Mounted Branch stables The Victoria Police stables in South Melbourne have served the Mounted Branch well for more than 100 years.
EDITORIAL ANTHONY LONCARIC .01
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hey were built as part of the old Police Depot in 1912, which included a hospital, barracks, dining room and a drill round. The stables and riding arena are still being used by The Mounted Branch with the rest of the original police property occupied by the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). There is a current proposal for the VCA to eventually expand their occupation incorporating the existing Mounted Branch stable building. The Mounted Branch will then move to a new fit-for-purpose facility, to be built at its existing training site at Attwood. Acting Senior Sergeant Matthew Astill said that for many, it will be sad to leave a building with such rich history and memories for generations of Mounted Police. But he is excited about having a new facility that meets the modern needs and efficiencies of the Mounted Branch’s operations. “The stables have served us well but there are some obvious inefficiencies,” A/Sen Sgt Astill said. “Our staff will have a chance to have input on the proposed design of the new facility at Attwood. “We have stables for 50 horses but we don’t need that much space and we use some of the stalls as storage nowadays. The building was designed prior to the use of motor vehicle parking and access. “We won’t miss the freezing winters and the summer oven of the stables but it is a lovely building that is a quiet sanctum in the heart of the city.”
www.police.vic.gov.au/policelife
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LONG LASTING .01 The stables were built as part of the old Police Depot in 1912. .02 A/Sen Sgt Astill said the Mounted Branch is still a vital asset to Victoria Police. .03 The stables include training facilities for horses and members.
A/Sen Sgt Astill said the Mounted Branch is a vital asset to Victoria Police. “Horses perform a niche role on and off road in modern policing where they have an invaluable height advantage, high visibility and the ability to manage large sections of crowds,” he said. “We often deploy mounted troopers for high-risk public order management duties at large sporting events, protests, rallies and music festivals. Other duties include land searches for missing persons, targeted patrols supporting frontline operations and some ceremonial duties.”
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