Victoria Police has an additional power to ‘designate’ areas under the Control of Weapons Act 1990 (Vic).
In a designated area, police and Protective Services Officers (PSOs) do not need to have proof, or reasonable grounds or a warrant to search you, or your vehicle or anything in your possession (like a bag).
Police have additional stop and search powers, powers to order people to remove face-coverings, and to direct people to leave the area.
Police can detain a person or vehicle for as long as is reasonably necessary to conduct a search, seize and detain any item the member reasonably suspects is a weapon, request a person who is the subject of a full search to disclose their identity;
Police can search you or your vehicle/things with an electronic wand or a pat down, you are requested to cooperate and may be requested to remove items of outer clothing such as headwear, scarves, jackets, etc, to remove items from any bags or pockets
Whilst in the designated area, a police officer may request you remove any face covering if the police officer reasonably believes the fact covering is being worn primarily to conceal your identity, or protect from the effects of “crowd-controlling substances” like OC spray.
Police can direct you to leave the area if you refuse to remove a face covering.
Police can direct you to leave the designated area if they reasonable believe that you intend to engage in conduct that would constitute an affray or violence disorder.
It is an offence under the Act to obstruct or hinder police or a PSO in the exercise of a power to stop and search a person or vehicle or to fail to comply with a direction to leave the designated area.
Declarations must be published in the Victorian Government Gazette. For a list of designated areas see Victoria Police public notices.
These additional powers only exist in the designated area and were limited to a maximum of 12 hours until new laws came in in March 2025 which expanded designated areas to a maximum of 6 months.
From Sunday 30 November 2025 to 29 May 2026 police have made the Melbourne CBD, Docklands, Southbank, the sporting and entertainment precinct, and parts of East Melbourne and South Melbourne a designated area.
What to do if the police stop you:
More information:
If you require urgent legal assistance, contact Victoria Legal Aid or your local community legal centre.
For First Nations people
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