Hobart's Safe City Liaison Program: A New Approach to CBD Safety

0:00Hobart City Council just greenlit a three-year trial for the Safe City Liaison Program to point three officers to patrol the central business. District during business hours from Monday to Friday. These folks won't have any enforcement powers or make arrests. They're there to monitor anti-social hotspots, chat with businesses, and call police if. Things escalate, all-while-wearing body cams for record keeping. The move comes amid a spike in issues like shoplifting, youth trouble, public drunkenness, and property damage, which have hit CBD retailers hard. Forcing some light cafe owners to ditch vending machines and amp up security. Local business owners are cheering it on, saying it adds eyes on the street beyond regular guards or cops, while one counselor pushed back, warning. About risks to the unarmed officers if situations turn ugly like a knife pull. Council plans to evaluate the program based on better safety vibes, stronger business confidence, and handling low-level chaos, aiming to fill gaps.

1:01Left by smarter policing shifts without breaking the bank at $300,000 a year from existing roles. Local news powered by AI. This is Sydney News today.