Victoria Police to recruit retired officers amid staffing shortfall

The Victoria Police are set to hire retired officers as reservists to address staffing shortages and alleviate the burden of administrative tasks on frontline officers. The force aims to fill a nearly 1,500 member deficit by mid-2028, with hundreds of former Victoria Police officers being recruited to perform administrative duties such as working at public counters in police stations and preparing evidence for court.

These reservists will fill the equivalent of 2,000 shifts, allowing officers to go out on the street and address crime proactively, ultimately helping retain staff. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush emphasized that reducing the administrative load will enable officers to focus on proactive crime prevention. The recruitment drive will involve deploying dozens of reservists at stations in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, with two hundred positions set to be filled by December and another 200 from early next year.

Pauline Kostiuk, a retired Superintendent with a 35-year career in uniform, expressed enthusiasm about returning to duty and helping relieve the load of operational members. The recruitment of reservists comes as Victoria Police faces a shortfall of officers across the state, with the number of full-time equivalent employees dropping by five percent over the past five years despite a 7 percent population growth.

The drop in personnel has coincided with a 10 percent increase in adult crime in the past year and concerns over the perceived lack of police presence in Melbourne. Premier Ben Carroll reiterated that community safety is the number one duty of the police, and the recruitment of reservists will help address the issue. The Police Association of Victoria welcomed the announcement, emphasizing the need to return the 1,407 vacancies currently unfilled and expressing hope that the government could expedite the timeline for a return to a full staff profile.