VicPol Corporate

Five reasons why you should join Victoria Police

Think you know policing, think again.

Tuesday 15 May 2018 10:30am

No day is the same

Spend your Sunday dreading the week ahead? Procrastinating by reading this article? Bored senseless by the same old daily grind? It’s time to switch it up with a career that challenges you. A career where variety is the only constant. You’ll start your shift excited for the unknown. You could be responding to an emergency, taking witness statements, giving evidence in court, speaking to schools or business owners, chasing an offender. You’ll find your feet, but you’ll be constantly learning and helping others.

Ten careers in one

Not sure where you’ll be in five or 10 years? Like to explore a range of interests? Give yourself flexibility while maintaining job security at Victoria Police. After two to four years of general duties where you learn the foundation skills of policing, you can specialise in an endless range of areas. And picking one speciality doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it for life. Police officers regularly move around from Highway Patrol, to Criminal Investigation Units, to Crime Scene, State Event Planning, Cybercrime and Prosecutions. There is something for everyone and new taskforces and units are created all the time. You can lead teams, mentor staff and make a difference to the Victorian community. Trust us, you will find your fit in the force.

Struggling to pay the bills while slogging away at uni? Avoid the HECS debt and be paid to train right from day one at the Victoria Police Academy. Recruits are paid $47,686 a year during their first 12 weeks at the Academy, before getting a pay rise to $65,510 a year. This doesn’t include shift penalties and any overtime, which with regular night shifts, will really add up!

Nine weeks leave

Nine weeks. Nine. Count ‘em. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. That’s double your regular four weeks, plus an extra week for good measure. You’ll have time to renovate your house, travel overseas, spend time with your children and relax. And with so many career paths within the same organisation, you’ll be able to change roles and stations without forfeiting long service leave. Winning.

Use your skills, learn others

Are you the office support person? Do you pride yourself on your ability to diffuse an angry customer? Do group holidays go from tedious to tops thanks to your leadership and planning? Victoria Police values all of these skills and will give you the opportunity to learn many others. There’s interstate and international training opportunities to learn from and work with other jurisdictions, four scholarships available every year for members interested in further research and study as well as recognition of prior learning available for Police Prosecutors who would like to study law.

And if you decide you do want to leave Victoria Police, you will be armed with real-life skills and can come back at your current rank or higher thanks to the Police Registration and Services Board.

You’re more suited than you might think for a career with Victoria Police. Learn more at policecareer.vic.gov.auExternal Link

Reviewed 18 November 2022

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