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Border patrol
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Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann
Photography: Supplied
When police officers were imagining what their 2020 Christmas Day might look like, hundreds couldn’t have pictured they would spend it living out of tents in remote border locations.
But if 2020 was known for anything, it was for the unexpected.
With Victoria having brought the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to heel within its own borders in the last few months of the year, attention turned to worrying outbreaks in South Australia and New South Wales.
As a result, the State Government announced separate border closures with both states.
Victoria Police quickly set about the massive task of establishing dozens of vehicle checkpoints to enforce the Chief Health Officer’s directions and ensure the safety of Victorians.
The closure of the New South Wales border a week out from Christmas during the travel-heavy holiday period was a particularly large undertaking.
Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said it required more than 30 checkpoint sites across 1,400km, with almost 700 police personnel deployed to help support the local areas in managing the operation, known as Sentinel IV.
The day-to-day operation of the checkpoints was managed by four Incident Police Operations Centres and seven forward command posts.
The remoteness of many of the checkpoints required police working at them to live in temporary tent “cities” for several days at a time.
Hundreds of police staffed vehicle checkpoints such as this one on the Snowy River Road at Wulgulmerang.
The tent cities in places like Cann River were reminiscent of similar scenes a century earlier in 1919 when the Victoria-New South Wales border was closed and quarantine tent camps were set up in Albury to deal with the deadly Spanish flu pandemic.
A century ago tent cities were set up in places like Albury in 1919 as quarantine camps during the Spanish flu.
When the callout went across the state in late December for personnel to join Sentinel IV, DC Nugent said he was buoyed by how many officers cancelled their holidays or days off to help out.
“Our officers were outstanding in their dedication to that operation,” DC Nugent said.
“The year of 2020 was one of sacrifice and missing out on important events, for both the general community and also Victoria Police employees.
“It was incredible for these officers to volunteer to be away from home at Christmas and give up special time with their loved ones.
Their continued commitment to their duty of protecting the public is admirable and, on behalf of all Victorians and Victoria Police, I want to thank them for performing those critical roles.”
DC Nugent also thanked the community for its patience and understanding, particularly from the thousands of Victorians who were stuck at the border, waiting to drive through checkpoints and back home.
He said coronavirus (COVID-19) operations such as Sentinel IV again showed the importance of Victoria Police’s flexibility and professionalism.
“Within just 30 hours of the New South Wales border closure announcement, Victoria Police had established checkpoints staffed with hundreds of our officers,” he said.
“It was amazing to see our people rise to the occasion and make this massive logistical operation work for the safety of the community.”
