Victoria Police to recruit retired officers as reservists to ease staffing shortfall

Confronted with an estimated shortfall of about 1,500 staff and a 10% rise in adult crime, Victoria Police announced a scheme to hire former officers as reservists who will perform administrative tasks, including public counter duties and court-evidence processing, amounting to roughly 2,000 shifts. Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said cutting paperwork will let frontline officers focus on proactive policing and aid retention.

Premier Ben Carroll linked the initiative to community calls for longer station hours, especially after the alleged bashing death of a shopkeeper in Sunshine. The rollout starts with dozens of reservists in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional areas, aiming for 200 hires by December and another 200 early next year. Retired Superintendent Pauline Kostiuk, after a 35-year career, welcomed the chance to mentor and ease the workload of active officers. The Police Association of Victoria praised the step but urged faster action to fill the 1,407 current vacancies, suggesting government investment could accelerate the timeline.