Team players

Editorial: Lane Mihaljevic

Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and John Pallot

Police Life spent a day on the road to get a behind-the-scenes look into one of Victoria Police's most versatile units

It’s 8am on Monday and the Public Order Response Team (PORT) is already kitted up and ready to be deployed wherever it’s needed most.

With no protests or demonstrations planned in Melbourne for the day, half of the team will spend their shift assisting general duties police in regional Victoria, while the other half assists with roadside breath testing in Werribee.

Tasked with providing back-up to frontline police, the PORT members heading to Ballarat started their day with a briefing at the Victoria Police Centre in Docklands before packing the cars and strapping in for a trip up the Western Highway.

8:00AM PORT members working the morning shift kit up and gather for a briefing in the Victoria Police Centre.

Now 294 members strong, it isn’t unusual for PORT to deploy a portion of the team beyond metropolitan boundaries.

In fact, for PORT Acting Senior Sergeant Rebecca Wells, it’s just a regular day at the office.

“The unit’s core function is to provide support to local police managing large protests, demonstrations or events where people are at risk of being harmed, but when we’re not doing that, we’re out keeping the community safe – just like any other police officer,” A/Sen Sgt Wells said.

“So when police in a regional area like Ballarat need help with something that’s on their plate, sending members out there to assist is a no-brainer.”

Arriving just before 10am, PORT stopped at Ballarat Police Station to meet and check in with local police.

10:30AM After meeting with police at Ballarat Police Station, PORT members stop to chat with the locals.

Today, they will be hitting the streets to support officers with their regular duties, while also participating in Operation Clash – a coordinated effort to locate and arrest known high-risk offenders.

Wanted for crimes such as drug trafficking, assault, and family violence, these offenders don’t want to be found — but that’s where PORT comes in.

11:00AM PORT members arrive at an address where an offender is reported to be living and discuss how they're going to approach his arrest.

“Local police in locations like Ballarat are often busy managing all of the things that come with policing a regional city,” said A/Sen Sgt Wells.

“So being able to send our members in to provide them with extra resources is a gamechanger.

“It allows us to help them bring offenders into custody as quickly and safely as possible, for the benefit of both the community and local officers.”

12:30PM PORT members make their final arrest on the outskirts of town and head back to Ballarat Police Station.

Over the course of PORT’s day in Ballarat, the unit made several major arrests and interacted with members of the community from all parts of town.

But even after saying goodbye to local officers and returning to Melbourne, PORT wasn’t off the clock.

1:30PM On their way back to the Victoria Police Centre, PORT is redeployed to assist with the management of a suspicious grassfire in Rowsley.

As members who started work in the morning began to pack up and finish for the day, those rostered to work the afternoon shift rolled in.

Unlike the morning crew, PORT members working the afternoon shift didn’t have to stray far from the Victoria Police Centre, having been tasked with patrolling Melbourne's CBD.

2:00PM PORT members working the afternoon shift kit up and gather for a briefing from Acting Senior Sergeant Rebecca Wells in the Victoria Police Centre.

But while the job is close to PORT’s home base, policing in the city has its own unique challenges – including large crowds, busy roads and poor behaviour after dark.

Starting in some of Melbourne’s busiest locations like Swanston Street and Flinders Street Station, PORT members kept a watchful eye on the community, both from their vehicles and on foot.

4:00PM The team spends the first few hours of their shift in the streets surrounding Federation Square and Flinders Street Station.

6:00PM Local police request PORT members' assistance with locating a person of interest.

As the sun went down, PORT assisted local police with roadside drug and alcohol testing, conducting preliminary breath tests on Russell Street.

“It just goes to show that PORT members wear many hats,” A/Sen Sgt Wells said.

8:00PM PORT members conduct roadside drug and alcohol tests.

“One minute, we’ll be keeping you safe during a public demonstration or sporting match, and the next, we’ll be helping with an arrest, keeping an eye on the roads, or providing support to members attending a natural disaster.

“No matter what it is that we’re called to assist with, we’re there to do our bit.”