The police presence in Porepunkah, Victoria, has notably decreased in the search for the alleged cop killer, Dezi Freeman, who has been missing since the shooting of officers Neal Thompson, 59, and Vadim De Waart-Hottart, 34, on August 26. As of now, over 200 officers remain in the area, which is less than half of the nearly 500 personnel that were originally deployed to comb the region.
Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush provided an update during a memorial service for the fallen officers in Melbourne, acknowledging the ongoing emotional toll the incident has taken on police across the country. While the focused search has been reduced, Bush stated that the efforts continue, involving both ground and aerial searches across a 40-square-kilometre area, including mineshafts, caves, and rural properties. “It’s a challenging task, often requiring us to revisit previously searched areas to ensure nothing has been overlooked,” Bush noted.
Despite scaling back the manpower, police are committed to finding Freeman, with ongoing rotations of officers in Porepunkah to conduct searches and support the community. Bush emphasised that they will not relent in their efforts until Freeman is located.
In parallel to the search operations, support has come from other state police forces and New Zealand. The police have incentivised public assistance with a $1 million reward for any information leading to Freeman’s capture, which has resulted in around 1400 tips. However, the Chief Commissioner indicated that none of these tips have proved fruitful yet, although they continue to explore each lead.
There remains a sense of uncertainty regarding Freeman’s whereabouts, and the police are pursuing multiple theories about where he might be. “We haven’t ruled anything out and will pursue all possible leads,” Bush affirmed.
As the community remains localised in their concern, police continue to reassure residents while maintaining their commitment to locating Freeman as the search extends into its second month.