Recruitment process
The recruitment process for Police Officers is very complex, it is currently taking 6-9 months to complete. This period can extend if further checking or testing is required. To ensure that your application runs smoothly, please ensure that you respond to all calls and/or emails from Recruiting Services and return all paperwork at your earliest convenience.
We understand that you may have had issues or prior offences in your past, which you may think will impact your application. We advise applicants to disclose all previous history and allow Recruitment Services Branch to make a thorough assessment.
You are expected to disclose everything, as failure to disclose any previous issue or prior offence history will be looked upon unfavourably and your application may be cancelled.
It is an offence under the Victoria Police Act to gain entry to the Police Force using false, misleading or incomplete information
The timing for each applicant differs greatly depending on the type of checks necessary. It can take up to one month. As would be expected, Victoria Police must be very thorough and comprehensive in the background checking process and to ensure we find the most suitable applicants.
Be ready from the moment you begin! All applicants need to be physically ready and capable to pass the fitness test at the commencement of their application. You will be booked for a fitness test if you pass the preliminary checks and video interview stage.
Victoria Police selection panel members will be looking for applicants who demonstrate behaviours consistent with our organisational values. You will be asked a series of questions comprising of behavioral based questions.
Your responses should include examples of your behaviors/experiences which illustrate your capacity in the following areas: Tasking and Coordination, Achieving Results, Establishing Productive Working Relationships, Communicating Effectively and Displaying Personal Drive and Integrity.
We do not expect applicants to understand procedures, powers or policy whilst answering questions.
Now that I’m on the Pool of Candidates, am I guaranteed a position?
You have been deemed suitable for employment with Victoria Police however there is no absolute guarantee that you will be offered a position. At times of high recruitment such as now however, it is likely that all applicants in the Pool of Candidates will be offered a start date in the near future.The Pool of Candidates is an order of merit for all applicants. All components of your application and testing were scored resulting in your final tally. You are ordered based on this final score. As new applicants enter the Pool of Candidates, the order of merit continually changes and you may slide either up or down. When a squad is being selected for training, generally the top scoring applicants are picked from the order of merit. You will not be told your final score, nor where you sit on the order of merit.
What time frame can I expect before I am selected?
Given the nature of a changing Pool of Candidates, a time frame cannot be given. We are experiencing high recruiting at this time and therefore we expect squad allocation to occur within 6 months from you being placed in the pool, however this cannot be guaranteed and can change due to operational requirements. We aim to give applicants 4-6 weeks notice of their start date.What do I need to notify Recruiting Services Branch about?
As a potential candidate for selection you will be required to update Recruiting Services Branch if your circumstances change. These circumstances include:- change of address, phone number or email address
- declaration of bankruptcy
- infringement notices you receive (tickets or fines)
- any injury you receive
- any medical procedure that you undergo
- if you are away and will not be contactable by phone or email
- being questioned/ interviewed/charged/involved with the police on any matter
- any other matter which you believe may affect/delay your induction to recruit training
Holidays/Leave
Once you are added to the Pool of Candidates, you are strongly advised not to book any extended leave (more than four weeks). It is recommended that if necessary, short periods of leave only are taken soon after being added to the Pool of Candidates. Deferring induction due to leave may not be granted and your application may be cancelled. You are encouraged to contact RSB to discuss any future travel plans (prior to booking) after being placed in the Pool of Candidates. Emergency matters will be accommodated.What do I do if I no longer wish to become a member of Victoria Police?
If your circumstances change and you no longer wish to be considered for a position please advise Recruiting Services Branch via email to recruitingservices@police.vic.gov.auIf I am offered a position, will I have to undertake any further assessments?
Depending on how long you have been on the Pool of Candidates you may need to redo your fitness assessment prior to being given a letter of offer for employment. This is to ensure you are still at an acceptable fitness level and within the required BMI/SOSF range, to enter training at the Academy.You will be asked to verify that you have not had any medical procedures, injuries or any other circumstances that may affect your ability to be trained as a member of Victoria Police.
