Melburnians in the city centre late on Monday morning will hear first hand the Victoria Police public address system issuing test alerts for critical emergencies such as terror acts.

The force will run emergency warnings through different loudspeakers in five specific zones across the CBD from about 10.30am until about midday, police said.

The test messages will be heard at different times in Swanston Street, Elizabeth Street, Federation Square, Southbank and King Street.

"We're testing the system to ensure it is running as it should so that if a major incident occurs police can quickly alert the community of any imminent risks and ensure their safety," North West Metro region commander Tim Hansen said.

The testing will include a warning signal to clearly notify the public it is a test only and to prevent possible panicking.

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In a further effort to reduce this risk, an enhanced police presence has been set up across the city to help with the test and to answer any questions the community may have.

Awareness

Police say they want to ensure as many people as possible are aware the test is happening and have actively shared the message through social media and different organisations.

"I would actively encourage everyone to follow or like Victoria Police social media channels in order to receive timely community safety information and general crime prevention advice," Commander Hansen said.

"Police can also communicate rapidly via SMS and Victoria Police social media channels including Facebook and Twitter, which would be regularly updated during a critical incident."