Victoria Police will be better equipped to respond to emergencies with a new operations centre officially opening its doors in East Gippsland on Monday.
The Bairnsdale Incident Police Operations Centre (IPOC) will act as the primary hub to coordinate responses to major emergencies across the region, including bushfires, floods, large-scale searches and critical incidents.
The brand-new, purpose-built facility has been constructed next to the Bairnsdale Police Station, ensuring local police can quickly respond to major unfolding incidents.
Within the space, commanders and specialist teams will make critical decisions regarding evacuation plans and the staging of traffic management points.
Equipped with modern technology, the centre allows police to livestream CCTV networks and helicopter vision, enabling the rapid deployment of resources to where they are needed most.
The facility can house up to 60 police personnel and includes six breakout rooms for working teams, a dedicated meeting room, and a large-scale conference room.
It also features space to accommodate other emergency services, fostering a coordinated response to multi-agency incidents.
Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill, Regional Operations, said the infrastructure is vital for the safety of the region.
“Victoria Police plays a critical role in keeping people safe during emergencies and to do that our police need the best infrastructure possible,” Deputy Commissioner Hill said.
“Responding to emergencies is a significant logistical exercise which often requires the movement of hundreds of police in a short period of time.
“This new centre will act as the nerve centre for our emergency response across Gippsland – ensuring quick decisions are made that keep our community out of harm’s way. Police now have the space, facilities and technology to ensure their response is the best it can be when every minute counts.”
Superintendent Mark Edwards, East Gippsland Divisional Commander, described the facility as a “game changer.”
“This new centre is a game changer for police in East Gippsland who are often on the frontline of the state’s most critical emergencies,” Superintendent Edwards said.
“We know these emergencies – particularly bushfires – have an enormous and long-lasting impact on our community.
“When you look at the challenges we have here, we’re the highest risk area in the state, as far as emergency management goes. So we need something that’s very complex and very comprehensive.”
In a moving tribute to local history, the centre has been named in honour of the late police veteran and Bairnsdale stalwart Ian “Salty” Gilmore.
Sgt Gilmore was a highly respected member of the force for 41 years, 28 of which were served in Bairnsdale.
The decision to name the centre after him was met with overwhelming support from local veterans and the community.
“We’ve actually named this operation centre after the late Ian “Salty” Gilmore, who was a sergeant here,” Superintendent Edwards said.
“He spent 28 years in Bairnsdale, but he was in the police force for 41 years, and his daughter, Natalie, still works in the Bairnsdale
police station.
“We were discussing as a group as to what we’d like to call the centre, and we came up with Ian, and he’s also known as Salty. So we ran that up our hierarchy about whether we could do that.
“They agreed to it, then we announced it to all our local police veterans and our legatees in the area.
“It was a very, very popular decision. We’re really happy to have the signage up and name it after him.
“It’s a nice touch, I think.”
Sgt Gilmore’s daughter, Natalie O’Connor, who carries on the family tradition working at the Bairnsdale station, said the naming was a significant honour.
“Dad was a copper from when we were born. Just a very friendly person, looking
after other people more than himself,”
she said.
“It’s a big, big honour, like a very big honour. Because he did so much for others. It’s just a shame that he doesn’t know.”
