Victoria Police Annual Report 2025-26: Year in review

Plan and deliver an integrated, organisation-wide rostering and time sheet solution.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, the Enterprise Rostering Project underwent a review of business requirements, delivery scope, costs and timelines. At 30 June 2026, the project had returned to the initiation phase and operated under a newly-established Project Control Board, with activities focused on validating project requirements and developing a revised delivery approach and implementation schedule.

Continue to transform Victoria Police’s service delivery and operating model to deliver on strategic objectives.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

Victoria Police progressed the Service Delivery Transformation program to support our transition towards a coordinated statewide service delivery model.

Work focused on understanding service demand and designing capabilities and leadership practices to support the Community First operating model. This work aimed to improve organisational visibility of demand, harm, serious crime and violent crime.

The Bureaucracy Reduction program also continued to identify opportunities to reduce administrative burden and support a greater focus on frontline policing.

Engage partners to support the design, function and cost of the NFR (Partially Budget Finance Committee).

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, Victoria Police continued to play a key role in progressing the national program through active participation in inter-jurisdictional governance, policy development and implementation planning.

Building on work undertaken in 2024–25, Victoria Police worked closely with the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, the Department of Home Affairs and jurisdictional partners to support the development of nationally consistent approaches to firearms data, information management and program requirements.

As the NFR moves towards implementation, Victoria Police remain committed to collaborating with Commonwealth, state and territory partners and key stakeholders to support a nationally connected firearms management capability.

Recruit and deploy youth crime coordinators in the regions and a centrally based program manager, through the YCPEIP.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

All eight Youth Crime Coordinator positions were advertised during 2025–26, with recruitment activities underway as at 30 June 2026.

Victoria Police also undertook workshops with regional stakeholders and established a revised governance model to support expansion of the Youth Crime Prevention and Early Intervention program (YCPEIP) across newly-funded locations.

Implementation activities continued throughout the year, including development of training and guidance materials to support police use of youth warnings, cautions and diversion pathways.

These materials will be incorporated into an e-learn package developed to support implementation of Tranche 2 of the Youth Justice Act 2024

Implement the requirements of Victoria Police relevant to the Youth Justice Act.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

Victoria Police successfully implemented the legislative and operational changes required to support the minimum age of criminal responsibility reforms that started on 30 September 2025.

This included the development of policy, procedures, information technology system enhancements and workforce training.

Throughout 2025–26, Victoria Police also progressed implementation planning to support the next stage of Youth Justice Act reforms which started on 30 September 2026.

Create a Firearms Prohibition Orders Registry database.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, significant progress was made in developing the Firearms Prohibition Orders Registry Database PowerApp.

Key achievements included establishing project governance arrangements, developing and accepting user stories, and confirming requirements for data migration, security and reporting.

The solution design was finalised, and build and testing activities commenced.

Planning also began for transition to ongoing system support and associated change management activities. The application remains on track for release into production in September 2026.

Victoria Police introduced a new code of conduct in June 2026 following more than three years of research, consultation and development.

The Victoria Police Code of Conduct establishes clear standards of behaviour for Victoria Police personnel and supports ethical decision-making aligned with our organisational values.

It contains eight standards that provide guidance on expected behaviours and summarise key obligations contained in legislation and the Victoria Police Manual.

Importantly, the code recognises Victoria Police’s ongoing commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural rights and self-determination.

By providing a clear and accessible framework for conduct, the code supports our people to make ethical decisions in the course of their duties and reinforces individual responsibility for maintaining professional standards.

Publishing the code on our website also promotes transparency and accountability in our interactions with the Victorian community.

Victoria Police established Operation Summit following the murder of Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart, and the attempted murder of two police officers at Porepunkah on 26 August 2025.

The operation mobilised a significant policing response, with nearly 500 Victoria Police members deployed during the initial search efforts.

In October 2025, Taskforce Summit was established to coordinate the ongoing search for fugitive Desmond Filby (also known as Dezi Bird Freeman).

The taskforce worked closely with specialist resources, partner agencies and volunteers, reviewing more than 2,000 information reports and conducting extensive search operations across north-east Victoria.

On 30 March 2026, Taskforce Summit ocated Freeman at a rural property near Thologolong, about 150 kilometres from Porepunkah.

The operation demonstrated Victoria Police's ability to coordinate large-scale, complex investigations, supporting community safety, accountability and public confidence following one of the most significant incidents affecting Victoria Police in recent years.

In December 2025, Victoria Police commenced Operation Pulse, a high-visibility policing initiative delivered across selected shopping centres in Victoria.

Initially operating at Eastland, Northland, Highpoint and Fountain Gate shopping centres the operation brought together Police and Protective Service Officers (PSOs) to undertake targeted patrols and enforcement activities aimed at enhancing public safety, providing re-assurance and strengthening community confidence.

