Victoria Police will be out in force this Easter long weekend ensuring all Victorians are following the directions of the Chief Health Officer and helping to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville joined Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton and Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Libby Murphy today to launch Operation Nexus and remind Victorians there is no excuse for drivers to take risks and endanger lives, if they need to leave home.

There are only four reasons to leave your home: food and supplies, medical care or caregiving, exercise, and work or education.

Operation Nexus will be enforcing stage three restrictions over the Easter period, as well as cracking down on speeding, drink and drug driving. Despite the significantly decreased traffic on the road recently, the number of lives lost on our roads is 76, only nine less than the same time last year.

All available police resources will hit the roads to target dangerous drivers over the next five days, including local road policing units, general duties officers and other regional resources.

They will also be targeting regional and coastal communities to ensure people are abiding by both the road rules and the directives of the Chief Health Officer.

Operation Nexus started at midnight today and will run until 11.59pm on Monday 13 April.

It comes as Victoria Police have undertaken 1,065 spot checks in the past 24 hours at homes, businesses and non-essential services across the state, and issued 78 fines as part of Operation Sentinel.

A 500-strong police taskforce has been established to ensure Victorians are following the strict physical distancing measures and Chief Health Officer directions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Police are conducting checks at businesses, homes, community locations and non-essential services across the state to ensure directions are being followed.

They will continue to take action to stop people who choose to ignore these rules and put the health and safety of Victorians at risk.

Anyone who breaches these directions faces on-the-spot fines of $1,652 for individuals and $9,913 for businesses.