By Tanya Steele
Transit police have arrested five people during an operation targeting drug and weapon offences and anti-social behaviour at a major public transport hub in Melbourne’s east.
Boronia railway station and Dorset Square were a hive of activity last week as police units came together to patrol the areas as part of Operation Accomplish.
The operation took place on Thursday 1 February and Transit Safety Division Acting Sergeant Jo Kavanagh said the operation was conducted at the Boronia railway station site to detect and deter offenders and enhance public safety.
“We’re focusing on the train station as well as the shopping centres and that’s due to antisocial behaviour that’s been recorded along with drug and weapons crimes,” she said.
Some of the arrests included a 22-year-old Kilsyth man for possession of a weapon, a 46-year-old Boronia man for possession of cannabis and a 30-year-old Wantirna South man for a family violence offence and possession of a weapon.
Acting Sgt Kavanagh said the operation had been planned due to increases in activity in the area.
“We want to stamp it out and then also reassure the public that we’re actually doing things about the things they’re reporting,” she said.
“It is one for reassurance and two to deter, the offenders that do appear here, we’re trying to deter them and if there are drugs present or weapons – we will act,” she said.
Transit police officers, with support from the dog squad, mounted branch and local divisional resources patrolled and engaged with commuters in and around Boronia railway station and the Dorset Square shopping precinct to enhance public safety, police also worked with authorised officers to detect fare evaders.
Units from Boronia, Knox and Croydon were present for the operation and Acting Sgt Kavanagh said the police don’t often get the chance to work together in such a concentrated way.
“It’s really good to have the support of the different units to work together for one goal,” she said.
“It’s good for us. It’s good for the public, and it deals with the crime.”
Transit police regularly conduct public safety operations at major public transport hubs to detect and deter anti-social behaviour on the network and Acting Sgt Kavanagh said that overall the police had a very successful operation.
“A message was sent to the community that anti-social behaviour – including carrying drugs, weapons and graffiti – will not be tolerated and the focus was to make sure people feel safe wherever and whenever they use public transport,” she said.
“We will continue to run these operations and be out in force to make sure people are doing the right thing,” she said.
