Clippity clop, here come the cops

A stronger police presence could soon be felt in Docklands, with Victoria Police’s mounted branch considering the area as a potential site for a staging post.

Last month Acting-Sgt Rachel Dunkinson and Leading Sen-Constable Samantha Hemingway visited Docklands to perform a routine patrol and to scout locations for potential staging posts.

According to Acting-Sgt Dunkinson, the Victoria Police mounted branch (which is currently based at Victoria Barracks in Southbank) is moving its operations to a farm in Attwood, near Tullamarine.

“Once this transition takes place the mounted branch will require suitable small parcels of land to utilise when we are deployed to the city for any number of jobs we undertake,” Acting-Sgt Dunkinson said.

“This may include attending soccer matches, protests and rallies, training patrols or patrols of licensed venues in the CBD.”

The branch is looking for small areas of land within the CBD, or within a 2km radius, where horses can be transported to for set-up for work in the city. The site wouldn’t be used for overnight stays or horse agistment.

According to Acting-Sgt Dunkinson, the site would need to be a flat, open space, the site of a basketball court or larger, with a surface of grass, gravel or concrete.

The branch is also on the lookout for potential new police horses for purchase or for donation.

“We do not look for one particular colour or breed, but have a standard requirement that the horse is at least 16 hands high, between the ages of five and 12 years and generally placid and inquisitive in it’s demeanour,” Acting-Sgt Dunkinson said.

The mounted branch is keen to hear from anyone who might have a suitable site for a staging post or potential police horses. You can reach Acting-Sgt Dunkinson on 9682 2366.