He said special events such as the Comedy Festival will be asked to stage 1am shows and university campuses could be used for early morning events. While police believe the public transport initiative will help alleviate the traditional "dark hours" of violence between last and first trains they are planning to deter a potential flood of post midnight drunks using the system to head into the city. Extra transit police will ride the late trains with more than 100 Protective Service Officers assigned to 78 major suburban stations to deal with the expected influx from January 1. The 12 month Night Network trial includes 24 hour train, tram and buses plus a 2am coach service to major regional centres. While the $50 million weekend service is designed to deal with the ugly bottle neck of revellers caught in the city after the last trains leave Melbourne police are concerned the alcohol and drug impaired will now head into the city in the early hours.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane​ (North West Metro) said police were determined to ensure, "This is not a transport system for drunks." He said Transit Police and PSOs will screen passengers at major stations and again at Flinders St to block the alcohol or drug affected. "There needs to be public confidence that the system is safe. We will not be sitting on our hands. We will be there to meet and greet." He said police will need to manage people onto public transport, make sure the journey is safe and allow patrons to head home from stations without incident. "This will be a challenge for all of us."

He said the 24 hour system would help curtail the violence around Flinders St where for years bored, drunk, drugged, frustrated and the mentally disturbed have congregated for hours waiting for the trains to begin running. "It has been a little like opposing forces bouncing around inside a bottle." He said police had called for the 24 hour system for 10 years believing it will "solve many of our problems." Police figures show that violence is not related to the size of the crowds but the mix – the greater the diversity the less tension – with massive family friendly events such as night AFL, White Night and New Year's Eve proving successful. Police have looked at New York Times Square as a successful late night retail and entertainment model. Mr Leane said he would like to see more restaurants offer a supper service for theatre patrons with staff now able to use the public transport system when they finish work.

He said that 10 years ago Melbourne's late night options were "alcohol related and nothing else" but moves to a broader range had made Melbourne a more attractive late night destination. "It is about normalising the space." Mr Doyle said Melbourne could not go back to the dark days monopolised by beer barns and binge drinking. "We could be like a Spanish city with restaurants having third sittings until 2am." "We want to normalise the city from midnight to 2am so it feels like Melbourne at 10pm."

Salvation Army Commanding Officer Major Brendan Nottle​ expects a surge in visitors and plans to double to 32 the number of volunteers working to help the intoxicated and vulnerable. "We think this is a great initiative. On a Friday and Saturday nights our teams regularly find young women in vulnerable situations because they have been unable to get out of the city." Crown Casino will monitor numbers and will increase security if the Night Network results in a spike in patrons. At present more than 70,000 enter the complex on a Saturday. Police say up to 1 million visit Melbourne in a 24 hour cycle with up to 350,000 on a Friday night alone. http://www.pedestrian.melbourne.vic.gov.au/#date=21-02-2015&time=22&sensor=PriNW_T