Frankston is one of several police stations around Melbourne launching this method of policing due to the positive results it is providing.