Following the initial rollout, the operation expanded to four additional shopping centres at Bayside Frankston, Pacific Werribee, Watergardens and Southland.

Between December 2025 and March 2026, we recorded more than 60,000 public contacts, detected nearly 3,000 offences, seized more than 120 weapons, conducted 200 drug seizures and made over 1,300 arrests.

Feedback from shopping centre retailers indicated that Operation Pulse improved perceptions of safety, reduced stock loss, strengthened deterrence and enabled quicker responses to disturbances, supporting the prevention and disruption of offending behaviour.

Following the expansion of the operation, Operation Pulse was extended to Geelong in May 2026 and endorsed to continue until the end of 2026.

Victoria Police implemented a new PSO deployment model, known as the Public Transport Policing Model, on 19 April 2026 to strengthen policing across Victoria’s public transport network.

The new model introduced a more flexible and intelligence-led approach to deployment, enabling PSOs to be deployed when and where they are needed most to deter crime, violence and anti-social behaviour.

The model provides dedicated patrols across metropolitan and regional railway stations, together with roving patrols across clustered stations and flexible deployments across buses, trams, trains and related public transport infrastructure.

It also supports major events and the Night Network, Melbourne’s weekend overnight public transport system, through targeted deployments aligned to identified operational risks.

By introducing a more dynamic deployment approach, the model strengthens our ability to direct PSO resources to high-risk locations while maintaining a visible policing presence across the broader public transport network.

During 2025–26, Victoria Police reformed its cybercrime reporting framework to improve victim support, strengthen crime recording practices and provide a more consistent response to cybercrime across the state.

Reports submitted through the national ReportCyber platform are now treated as formal police reports and recorded in Victoria Police systems where there is sufficient information to indicate a criminal offence may have occurred.

This reform addresses historical underreporting of cybercrime and improves the accuracy of cybercrime data used to inform policing responses and community safety initiatives.

A centralised triage process has also been introduced to ensure cybercrime reports are recorded and assessed consistently, while supporting improved victim engagement and local investigation management.

Supported by updated policies aligned to national standards, the reforms strengthen data integrity, improve service consistency and enhance our ability to respond to an increasingly complex cybercrime environment.

Victoria Police expanded prosecution capability during 2025–26 to support the opening of the Wyndham Law Courts and meet increasing demand within one of Victoria's fastest growing communities.

To support the new court complex, the Werribee Prosecutions Unit was expanded to form the Wyndham Prosecutions Unit.

We doubled the local prosecution workforce, enhanced supervisory oversight, improved business processes and strengthened prosecution capability in anticipation of the increased capacity and complexity of the new court environment.

Through proactive planning and strategic workforce management, we ensured prosecution services were prepared to support expanded court operations, contributing to efficient case management and a seamless transition to the new justice precinct.

Support regional therapeutic Drug Court programs.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, Victoria Police supported the operation of Drug Courts in Shepparton, Ballarat, Melbourne and Dandenong as part of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing offending associated with drug and alcohol dependence.

Working as part of multidisciplinary teams alongside the Magistrates' Court of Victoria, Victoria Legal Aid and specialist support services, Victoria Police contributed to a therapeutic approach that supported participants to address the underlying causes of offending associated with drug and alcohol dependence. Victoria Police Drug Court lawyers participated in case conferencing, assessed participant suitability, monitored compliance with Drug and Alcohol Treatment Orders, and worked with partner agencies to support participant rehabilitation and recovery.

The Drug Court model demonstrates the benefits of a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to reducing reoffending and improving outcomes for participants, their families and the broader community.

Continue engagement with the Children’s Court Weekend Online Remand Court (WORC).

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

Victoria Police continue to deliver prosecution services in the WORC which operates from 1pm to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday. Reforms to the Bail Act 1977 have resulted in an increase in pressing weekend remand-related hearings.

During the 2025–26 financial year, Victoria Police appeared in more than 220 matters before the WORC, representing an increase of about 20 cases from the previous year. Of these, 108 were listed for bail applications, resulting in 64 refusals. Additionally, Victoria Police conducted 23 matters on behalf of the Office of Public Prosecutions.^(a)

^{Note: (a) these figures are self-reported and should be read as an approximate guide only.}

Continue to provide a targeted joint response to high-risk young people in areas of high need through the provision of an EYOP.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

The Embedded Youth Outreach program (EYOP) is a Victoria Police-led initiative delivered in partnership with the Youth Support and Advocacy Service and Anglicare Victoria across four sites in Werribee, Dandenong, Caroline Springs and Shepparton, serving nine Local Government Areas.

The program provides a coordinated after-hours response for young people who encounter police, assessing their needs and linking them to support services to reduce future involvement in the justice system.

During 2025–26, EYOP enhanced support for young people with complex needs through targeted outreach, family and school engagement, and court support. The program also introduced an evidence-based online assessment tool and training package to strengthen workforce capability and ensure consistent service delivery.