How much notice will I be given if I am selected for a squad?
Recruiting Services Branch aims to give applicants a minimum four to six weeks notice before induction into the Academy. Sometimes this may be shorter if someone withdraws from a squad and you are picked to replace them at short notice.Should I give notice to my current employer?
No – this is not advised until you have a final letter of offer for employment. As part of the final checks your current employer will be contacted for a reference, so it is advisable you make them aware of your selection status and possible resignation sometime in the future.The fitness test includes:
- handgrip dynamometer test (30kg on each hand)
- Illinois agility run (20 seconds or less)
- multi-stage fitness (beep) test (attain level 5.01)
- 1.3 metre obstacle climb
- 5 push-ups (from the toes)
- the prone test (held for 60 secs)
- 100 metre swimming test
The video interview is designed to find out more about an applicant in order to assess their suitability to the position.
You will be asked a number of questions during the interview that are aligned to the role and organisational requirements, organisational values and behaviours.
Application
If you wish to check whether your particular medical condition will affect an application for Victoria Police, please download the medical guidelines FAQs.
If you unable to find the answer in the guidelines and want to determine whether a condition may affect your capability to perform the role of a police member, you will need to fill in the PRELIMINARY ENQUIRY OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS FORM HERE
To fill this form you will need to provide the following details:
- explanation of the medical condition with as much detail as possible (ie. attachment of medical reports)
- what medication is being taken, if any
- date of birth
- postal address
- phone number/s
This form will then be assessed by the Police Medical Officer who will be able to advise you of your suitability for Victoria Police.
Please email the completed form to the Victoria Police Medical Advisory Unit at: Recruit-medicalenquiries-mgr@police.vic.gov.au
If you have a criminal, driving or domestic violence history, or have been declared bankrupt or have outstanding warrants, you should have your prior offence history assessed by Recruiting Services prior to sitting your entrance exam. Download the Prior Offence History Guidelines.
If you are still unsure and wish to have your prior history assessed, please complete the Voluntary Disclosure Form and email or post to Recruiting Services Branch, Victoria Police Centre, 637 Flinders Street, Docklands, VIC 3008.
Please provide as much detail as possible in order for Recruitment to conduct a thorough assessment of your prior history, you will be notified within a couple of weeks of the result. A full traffic history extract can be obtained from VicRoads by phoning 13 11 71.
Instructions for submitting your VDF: Your VDF must be submitted using a desktop computer or laptop. In order to successfully submit this document, please click on the link below and save this form to your desktop computer before completing your responses. Using the form you have downloaded, complete the required fields and select the submit button for the form to successfully be sent in for review
No, you will need to gain considerable experience in general duties. This is usually a two to four-year period. Entry into specialised positions is very competitive and you will need to compete for a position.
No, you can only apply for one position at a time. If you wish to withdraw either your police or PSO application, please advise Recruiting Services before commencing a new application.
The application process for Police is similar to the PSO application process, but there are some small variants, these include:
- the entrance examination result required for Police applicants is slightly higher than the level required for a PSO
- at the fitness test stage, Police applicants will be required to complete a swim test whereas PSO applicants will not
A certified document is a copy of a primary document, that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy. It does not certify that the primary document is genuine, only that it is a true copy of the primary document. Authorised persons include but are not limited to currently serving Police Officers, registered Pharmacists, registered medical practitioners and Justice of the Peace.
Upon appointment to Victoria Police you will be required to perform a range of shifts including afternoon, night shifts and weekends to meet policing and community needs.
You may also be required to perform duty at any location within Victoria as determined by Victoria Police.
Yes, but your eyesight must meet certain minimum standards.
Unaided visual acuity must be at least 6/36 (without error) in the worse eye and at least 6/18 (without error) in the better eye – if due to refractive error. Corrected distance vision of at least 6/9 in either eye and 6/6 when both eyes are used together.
Generally, only three Police or PSO applications in total are accepted.
