By Kristy Nicolaou, Rani Fletcher and Marquise Dale (RMIT Graduating students)
It’s a Wednesday afternoon, and Footscray’s Nicholson Street mall is rowdy.
Two large men dressed in black – with ‘security’ printed on their shirts – accompany several local Councillors, as they speak to a group of men and women who appear to be sleeping rough.
The men are part of a six-month trial of private security patrols approved by Maribyrnong Council, intended to alleviate growing concerns around community safety. These include acts of violence and aggression which business owners are saying face their staff.
But the decision has sparked conflict among residents, traders, and advocacy organisations who say it’s forcing harmless members of the community experiencing homelessness, to move on.
So how does it work?
With the intention of maintaining a visible presence and helping de-escalate situations, two security guards patrol Footscray’s CBD for 24 hours a week, accompanying the Council’s Local Law Officers who assist in enforcing local legislation in the community.
The security guards are unauthorised to walk or act on their own due to their lack of jurisdiction under Council local law, and must accompany the local law officers at all times. Local Law Officers hold the jurisdiction.
“The practical application of [the security] is about supporting Council’s local law officers to…be in the Footscray CBD, and to be able to do their role safely,” said Maribyrnong Deputy Mayor, Bernadette Thomas.
“[The patrols] are really just to provide security to the local law officers while they’re going around doing their jobs.”
An area plagued with chronic drug and alcohol issues
According to Legalise Cannabis Representative David Ettershank, the Western Metropolitan region is ‘undoubtedly the most challenging setting’ in Melbourne’s West.
“In terms of diversity, in terms of social disadvantage, in terms of disease, in terms of access to services on any number of indicators.”
Ettershank said there are ‘large black holes across the northwest’ where drug overdose and mental health issues were adversely affecting residents. It’s a sentiment shared by local residents, with a 2025 Salvation Army report indicating drug and alcohol misuse was in the top five issues facing the community.
Other issues ranked highly on the list of community concerns include homelessness mental health, financial hardship and healthcare access.
A trial run by businesses prompts Council adoption
What started as a trial implemented by business owners concerned with their safety, sparked Council to adopt the program.
In April and May this year, local businesses organised and funded a one-month trial of private security patrols, in response to growing incidents of aggression and occasional violence towards staff.
From there, said Maribyrnong Deputy Mayor Bernadette Thomas, the traders approached Council, pushing for the program to be implemented.
“The trial that the traders came to Council with was different. It was about the security program going around on their own and talking to people, standing outside of shops.”
Following the submission of letters of support from over 20 businesses, councillors decided in September to allocate funding for a six-month programme, projected to cost between $70,000 and $100,000.
We contacted someone from the Footscray Revitalisation team about the cost of the private security program but they were unable to comment and suggested we make a Freedom of Information request.
Differences between the trial and the implementation
Between the original proposed patrol system and the one adopted and implemented by Council, there are notable differences in the conditions.
The original motion mandated continuous consultation with business owners and community organisations, while directing Council to work closely with health and wellbeing providers.
It also called on Council to push for the State Government to increase its rollout of mental health and social support services, including a more holistic approach to safety and inclusion.
Community division
But at every step of its development and implementation, the proposal has drawn strong criticism from locals, councillors, and community leaders.
Residents have mixed opinions, with one stating the patrol implementation was “a valuable investment” due to the area’s high crime rates.
Several others described the guards as “daunting” and said they “harass” people on the street who have nowhere else to go, stating they would have preferred a “community driven approach” over the guards.
“Ever since the security guards have come in, a lot of the people who are sleeping rough have to be constantly moved around,” a local cafe worker shared.
Footscray Community Response demands ‘pause’ on the program
In August, more than 100 attendees of Footscray Community Response – a group of locals who say they’re preserving the diversity and inclusivity of Footscray – voted in favour of the Council pausing the program.
Until greater community consultation is undertaken and evidence of the program’s efficiency is demonstrated, they are clear they want the program put on hold.
Footscray Community Response spokesperson and former Maribyrnong Councillor, Jorge Jorquera, said the security patrol disproportionately affects people with “social, health and addiction” issues, who are sleeping rough in the CBD.
Mr Jorquera said the suburb’s crime rates don’t indicate a need for security and accused the local Government of being more focused on the community’s aesthetics, not its people.
“ [Footscray’s] certainly not a standout”, he said. “We don’t compare to a hell of a lot of other inner suburbs and more outer suburbs in terms of criminality.”
While Maribyrnong recorded a 17 percent increase in crime in 2025, up from last year, it didn’t have the highest crime rate. Both Yarra and Melbourne recorded higher crime rates than Maribyrnong.
“As small as our budget is, you can see the bulk of the spending in any financial year goes towards the way the suburb looks, rather than the way people live in the suburb as a whole.”
And people in social services, he claimed, are “not in those budgets”.
Similar discussions were had when Council met in July to approve the program
It was reported, following an hour-long debate at the July meeting, Councillors passed the measure four to three. Alterations were made to the mandate, requesting it take a more “human-centred, culturally appropriate approach”.
“It’s not illegal to be drunk in public, it’s not illegal to be mentally unwell, it’s not illegal to be homeless,” said Ms Thomas. “The program is operating within that context – it’s about putting the person at the forefront of the approach.”
It’s unclear what the Council’s actions will look like following the security patrol trial, and whether the six-month implementation will be extended.
