Police liken it to random breath tests, but warrantless pat-down powers across Melbourne’s CBD are creating racial profiling fears

From Sunday until 29 May, Victoria police and protective service officers (PSOs) have the ability to randomly stop and search anyone, including by using an electronic wand or a pat-down, across inner Melbourne. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP

According to police, it’ll be like a random breath test.

A “random selection of people using a thoroughfare” by foot or by car could be subjected to a pat-down search – without warrant or reasonable suspicion – at any time across inner Melbourne over the next six months.