Withdrawn applications are not counted in the three attempts.To re-apply you need to follow these steps:
- make sure you are logged out of the Police Career Website
- www.police.vic.gov.au/police-apply-now (Police applications)
- www.police.vic.gov.au/pso-apply-now (PSO applications)
- click 'Apply now'
- follow the prompts as if to start a new application
- when you get to the stage where it asks you to create an account select 'I already have an account' and log in
- the system will generate a new application for you
- make sure you are logged out of the Police Career Website
Requirements
There is no minimum or maximum height requirement. Part of the medical assessment is a person's weight for height ratio, which is based upon the Body Mass Index (BMI). We understand that some applicants may have a higher BMI due to muscle mass. This can be tested at a Sum of Skin Folds test with KONEKT.
You must maintain a fitness level that will allow you to undergo intensive academy training and perform an operational role. You will also be retested twice a year once you are a serving member of Victoria Police.
The Victoria Police Act stipulates that you must be an Australian Citizen, hold Australian permanent residency to join Victoria Police. New Zealand Citizens are required to have a Special Category Visa and be residing in Australia to submit an application.
You will be eligible to apply if you have an accepted Australian permanent residency. A number of classifications are not eligible to apply. You may confirm your eligibility by emailing your passport details to recruitingservices@police.vic.gov.au
Yes, but your eyesight must meet certain minimum standards.
Unaided visual acuity must be at least 6/36 (without error) in the worse eye and at least 6/18 (without error) in the better eye – if due to refractive error. Corrected distance vision of at least 6/9 in either eye and 6/6 when both eyes are used together.
Birth certificates can be obtained through the Births and Deaths department of the state and country in which you were born.
Applicants do not need to physically be there to obtain their birth certificate. Some birth certificates can be applied for over the internet or through a family member.
Birth extracts, identity cards, Statutory Declarations, high school results, affidavits and consulate birth certificates will not be accepted as substitutes for a birth certificate.
In a case where there is absolutely no way to obtain a birth certificate, a letter is required from the overseas local area administration stating that the original birth certificate is not available for this person.
No, Victoria Police prohibits its employees to undertake any form of secondary employment or unpaid work in the security/investigative Industry.
Employees who hold a current private agents licence may not commence duty as a Police Officer until the licence has been rescinded.
Victoria Police has recently updated their policy regarding Uniform and Appearance Standards, which includes direction around tattoos/body art and piercings. Employees are required to project an image that is consistent with a professional and disciplined law enforcement agency.
Tattoos on the face, neck and hands will be assessed on a case by case basis. Please send photos of your tattoos for assessment to RECRUITINGSERVICES-MGR@police.vic.gov.au (if you haven’t applied yet) or RSB-SPRINGBOARD-MGR@police.vic.gov.au (if you are currently going through the recruitment process).
Tattoos on the legs and arms will be permitted but must be covered whilst on duty if they are deemed inappropriate or offensive.
Victoria Police expects Officers to maintain professional dress standards at all times—including maintaining a clean shaven appearance while on duty.
Trimmed moustaches are acceptable as long as they do not extend below the bottom lip. Beards are not permitted unless you have exemption under religious, cultural or medical grounds.
Education
No, if you are under 21 years of age you are required to have successfully completed the VCE, Senior VCAL or equivalent. This requirement does not apply to applicants over 21 years of age.
No, common sense is probably the most important prerequisite for employment with Victoria Police. The life skills that you bring and those that you will learn on the job, are most valued by Victoria Police. Any further education is assessed for the relation to what benefit it will have to the organisation.
Training is ongoing for your first two years as a Probationary Constable. Study leave is available post probationary stage. Further in-house courses and training are available.
Pay, leave, benefits and conditions of work
Yes, recruits are paid a salary whilst training. During the first 12 weeks you will be paid $50,834 per annum. At the end of Week 12 you will be sworn in as a constable at which time you will be paid $69,836 per annum.
