The recurrence of troublemakers around shopping centres and popular shopping strips are the latest target of a new policing initiative aimed at getting "back to basics".
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It is the result of a new policing initiative which sees police liaise with community members and business owners about their concerns.
As a result of the Neighbourhood Policing initiative, police have compiled a register of issues that matter most to residents and have been working to address them.
Among the concerns voiced by Ballarat residents were crime and anti-social behaviour around retail precincts, as well as public order and anti-social behaviour involving young people.
Neighbourhood Policing Coordinator for Ballarat, Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Allen, said the initiative was about "going back to true grassroots police work".
"We're not just listening to the community but following through on their concerns and tasking police to deal with them.
We're not just listening to the community but following through on their concerns and tasking police to deal with them.
- Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Allen
"We'll then report back to the community on what has been done."
The approach has already seen police work to improve safety around retail precincts, while also tackling the issue of youth offending.
Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said the approach had successfully been used to deter offending around the Bridge Mall and Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre.
Police met with traders and centre management to discuss issues of concern, with officers then tasked to proactively patrol both locations to provide community reassurance.
Sales assistant at Just Jeans, Deb Viccars, said it was great to see police out and about interacting with the public.
"It's always easier to chat in person," she said.
Stemming from this, police will host weekly Coffee with a Cop sessions at the Wendouree shopping centre so residents can speak with police face-to-face.
Public order issues involving youth have also been a focus.
After police became aware of another mass gathering of hundreds of youths being planned to take place at Victoria Park on March 4, they made an effort to gather further intelligence about the event.
With more knowledge about what was planned and with a determination not to see a repeat of what played out in a gathering the weekend beforehand, extra police were rostered on to patrol the park at the time the event was set to begin.
Around 30 youths were asked to move on.
Another issue identified through the initiative was the use of motorised scooters, leading to police taking a "zero-tolerance approach" and more emphasis being put on educating riders failing to follow the road rules.
Residents have also expressed desires for a more visible police presence on Ballarat's streets, so police are making a concerted effort to walk the streets and interact with the community.
As part of these efforts, Ballarat police have also introduced a weekend wrap-up of key incidents.
This wrap is posted on the Ballarat Eyewatch page each week so the community is informed of what police have been working on.
"The community should be assured we're listening and will continue to listen. But importantly, we'll act and make sure they know when we do," Acting Senior Sergeant Allen said.
Through the approach police also liaise with local councils, community groups and government agencies to address more complex issues.
The Ballarat Police Service area was one of eight across the state which last year began the grassroots effort.
It is now being rolled out across the state to all 54 police service areas. The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of March.
Assistant Commissioner Tim Hansen, of the Service Delivery Transformation Command, said listening to community concerns was a basic of police work and helped to prevent and deter crime.
"Police serve the community and we must be accountable to their needs and safety concerns," he said, describing the initiative as a "wholesale shift in how Victoria Police does business."
"This initiative means there will be one standard statewide of what is expected of police."
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