In short:
Wyndham City’s $372,000 Truganina Security Patrol Trial starts 10 November, sparking backlash over limited coverage and high costs. Private guards must still defer to police, and residents in other suburbs say they already pay for private security with no rebate.
Truganina Private Security Trial Unveiled
Wyndham City’s controversial $372,000 Security Patrol Trial in Truganina will begin on 10 November — but it won’t cover the entire suburb, leaving many residents angry and questioning its value.
The six-month program will see private security patrols operate nightly from 10pm to 6am in selected public areas, community facilities and business precincts. Officers will wear uniforms and be equipped with cameras and GPS tracking, but they will not be armed.
While patrols are being promoted as a way to deter anti-social behaviour, security officers will have no enforcement powers and must still defer to Victoria Police in all matters of law enforcement. Critics say that means the program risks being little more than an expensive surveillance presence.
The trial has deeply divided councillors (read more), with several opposing the plan over cost, fairness and effectiveness concerns. Many argue the $372,000 should have been redirected to more permanent safety improvements like street lighting, CCTV or funding for youth outreach and community policing.
Bemin Ward Councillor Preet Singh, who pushed for the program, has defended it as a proactive response to residents’ safety concerns. But others say council ignored broader community sentiment and that only certain parts of Truganina will benefit, creating a postcode divide.
Adding to frustration, residents in suburbs like Point Cook, Wyndham Vale, Mambourin and Manor Lakes already pay for private security services through their developers or estate fees — meaning they’ll effectively be paying twice for safety, with no rebate or benefit from the council trial.
Locals have questioned why one suburb is being singled out for ratepayer-funded security while others receive no similar support. Some fear the move could set a precedent for future trials that prioritise areas based on political pressure rather than need.
Wyndham City has confirmed it will assess the trial’s outcomes using incident reports, patrol data and feedback from Victoria Police before deciding whether to expand or end the scheme. For now, residents remain divided — with many seeing it as an expensive, limited fix to a broader public safety issue.
