VICTORIA Police is on the lookout for new recruits in regional areas after concerns of statewide staffing shortages.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Grainger hopes that more people will be interested to join the force in regional areas through the free information sessions they have been running throughout Victoria.
“We’re looking to get over 200 additional police into the state,” Mr Grainger said.
“And it’s important that we ramp up efforts to recruit in regional areas as well, because there’s been trouble filling vacancies.”
This recruitment campaign is a continuation of Victoria Police’s previous initiatives to gain up to 40,000 new recruits in the last two years.
Mr Grainger added that they are also looking to recruit from regional areas because it’s difficult “to attract new recruits away from the comforts of Melbourne.”
Roles include police officer, protective services officer, police custody officer and public servant.
To fast-track recruiting, VCE and VCAL education requirements, the video interview component, proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, and some of the fitness requirements have been removed.
The initial psychology test in the recruitment process can also be done online instead of in-person.
Mr Grainger said people interested in a career in Victoria Police but concerned that they may not be suited for a police officer role, can apply to be a police custody officer instead.
They are mainly responsible for the management of people in police custody and the role only require eight weeks of training, compared to the 38 weeks required for officer training.
“But having said that, we are also having trouble with attracting police custody officers into Swan Hill and we’ve got very minimal resources in that area at the moment,” Mr Grainger said.
Swan Hill Police acting Inspector, Brian Hansen hopes that changes to the recruitment process will attract people living regionally to their local police station.
“With the process being more refined, we’re able to fast-track people back into their home region, and they can get on-the-job training in a home setting so that way, they don’t have to be away from home and from families as well,” Insp Hansen said.
“If anyone is really serious about it, I’d even encourage them to come to the station and have a talk to us, because we’d be happy to talk.”
“We could also give them in-person advice in relation to the application process.”
Mr Grainger said that people who aren’t coming to the country are missing out on quality experience.
“It can be a real opportunity to make a fresh start and do policing, which is still as complicated in rural areas, and sometimes even more complicated,” Mr Grainger said.
Insp Hansen said that the diversity of the work he can do has kept him in the job for years.
“There’s so many career paths you can choose from, and it’s really rewarding,” he said.
Mr Grainger encourages people from different backgrounds to apply.
“Age is not a barrier either,” he said.
“I’ve met several recruits that were over 50 years old, deciding to have a second or third career.”
“They’re often fantastic assets in our workplace because they bring a world of experience with them.”
