Police will be out in force this festive season as part of a $2.86 million crackdown on crime at Perth’s shopping precincts.
Known as Operation Heat Shield, the initiative allows flexibility to deploy a range of resources, including police from the mounted unit, the canine unit, and officers on bikes, in cars, and on foot.
The Christmas crime crackdown will focus on shoplifting and anti-social behaviour in the city centre, including Protected Entertainment Precincts (PEPs), as well as in the suburbs and regional Western Australia.
Last year, in just one month, Operation Heat Shield led to 185 arrests and 238 charges, while over 2,000 additional patrol hours were logged across retail precincts and PEPs.
At Karrinyup Shopping Centre, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are now operational and will provide real-time alerts to police officers at the 24/7 State Operations Command Centre.
Police say the technology can quickly flag vehicles of interest linked to wanted individuals and provide crucial information in case they need to respond to an unfolding emergency at the shopping centre.
If the trial at Karrinyup Shopping Centre is successful, the ANPR cameras linked to police surveillance could be rolled out at other suburban shopping centres across WA.
With shopping centres packed to the brim during Christmas, WA Police Minister Paul Papalia said police would be out in force, targeting those behaving badly.
“We know a visible police presence deters criminals, and right now in WA, we have more police patrolling our streets than ever before,” Minister Papalia said.
“We are also resourcing our officers better than ever before, and this nation-leading ANPR camera trial is confirmation the WA Police Force is the best equipped in Australia.”
