Critical response

IN RESPONSE to your article Bomb Stops Street (News, 6 April), I’d like to clarify the action taken by our staff in response to the unidentified package located outside the Centrelink Cranbourne Service Centre on Tuesday.
This was a distressing event for the community and I would like to reassure your readers that the department has stringent protocols in place to manage such incidents.
Our staff handled the incident with the utmost professionalism and seriousness.
Our security guard immediately reported the item to the Service Centre Manager who in turn notified the police – who were on site shortly after the items discovery.
All staff and customers were evacuated to a safe location while Victoria Police investigated the package.
The safety of our staff and customers is of paramount importance. Our staff and security guards are given intensive training to deal with threats of this nature.
The department has co-operated fully with Victoria Police and will assist with any ongoing investigations.
Hank Jongen,
General Manager,
Department of Human Services.