Once you are sworn in as a constable you will be paid $69,836 per annum. In addition, there are shift penalties and overtime payments available. Each year salary increments increase with the Enterprise Bargaining agreement if members qualify under their Professional Development Assessment.
Yes, income as a Police Officer like any member of Victoria Police (employee in Australia) is a taxable income.
Contributions to Emergency Services Super Fund can be salary packaged. Victoria Police staff are members of the Emergency Services Super Fund. For further information about the ESS visit www.essuper.com.au
Police Officers are entitled to the following:
- five weeks recreation leave per year with an additional two weeks in lieu of public holidays and a further 10 days accrued time off in lieu of the 38-hour week – this equates to nine weeks' leave
- sick leave of 15 days per year (accruing)
- a range of other generous leave entitlements including maternity and paternity leave, study leave and defence force leave
- long-service leave after seven and a half years of service
Police Officers are eligible to submit a request for flexible working arrangements, ie. part time, after two years and 13 weeks from starting their Academy training, when officers are confirmed in their role as Police Constable and receive their Diploma of Policing.
Flexible work arrangement requests are always subject to the operational requirements where the requesting officer is based.
Victoria Police provides a 24-hour, seven day-a-week service, therefore as a Constable you will be required to work a variety of shifts associated with particular duties and locations. This includes weekends, night shifts and public holidays. The arrangement for ordinary hours of work is described in the The Victoria Police Force Enterprise Agreement 2011. The ordinary hours of work for full-time members is 80 hours per fortnight arranged within various shifts to suit service delivery needs. Intrusive hours (0100 hours to 0700hours) and unsociable hours (1800 to 0100 Monday to Friday and 0700 to 0100hours Saturday and Sunday) attract shift allowances for each of these hours worked.
Yes, depending on operational requirements, reasonable requests for flexibility will be considered in light of the workplace in question.
You will be attached to a metropolitan 24-hour station during your probationary period. You may elect to undertake this training at a country station which may be facilitated if there is a vacancy at that location. You will not be posted to a country station during your probationary period unless you nominate to be.
Please note upon appointment to Victoria Police you will be required to perform a range of shifts including afternoon, night shifts and weekends to meet policing and community needs.
Also, you may be required to perform duty at any location within Victoria as determined by Victoria Police.
If you nominate a country location, and if there is a vacancy available, you may be transferred to that location at the end of your probationary period (two years). If there is not a vacancy at that nominated station, you may be transferred to another country station in the vicinity. Once transferred you must remain in that position for a minimum of two years.
If you do not nominate a country location you will be matched to a metropolitan location where you must remain for a minimum of two years.
Victoria Police recognises the need for work-life balance but all decisions regarding postings are made on operational requirements. You must be prepared to be posted anywhere within the state of Victoria at the Chief Commissioner’s discretion.
In circumstances where an urgent need arises a ballot may be required to fill a 'special position'. These positions are generally located in country areas that from time to time have not been filled by internal transfer methods. In this situation, those members at the end of their probationary period that have not been allocated a position may be transferred to one of these positions. Allocation of these positions is conducted via a ballot process.
Members that have elected to be transferred to a country station will not be subject to the ballot process.
If balloted, you will be required to remain at the location for a minimum of two years but can stay as long as you like after that.
Unfortunately you cannot take leave during training unless it's leave allocated by the Education Department. Training at the Academy is physically and mentally demanding, there’s a lot to fit in during your training and it will take all your dedication to succeed.
Training is ongoing for first two years as a Probationary Constable. Study leave is available post probationary stage. Further in-house courses and training are available.
Overseas and interstate applicants
To start the application process you must be residing in Australia. You must be available to attend the fitness test, psychological test and then the panel interview in Victoria as part of the selection process. The Victoria Police Entrance exams are offered at various sites in Victoria.
The Victoria Police Act stipulates that to join Victoria Police, you must be an Australian Citizen, or hold Australian permanent residency. New Zealand Citizens who are residing in Victoria on a Special Category Visa are deemed to be permanent residents for the purpose of our requirements.
