Police have praised the behaviour of crowds following the conclusion of the high-visibility operation for this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
Operation Bathurst 2024 commenced on Thursday (10 October 2024) and continued to Sunday (13 October 2024), to ensure the safety and security of competitors, officials and more than 200,000 racegoers at Mount Panorama.
General Duties police from Chifley Police District and Western Region, the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Group (OSG), Dog Unit, Licensing Police, Bicycle Unit, Youth Command (PCYC), Police Transport Command and Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were involved in the operation.
Throughout the operation, officers issued 522 infringements and there were 12 people charged for various offences.
Operation Bathurst 2024 Commander, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland, said while there was a small group of individuals who chose to do the wrong thing, most racegoers enjoyed the race weekend safely.
“Police were out in force across the event and were focused on road safety, crowd behaviour, and minimising the impact of the event on the local community,” Assistant Commissioner Holland said.
“The race has certainly shifted toward being a much more family-friendly event and we worked closely with V8 Supercars and Bathurst Regional Council to ensure that atmosphere continued.”
Chifley Police District Commander, Superintendent Darren Beeche, said the Bathurst community always welcomes the event and spectator behaviour was appreciated.
“In addition to ensuring a safe and secure environment on the mountain, police also maintained a presence in the city to minimise the impact of the event on the local community” Superintendent Beeche said.
“This is one of the biggest events for the Bathurst community, and we are pleased to see that overall, the visiting and local spectators enjoyed Bathurst 1000 with respect for each other and the competitors.”
