Back to future to free up frontline

More than 450 former police have signalled interest in returning to perform station counter duties so serving officers are freed to get out into the community.

The exceptional response - recorded within just a week - comes as Victoria Police looks to recruit 200 reservists to perform a newly-created frontline support officer role.

It will see reservists perform a range of administrative duties at police station counters including answering phones, helping with paperwork, signing statutory declarations, receiving exhibits into police custody and taking crime reports.

Serving police will be released so they can do what they do best, detecting and preventing crime.

Victoria Police analysis shows police spend more than 4000 hours a day – 1.4 million hours a year - staffing reception counters in police stations.

Retired Supt Pauline Kostiuk, who served for 35 years, is among former officers to express interest in becoming a reservist.

It has particular significance because the 70-year-old's late husband Victor was a police officer for 38 years before being tragically killed in the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance in 2018.

Son Felix is a sergeant based at Mordialloc Police Station.

Reservist positions are open to former police with at least two years of service who have worked with Victoria Police or any other police force in Australia.

Those who've worked with police forces in New Zealand and the United Kingdom are also eligible.

Full-time and part-time positions are available, with eight-hour shifts rostered between 7am and 7pm on weekdays.

The full-time salary is $86,188 a year with nine weeks' paid leave.

Given reservists have already served, training will be streamlined and tailored to the role, fast-tracking their deployment.

They will not be required to carry operational safety equipment such as firearms given they are based within the security of a police station.

It’s anticipated the first reservists will begin in coming months, with necessary legislation to enable their appointment currently before state parliament.

Expressions of interest opened on 8 May.

Victoria Police needs as many former members as possible to register because many reservists are expected to work part-time, meaning it will take several people to fill each of the 200 full-time positions available.

There are no impacts on existing reception counter times or police numbers.

For more information and details on how to register your interest go to https://www.police.vic.gov.au/register-your-interest-become-police-reservist-frontline-support-officer(opens in a new window).

Quotes attributable to Acting Assistant Commissioner Karen Nyholm:

"Policing is a calling and we know that drive to help the community never leaves you.

"These reservists will play a crucial role in helping free up serving police so they can be out detecting and preventing crime.

"The best place for police is out in the community keeping people safe, not sitting behind a desk.

"The response from former members so far has been extremely encouraging.

"We have an incredible pool of talent and experience to draw from and I know our former police will step up to this challenge, just like they did when they were in the job."

Media Unit
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