Victoria Police Gain Sweeping CBD Search Powers

Victoria police will soon possess enhanced authority to conduct warrant-less searches within a significant designated area encompassing Melbourne's CBD and nearby districts for a period of six months, concluding on May 29, 2026. This new directive allows police and Protective Services Officers to randomly stop and search individuals and vehicles without requiring reasonable grounds or a warrant. Concerns have been raised by legal and human rights organizations, who describe these expanded powers as an unprecedented 'vast overreach' with the potential to negatively impact minority and marginalized communities. Civil liberties advocates also question the efficacy of such measures, citing a report indicating a low seizure rate of illicit items during similar past operations. Police, however, maintain that these enhanced safety measures are crucial for removing weapons from streets, particularly in light of escalating knife crime statistics in Victoria, and assert a zero-tolerance approach to racial profiling.