On Friday, November 17, Halls Gap Police took delivery of two new mountain bikes to enhance patrol activity in the town and throughout the many hiking trails.
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Officers with many kilometres of hiking trails and an increasing number of tourists in the area were faced with finding a more efficient way to patrol the region.
"With no money in the budget to buy bikes before the summer holidays, we decided to find another way," LSC Kellie Harris said.
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" A quick call to the managers at Stawell Gold Mine about our idea of mountain bikes to help us patrol the area, and we had the funding to buy two," she said.
"Our main goal is community outreach," Mr Angus Williams from Stawell Gold MIne said, " and we saw this as an opportunity to build that relationship and assist the officers in their work."
Officers LSC Kellie Harris, and LSC Sarah McLeod are qualified to use the bikes while on duty, having been through the required training.
With five caravan parks near the town centre, an ever-growing seasonal population, and exponentially increasing visitor numbers, this capability will enhance community engagement and broaden patrol opportunities, they said.
"We will be able to cover a bigger area quicker and reach anyone needing us quicker, too," LSC Harris said.
Officers thanked Wes Pyke at Pykes Cycles, Stawell, and Angus Williams and the team at Stawell Gold Mine for their generous support.
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