You will be eligible to apply if you have an accepted Australian permanent residency. A number of classifications are not eligible to apply.
To determine if your residency status is acceptable, please send your passport details and relevant documents to recruitingservices@police.vic.gov.au
Prior experience
There is currently no direct lateral transfers available to police members from other jurisdictions. Please refer to recognition of prior police service
Prior Policing Experience applicants residing overseas at the time of application or during the application process should contact the Police Alternative Employment Unit by phone for advice on +61 3 9247 3219.
Recognition of Prior Policing Service is ONLY considered to those who have served as an operational police officer in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom (this does NOT include Non Commissioned Officers from New Zealand or Special Constables from the United Kingdom).
As each application is assessed individually, there is no guarantee that prior service will be recognised or that a position with Victoria Police will be offered at the end of the process, even if all components of the application process are passed successfully.
Former members of Victoria Police will be required to register via the Police Registration and Services Board (PRSB). More information can be obtained at Former Victorian Police Officers
No. Victoria Police only recognises prior policing service.
If you are found suitable for an abridged training program you will be required to attend the Victoria Police Academy.
A secondary job cannot be obtained if there is considered to be a conflict of interest. All secondary employment will need to gain approval before gaining or continuing employment.
At the Academy
Academy training hours are usually 7.30 am to 4.10 pm Monday to Friday, but these hours may vary to include evening and weekend work.
Yes, we encourage recruits to have a healthy work-life balance while in the Academy. Study at the Academy is challenging and you’ll need the support of your friends and family and will want to see them after a long week.
There are no open days planned in the near future.
Yes, all training will be provided by Victoria Police at the Victoria Police Academy located on View Mount Road, Glen Waverley.
The Victoria Police Academy is located on View Mount Road, Glen Waverley.
See a map of the locationUnfortunately you cannot take leave during training unless it’s leave allocated by the Education Department. Training at the Academy is physically and mentally demanding, there’s a lot to fit in during your training and it will take all your dedication to succeed.
It is not compulsory to live-in whilst you undertake your training. You may travel to the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley to complete your training on a daily full-time basis. However recruits who live further than 30km from the academy may apply to live in.
If you elect to live-in, it will cost $482.20 per fortnight. This includes meals, lodging and establishment fees. This fee will be deducted from your fortnightly pay.
Online application
You will need access to a computer that has one of the following web browsers:
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0, 8.0
- Mozilla Firefox 3.0, 3.5, 3.6
- Safari 3.2, 4.0, 5.0
- Chrome 5.0
- Opera 10.0, 10.5
iPads and iPhones are not compatible with the online application form because these devices do not use a standard file structure which may prevent the user from attaching documents to their application form.
Applicants attempting to submit their application from a Department of Defence computer system are also likely to incur problems due to applied security settings.
You will be required to answer a series of questions regarding:
- personal details
- contact details
- drivers licence details
- history of any prior offences
No, you can log back into the system on multiple occasions to complete your application. However it is important to note that the system will not automatically save your information until you proceed to the next step so you must frequently hit the save button (located on the bottom of each page) to ensure that you do not have to enter information more than once.
Once you have submitted your application, you can view all of your responses however you cannot make any edits. If any of your personal details change between submitting your application and finishing the selection process with Victoria Police, please inform the Recruiting Services Branch as soon as possible and we will update our records.
No, you can only apply for one position at a time. If you wish to withdraw either your police or PSO application, please advise Recruiting Services before commencing a new application.
If you have lost your password, you will have an option to have the password emailed to you directly. Please press 'forgot password' on the apply now page.
After a certain amount of incorrect password attempts your account will be disabled.
To reset your password, please email RECRUITMENT.PASSWORDRESET@police.vic.gov.au to request a password reset.
Reviewed 16 October 2019
Careers – Police Officers
Need additional help?
Contact the Applicant Attraction Team 8.30am-4.30pm (Monday - Friday)