Victoria Police has lifted its travel warning to Porepunkah after revealing it launched the largest tactical mission in Australia’s history in a bid to snare suspected fugitive gunman Dezi Freeman.
For the first time, police have detailed the monumental task and effort specialist officers from across Australia and New Zealand have undertaken in their efforts to catch the alleged killer, as tourists have been told they can now visit the region.Â
The update comes after it was revealed Freeman had been agitated and disturbed the day before he allegedly gunned down three officers at his home in Porepunkah in Victoria’s High Country on August 26.
Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, 35, and detective Neal Thompson, 59, died and a third officer was seriously injured as they tried to serve a warrant on Freeman.
Victoria Police Acting Deputy Commissioner for Regional Operations Russell Barrett this morning said 125 heavily armed specialist police have been hunting Freeman through rugged terrain since August 26.
‘Specialist tactical members scoured searched at an area in the immediate vicinity of Freeman’s location,’Â Deputy Commissioner Barrett said this morning.
‘This included extremely rugged track, they were crawling through caves, they were traversing rivers and falls, they were searching gorges in an effort to find Freeman.
‘As I said, this is the largest tactical policing operation ever undertaken in Australia’s policing history.
Dezi Freeman, 56, allegedly murdered two police officers
Specialist police hunted Freeman through caves
Police traversed rivers looking for Freeman
‘And I’ll go on record of thanking our colleagues and the broader policing family from Australia and New Zealand for their support and unwavering support in our efforts to bring Freeman before the justice system.
‘The search continues. Overall, we’ve searched hundreds of properties with and without warrant, made our way through abandoned structures, we’ve searched mine shafts, caves, huts.
‘The operation continues and our resolve to find Freeman does not change.’
Deputy Commissioner Barrett also gave good news to the local traders of Porepunkah, Bright and surrounding communities and the travellers who frequent the tourist hotspot especially over the upcoming school holidays and Grand Final long weekend.
‘Today we say to the community in Victoria, we’re making a slight lift in the travel warnings for the Porepunkah area,’ he said.
‘A change is to allow the community to return to the state of normality.
‘We’re saying that people can can return to that area, we’re no longer saying to people they need to avoid that area.
The park (Mt Buffalo National Park) remains closed, our search efforts remain focused on that area.
Police have hunted for Freeman in rugged terrain
Helicopters have dropped police into hard-to-reach areas
Heavily armed police hunt Freeman through snow-capped mountains
‘But we want to thank the local community of Porepunkah and the broader Victorian community for their efforts and support while we’ve undertaken what has so far been an extensive search.
‘Well, we would say to people who go there: be mindful of your own safety, be vigilant, understand the environment you’re going into, understand the warnings that we’ve already got.
‘Particularly for people who may be, you know, holidaymakers.’
Deputy Commissioner Barrett reminded the community a $1million bounty to capture Freeman is still on the table but to be wary of the fugitive who ‘murdered’ two police officers.
‘I remind the Victorian community and all community members that this is an incredibly challenging moment in Victoria Police’s history as we search for the perpetrator responsible for the deaths of two of our colleagues,’ he said.Â
Hundreds of emergency services personnel and police are briefed before being sent out
Specialist police and dogs are hunting for Freeman
Victoria Police acting-Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations Russell Barrett this morning said 125 heavily-armed specialist police have been hunting Freeman
‘I don’t think our options have changed from day one, we consider he may still be in the area, it’s a possibility he may be harboured or he may be dead.
‘We’ve had over 1,100 information reports come in since this incident took place, and we thank the community for it.
Victoria police today released images which depicted specialist officers and dogs crawling through caves and traversing waterways and rugged bushland.
‘You know we don’t have a line of sight of your colleagues for a lot of the time [and] there’s so many areas where people can hide, Deputy Commissioner Barrett said.
‘If we think about Freeman, and what he’s capable of, every step must be taken really, really carefully when you consider what might be confronting you.
Specialist police are hunting Freeman after nightfall
Cops are leaving no stone unturned to catch Freeman
Police are going through winter-cold water to catch Freeman
‘Our investigation is not restricted to the area, whilst we’re focused on a ground search in that area, our investigation is much broader than what we’re seeing on the ground, and we’re we’re following up all leads, all intelligence, all information that’s provided to us.
‘Freeman will always be pursued until he’s located, if he’s, if he’s able to see this, or someone who has ability to contact him or maybe harbouring him to think about surrendering.
‘We will leave no stone unturned to try and establish how we can best conduct this investigation.
The massive manhunt for Freeman is nearing its fourth week as 450 heavily-armed and specialist police aided by ADF search deep bushland near Porepunkah.
Police have also searched more than 100 properties in the surrounding towns and have received hundreds of tips and pieces of new information since announcing a $1million reward.