Victoria Police on recruitment drive

By Michael Lloyd

Oct 12, 2023

Ready to serve: Detective Sergeant Patrick Grelis, Senior Sergeant Damian Keegan, Inspector Brett Sampson and Constable Elise Scacco. Photo by Aidan Briggs

Victoria Police is looking to hire 1500 new police officers over the next year to ensure the thin blue line is present in the community.

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Inspector Brett Sampson spoke to the Campaspe News about the upcoming Victoria Police Bendigo Careers Expo.

“The expo — to be held at La Trobe University on October 14 — will allow potential recruits to learn more about the opportunities working in policing,” Insp Sampson said.

“More than 60 police will be on hand to answer questions, including members of the Water Police Squad, Dog Squad, Highway Patrol and Public Order Response Team.”

Some of the benefits of joining Victorian Police include an annual starting salary of $75,604 plus allowances and nine weeks’ paid leave a year.

In service: Constable Sarah Hatch, Acting Superintendent Ben Young and Constable Dion Jowett are united in upholding the law. Photo by Supplied

Applicants no longer need to have completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning but must be aged at least 18.

Victoria Police has also removed the requirement for applicants to sit the police entrance exam if they’ve achieved a specified bachelor’s degree in the past five years.

This applies to degrees in the arts, humanities, law, science and business from an Australian university.

For officers who work in remote areas, additional tax incentives allow members to claim a portion of their rent, home loan interest and utilities.

While Victoria Police seeks people with life experience, recruits who have recently finished secondary school or taken a gap year are encouraged to apply.