- Published:
- Wednesday 20 May 2026 at 1:00 pm
| Sergeant Felix Kostiuk and his mum, retired Superintendent Pauline Kostiuk, may get the chance to work together as part of the frontline support officer program. |
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 part of the effort to recruit 200 reservists to perform a newly-created frontline support officer role.
Analysis shows police currently spend more than 4000 hours a day – 1.4 million hours a year - staffing reception counters in police stations.
The frontline support officer program 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.
Retired Superintendent Pauline Kostiuk, who served for 35 years, is among former officers to express interest in becoming a reservist.
"It's been 10 years since I left Victoria Police and since that time I've been engaged full-time and part-time with work,” Pauline said.
"But I just find I'm looking for something rewarding and fulfilling moving forward.
"I thought: 'If I can do something that in some way frees up operational police to do the important work that they signed up for - protecting the public, responding to calls for assistance - why wouldn't I?’”
With more than three decades of policing service under her belt, Pauline is no stranger to the valuable support reservists can provide to frontline members.
"When I joined which was 1980 we did have reservists who were so valuable, and they just free up the operational police to be doing what they should be doing,” she said.
"On the couple of occasions where I've had to go to a police station to have documents signed, I look at the poor police officer behind the desk and they are just run off their feet.
"The rewarding part would be making life a little bit easier for uniform police.”
Pauline’s son Felix, who is a sergeant based at Mordialloc Police Station, knows the impact of frontline officers tied up with counter duties all too well.
“In my 15 years in the job I’ve had a handful of occasions where I’ve been working reception duties and had to deal with something actually urgent that’s walked in then and there – it’s quite a rarity,” Sgt Kostiuk said.
“This helps get our members back on the frontline out on the road doing what needs to be done, which is those urgent calls for assistance.
“Having them stuck behind the counter, be it still dealing with non-urgent inquiries, is not an efficient use of our resources.”
| Sgt Kostiuk with parents Pauline and Victor at his graduation. |
Pauline’s interest in returning to Victoria Police is in line with advice she and late husband Victor, who served as a police officer for 38 years before being tragically killed in the Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance in 2018, instilled in Sgt Kostiuk.
“There was one thing mum and dad always said: ‘You need to give more than you take’,” Sgt Kostiuk said.
“Mum is still fit and healthy and has so much to give – she is driven by wanting to help and give back.
“It will be funny if I get to work with mum - it will be the first time in my life that I’ve outranked her.”
Our People Acting Assistant Commissioner Karen Nyholm said the early response and interest shown in the frontline support officer role is extremely encouraging.
"Policing is a calling and we know that drive to help the community never leaves you,” A/AC Nyholm said.
"These reservists will play a crucial role in helping free up serving police so they can be out detecting and preventing crime.
"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."
And for Pauline, she’s eager to jump back into the world of policing and help make a difference.
"Although the job has changed enormously since I was doing it, I've still got that 35 years of experience,” Pauline said.
“I’m so excited.”
Are you a former member interested in returning as a reservist?
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.
For more information and details on how to register interest, visit police reservist (frontline support officer) careers.(opens in a new window)
Editorial Wes Hosking
Photography Wes Hosking and supplied
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