Hunt for the quarantine dodgers: Corona cops knock on doors and conduct random spot checks to see if people are obeying self-isolation rules
- Victoria Police are checking up on people who have recently travelled abroad
- They can fine people $20,000 for not complying with the COVID-19 quarantine
- Police said they know most people ‘will be doing the right thing during this time’
Police officers are doing random spot checks on Australians who have been told to self-isolate to make sure they are doing so.
Officers from Victoria Police have been given special powers to ensure travellers are complying with the 14-day quarantine after the state government declared a state of emergency .
On Friday the force confirmed to The Age that they had been knocking on doors and checking on residents to make sure they were not putting the community at risk.
Anyone who is found flouting the rules will face a fine of $20,000.
Victoria Police said they are working around the clock to respond to COVID-19 following the declaration of a state of emergency. Pictured: People in protective wear at Melbourne airport on March 13
The state of emergency gave police the power to knock on doors and fine people who aren’t complying $20,000 (stock)
No one has been charged at this stage following inspections.
‘We know most members of our community will be doing the right thing during this time for the health and safety of everyone,’ a spokeswoman from Victoria Police told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Victoria Police has the powers to assist the Chief Health Officer and DHHS if requested if there needs to be any enforcement activity.
‘We do however only want to do this by exception, and we are encouraging everyone to do the right thing.’
Police are working with the state’s health department on a agreed process for how this will be handled.
Those returning to Australia must self-isolate. Pictured: Man in protective gear at Melbourne airport last week
The Department of Home Affairs provides COVID-19 information to the Department of Health regarding recent travellers, who in turn shares that with police.
When returning to Australia travellers must fill out a form with their name, address, phone numbers and list where they have travelled to, before self-isolating.
Australia’s chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy said the issue of quarantining is ‘serious’ during a press conference on Friday.
‘This is not an advisory. This is your civic duty to your fellow Australians to stay home for that entire 14 days, if you’ve come back to Australia. No exceptions,’ he said.
‘And if you see anyone who is not abiding by that, a recent traveller, make sure they do because we are really serious about that. It is such a big impact on our outbreaks in the last few days.’