Introducing Inspector Dale Huntington, the Situational Awareness Map and Operation NEXUS

Inspector Dale Huntington is the new Local Area Commander for Southbank and Melbourne East police service areas. Previous to this appointment, Dale’s career has been in diverse policing roles, including operational uniform policing, investigations, public order, major events management, drug enforcement, public transport safety, traffic management and liquor licensing.

Dale brings a high level of contemporary policing knowledge having been the Deputy Chief of Staff to Chief Commissioner Shane Patton. He also has extensive frontline policing experience and leadership having overseen several major policing projects and events in Victoria – Operation Safe Streets (MY City), Commonwealth Games, White Night Melbourne, Spring Racing Carnival, AFL Grand Finals, International Cricket, and many large Victorian community events and festivals.

As the Local Area Commander for the busiest and highest profile area in the state, Dale is excited in leading an experienced and highly motivated team of leaders and personnel, to work in partnership with stakeholders, resident groups, the City of Melbourne, and state government, to develop inner-city safety initiatives for all residents, students, visitors and working residents, which will contribute to Melbourne being a safe and livable city.

The Situational Awareness Map

Victoria Police has a new investigating tool to allow its members to investigate crime in a timelier manner.

The Situational Awareness Map (SAM) gives Police the ability to record CCTV locations across Victoria and send a link to owners to provide CCTV electronically. This allows members to obtain more images of offenders, increasing the likelihood of identifying and capturing offenders.

SAM is rapidly increasing in size and capabilities and has hundreds of businesses and body corporates sharing intel to drive down crime across the state.

If you have a home CCTV system, a business with CCTV or a residential apartment complex with CCTV, please assist in driving down crime by sharing the details with Southbank Police Station. Simply email [email protected] with the number of CCTV cameras and the area they capture (including street names) enabling the details to be added.

This also helps save time for the community as it will save police members physically attending to canvass for CCTV cameras to see what is available.

Southbank Police Station thanks you for getting involved and making the community a safer place.  

Operation Nexus

This operation will be conducted over the Easter long weekend from 12.01am Thursday,  April 6 until 11.59pm Monday, April 10. Operation Nexus will be conducted throughout all operational police regions and police service areas (PSAs) during the five-day period.

A key focus of Operation Nexus is to maintain a visible and active police presence on Victorian roads to act as a deterrent against unsafe road behaviour.

The operation will target drug and alcohol impaired driving, speed, fatigue, distraction, vulnerable road users and unauthorised drivers.

Please be safe during the Easter break. Happy Easter, to all our readers. •