‘We’re not taking any chances’: Top cop on sniper at Anzac Day dawn service

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton has confirmed the sniper spotted at yesterday’s dawn service at the Shrine of Remembrance was a police sniper.

Mr Ashton said he thinks it’s the first time snipers have been at the Anzac Day dawn service.

“I reckon it might be the first time at a dawn service,” he told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“We have had those recent terror attacks overseas, as well as here last year.

“We’re not taking any chances, and making sure that we’re well positioned to deal with any threat,” he told the 3AW Mornings host.

Mr Ashton said snipers are a regular fixture at major events across the state.

“We do have snipers that work a lot of our big events.

“Normally people don’t see them, but they way the shrine is set up there’s not a lot of high points around there, so a bit hard to conceal them at those sort of events,” he said.

He said snipers will not hesitate to act if there is a threat to public security.

“If there’s someone there that we believe is going to be killing people then the snipers are empowered to act.”