Premier John Brumby launched the unit yesterday and said it was the "latest weapon in the fight against street crime".

Ballarat police Acting Inspector Pat Cleary confirmed a contingent from the 120 member statewide taskforce would patrol the central business district the night before Monday's Labour Day public holiday to target drunken

and unruly behaviour.

Insp Cleary said while the exact number of taskforce members who would travel to Ballarat was not yet confirmed, their presence would bolster local resources and provide a significant deterrent to late-night criminal activity.

"We will have several ORU members working out of Ballarat during the evening this Sunday to crack down on public order offences in and around the CBD," he said.

"As I understand it there are 120 members to be spread out across the state and we will be one of the first to make use of their numbers.

"The extra support and extra presence will be welcomed and will complement our continued efforts to target anti-social behaviour on the streets of Ballarat."

Mr Brumby said the specialist unit would carry out targeted operations across Victoria to tackle street violence and was expected to grow to 220 members by the end of the year.

"This new unit ... will significantly boost police capacity to crack down on assaults, the use of weapons and alcohol-related street crime," he said.

Mr Brumby said the officers were specifically recruited and trained to undertake targeted law enforcement operations.

Insp Cleary said past saturation-style operations conducted by police in the nightclub precinct late at night had seen marked reductions in reported assaults and Ballarat would be applying to utilise the new taskforce as often

as possible.

"In the past these type of operations have certainly helped create that deterrent to ensure people behave themselves," he said.

"This unit is an extra resource and it's our intention to use them where possible."