New laws giving Victorian police the power to conduct searches without warrants in high-crime areas will not stop armed violence in Melbourne, a western suburbs youth worker says. The laws will be used for the first time on Thursday when police target a section of the western suburb of Footscray for a three-hour period. Police will be permitted to strip-search people and search cars without warrants. They will be able to seize anything they suspect may be used as a weapon. Les Twentyman, who has worked with youth on the streets of Melbourne's west for 30 years, said Footscray was...
