Porepunkah journey warnings eased after ‘largest ever’ tactical police operation in seek for Dezi Freeman | Porepunkah taking pictures

Victorian authorities have lifted journey restrictions within the Porepunkah space, days after mounting Australia’s “largest ever” tactical policing operation to brush the rugged bushland looking for fugitive Dezi Freeman.

Suspected police killer Freeman has been sought since 26 August, when he allegedly shot and killed two officers who had been executing a search warrant at his residence in Victoria’s north-east.

For greater than two weeks, journey warnings have been in place proscribing motion in and across the Porepunkah space. A $1m reward has been issued for info resulting in Freeman’s seize. There have been 1,100 tricks to date.

“Today we say to the community of Victoria, we are making a slight lift in the travel warnings for the Porepunkah area,” the state’s appearing deputy police commissioner Russell Barrett instructed reporters on Sunday.

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“Our change is to allow the community to return to a state of normality. We are saying that people can return to that area … [but] the [Mount Buffalo national] park remains closed [and] our search efforts remain focused on that area.”

The official advice now states: “Given the extensive searches undertaken since 26 August, the advice to avoid travelling to Porepunkah has been lifted. Victoria police advises those in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to triple zero.”

On Friday, greater than 125 specialist officers performed the nation’s “largest ever tactical policing operation” within the inhospitable terrain round Freeman’s property, Barrett stated.

The search included officers seconded from all Australian states and New Zealand.

“This included extremely rugged areas,” Barrett stated.

“They were crawling through caves. They were traversing rivers and falls. They were searching plantations and gorges in an effort to find Freeman.

“The search continues. Overall, we’ve searched hundreds of properties, with and without a warrant. Made our way through abandoned structures. We’ve searched mineshafts … [and] huts. Our resolve to find Freeman does not change.”

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Barrett stated the terrain was extremely tough and harmful.

“We are looking for a person who is [allegedly] armed [and] dangerous,” he stated. “Every step must be taken really, really carefully.”

Since Freeman, also referred to as Desmond Filby, fled into the bush, hypothesis has swirled round how he has managed to carry out within the harsh alpine terrain.

Police have acknowledged there might be folks harbouring or serving to him in the neighborhood. Local residents and specialists have speculated that he could also be hiding down a mineshaft or in an underground bunker.

Barrett was requested whether or not the choice to ease journey warnings meant police believed Freeman had moved on from the close by space.

“We are open to all options,” Barrett stated. “He may still be in that area … he may be harboured, or he may be dead.”

Barrett stated police had been “incredibly conscious of the impact the operation has on the local community”.

“We’re talking to them about that all the time. We’re trying to find that balance.”