The search for Dezi Freeman, the alleged gunman in the Porepunkah shooting, is becoming increasingly difficult as time passes. It has been a month since Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart were killed in north-east Victoria. Authorities have not confirmed any sightings of Freeman, despite receiving hundreds of tips and offering a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.

Retired Victoria Police homicide detective Charlie Bezzina expressed concerns about the sustainability of the ongoing manhunt. He stated, "You've got to look at it realistically from a costing and from a resource issue. I think, by the end of it, it'll be into the millions, multi-millions by the time it's finished."

Victoria Police has committed to maintaining a strong presence in the area until Freeman is located. However, Bezzina noted that this level of resource allocation may not be feasible in the long term. He also highlighted the challenges posed by warmer weather and increased bushfire risks, saying, "You can't have the police in their full regalia at 35-degree heat in the bush. It's a welfare concern for them."

Bezzina acknowledged the difficulty of deciding to halt the search, stating, "It's always a bitter pill to swallow by making the decision of walking away from it when there's nothing more that can be done at that particular point in time. It could remain a mystery for the rest of our lives if no remains are found or sightings emerge."

Alex Krstic, a former Victoria Police investigator and friend of Thompson, suggested that Freeman may reach out to someone he knows. "There's not an individual on the planet that can just wander off into the bush… indefinitely without some sort of support," he said. Krstic outlined two possibilities: Freeman could either be hiding with assistance or may have died in the wilderness. "If he's deceased, they may never find him. If he is alive and being harboured, sooner or later… they'll find him," he added.

Victoria Police has proposed a "safe surrender plan" for Freeman, encouraging him to contact authorities. Acting Deputy Commissioner Russell Barrett stated, "We would encourage Mr. Freeman, if he is able to see this… to think about surrendering, contact triple-0 and we will arrange a safe surrender plan for him."

However, criminology lecturer Liam Gillespie from Melbourne University expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of such a plan. He noted that individuals with sovereign citizen beliefs often feel persecuted by law enforcement, making them less likely to engage positively with police. "I cannot recall a case when a surrender plan had worked with a sovereign citizen," Gillespie said.

Bezzina remarked on the challenges of locating Freeman, given his bushcraft skills. He emphasized the need for police to first determine if Freeman is hiding in the bush before relying on public sightings. "Anything is possible. The process is slowly eliminating the obvious, starting with the bush," he said. He added that at some point, police would need to draw a line and focus on public tips.

The ongoing search has significant implications for both Victoria Police and the community, as residents remain concerned about the potential for encountering Freeman. Bezzina concluded, "It's a major impact, not just on Victoria Police, on the community at large because everyone will be concerned that they may come across him. And it could be anywhere, not just in that particular area."