New CBD police station

New CBD police station

The CBD has a new police station, with officers from Melbourne East Police moving on April 17 from Flinders Lane to new premises at 202 Bourke St.

The move was particularly gratifying for station commander Snr Snr Adam Tanner, who had been working in the move for about three years.

Snr Sgt Tanner said the new station has been purpose-built for 21st century police, accommodating the very latest in technology.

“Policing has changed dramatically in the past 20 years,” he said.  “While many other police stations are retro-fitting to keep up, Melbourne East is ready to go.”

He said facilities for the “on-the-street” officer were “10 times better” than at the old Flinders Lane building.

With more police in Victoria than ever, Snr Sgt Tanner said there was so much more room at the new Bourke St facility. There’s more room for visiting police as well.

“99 per cent of demonstrations in Victoria happen in our patch, so we need to be able to brief and accommodate a lot of officers here,” Snr Sgt Tanner said.

The public, too, was better catered for at the new police station, he said.

Disable access has been improved and, best of all, the central location makes it so much more convenient for locals.

“Look where we are.  You can’t get a more iconic central location than here,” he said. 

The new station comes with three vehicle spaces on each side of Bourke St and, because there is little vehicular traffic between Russell and Swanston streets, the focus is on pedestrians.

And, while the “shopfront” approach is friendly and welcoming, the station is fully functional with “processing” ability and holding cells.

“I won’t go into the security features,” Snr Sgt Tanner said. “But what we have here is state-of-the-art.” 

The new station is supported by new office accommodation a couple of doors down at 206 Bourke St.

Melbourne East Police Station looks after the CBD east of Elizabeth St.  The area west of Elizabeth St in handled by Melbourne West Police Station in Spencer St, Docklands.

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