Frontline policing across Victoria is set for a major boost, with the first wave of highly experienced reservists stepping back into uniform, freeing up hundreds of hours each week to fight crime and keep the community safe.
Fifty former officers, many with decades of service behind them, are now being deployed across 26 police stations in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria, taking up roles at busy station counters and returning vital time to active frontline members.
The initiative is already delivering significant results. Victoria Police analysis reveals the first intake alone will return 1,360 policing hours to the community every week, the equivalent of 170 shifts, allowing sworn officers to step away from administrative duties and back onto the streets.
Those hours will be redirected into proactive patrols, faster response times, and enhanced crime prevention efforts. Freeing up other on-the-beat members to respond to more Triple Zero Victoria emergency calls/crime.
Today, in front of Peak Hour Images cameras, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said the program was about putting police where they are needed most.
“Reservists help us put more police in the community doing what they do best,” he said.
“That’s more than 1,300 hours every week detecting crime, preventing crime and keeping people safe.”
The returning officers bring with them a remarkable depth of experience, averaging 21 years in the job. Among them are veterans who served between 30 and 45 years, including a retired sergeant with 42 years’ service, a former senior sergeant who led the same station for a quarter of a century, and a retired superintendent continuing a family legacy in policing.
In a particularly poignant return, a married couple, Rodd and Kaye, are back working together at the station where they first met nearly four decades ago. The pair, who met at Oakleigh Police Station in 1987, share a combined 72 years of service. Rodd retired after 44 years as a sergeant in charge of Monash Crime Scene Services, while Kaye served both as a police officer and later as a public servant with Victoria Police. Their return is emblematic of the program’s spirit, experienced officers stepping forward once more to support their colleagues and communities.
“Our reservists bring a wealth of experience,” Mr Bush said.“The fact they’ve come out of retirement to step up for their communities says so much about their commitment to making Victoria safer.”
Reservists will take on a wide range of duties, including answering phones, handling paperwork, processing crime reports, and managing exhibits, essential but time-consuming tasks that often keep sworn officers tied to desks.
By shifting this workload, frontline police can focus on operational policing.
Stations receiving the first intake of 50 members span the state’s busiest areas, including Altona, Cranbourne, Frankston, Glen Waverley, Knox, Moorabbin, Oakleigh and Richmond in Melbourne, as well as regional centres such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Mildura and Shepparton.
The rollout is only just beginning. More than 500 applications have already been received, with new squads of reservists completing training at the Victoria Police Academy every few weeks ahead of further deployments through to December.
Funded for 200 full-time equivalent positions (paying up to $86,000p/a) with many working part-time, the program is expected to expand significantly in the coming months.
Reservists undergo a tailored week-long training program before being rostered into eight-hour weekday shifts between 7am and 7pm.
For Victoria Police, the message is clear: experienced hands are back on deck, and the impact will be felt where it matters most, out in the community.