A multi-year evaluation found EYOP reduces offending and family violence outcomes while returning an estimated $3.61 in benefits for every dollar invested. During 2025–26, the program engaged 2,177 young people through 2,799 service engagements.

Expand the AYCP to minimise the contact of young Aboriginal people have with the criminal justice system.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

Five Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Support Officers were recruited and deployed during 2025–26, supporting delivery of the Aboriginal Youth Cautioning program.

Responses to recommendations arising from the Karabena Consulting Trust operational review were finalised and endorsed in January 2026, with implementation activities starting during the reporting period.

Rollout of CED to every frontline police officer and PSO.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, Victoria Police continued implementation of the Conducted Energy Device (CED) program, with 10,343 members trained in the T7 CED.

Key program milestones included completion of safe storage installation and disposal of legacy equipment being replaced through the rollout, evaluation of the Axon T10 CED, and completion of the body-worn camera integration activities to support frontline deployment.

Victoria Police also progressed implementation of station-issued body-worn cameras, including commencement of a pilot program and planning for organisation-wide rollout.

Work continued to enhance the technology and systems that support the management, storage and transfer of CED and body-worn camera data, helping to strengthen operational capability and accountability.

Support the implementation of the Tobacco Licensing Scheme by establishing an assessment framework for high-risk licensees.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

The Tobacco Licensing Scheme Unit (TLSU) was established and has developed processes to support the Tobacco Licensing Scheme and its regulator, Tobacco Licensing Victoria (TLV).

During the first implementation phase of the Tobacco Licensing Scheme, the TLSU completed suitability assessments and recommendations to support the licensing of tobacco businesses.

In February 2026, the TLSU undertook suitability assessments for high-risk licence applicants and started suitability assessments for authorised officers employed by TLV.

In addition to being the central contact for the relationship with TLV, the TLSU helps Victoria Police regions with coordination of illicit tobacco operations.

In 2025–26, Victoria Police established the State Command and Coordination Centre (SCCC) to strengthen frontline capability through consistent operational oversight of critical incidents and statewide operational activity.

Acting as a central coordination point, the SCCC improves visibility of operational activity and supports command, control and decision-making processes.

Since it started operating in December 2025, the SCCC has strengthened the flow of operational information across Victoria Police, ensuring relevant intelligence is disseminated earlier to frontline members, and supporting informed decision-making while incidents are still unfolding.

We have been able to do this by using eTasking to distribute intelligence directly to mobile devices, including information relating to persons of interest, outstanding stolen vehicles and other operational priorities.

ETasking gives a consistent operating picture across the organisation, reduces duplication of effort and helping regions to develop informed response and enforcement strategies.

The SCCC's Intelligence and Insights Unit has also strengthened partnerships with Youth Justice, Crime Reduction Teams and Proactive Policing Units to support a coordinated response to high-risk young people, particularly those at risk of bail non-compliance.

Together, the SCCC and its Intelligence and Insights Unit have strengthened information sharing, operational coordination and intelligence-led decision-making across Victoria Police, supporting efforts to reduce crime and harm while enhancing community safety.

Victoria Police strengthened its approach to identifying the predominant aggressor in family violence incidents through policy reform, operational guidance and enhanced stakeholder resources.

During 2025–26, the Victoria Police Manual Family Violence policy was updated and a new Practice Guide – Family Violence: Predominant Aggressor was introduced to support more consistent decision-making by police members.

Additional resources were also developed for stakeholders, including guidance on raising concerns regarding misidentification and a dedicated predominant aggressor webpage.

Together, these initiatives provide greater clarity for police members, improve transparency for stakeholders and support a more consistent approach to responding to family violence incidents.

The reforms also respond to feedback from external stakeholders seeking improved practice and responsiveness in this area.

In June 2025, Victoria Police expanded existing operations and established the Hawk Taskforce to investigate the alleged infiltration of organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs into major government infrastructure projects and the construction industry.

This includes a focus on Victoria's Big Build projects and the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU).

The Hawk Taskforce brings together dedicated investigators and analysts in a multidisciplinary team and is one of the largest taskforces of its kind nationally.

The taskforce adopts a zero-tolerance approach to addressing alleged criminality within the construction industry and holding offenders to account.

Recognising the complexity of the environment, Victoria Police adopted an integrated response involving government, regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

The taskforce works closely with the Australian Federal Police, Labour Hire Authority, Fair Work Commission, Fair Work Ombudsman, Australian Taxation Office, WorkSafe Victoria, Wage Inspectorate Victoria and other state policing agencies.

As at 30 June 2026, the Hawk Taskforce had charged 25 offenders with more than 92 offences, including extortion, blackmail, arson, threats, fraud and deception-related offending, strengthening accountability and supporting community confidence in the construction sector.

Operation Halo increased high-visibility road policing activity across North West Metro Region during 2025–26, supporting Victoria Police’s commitment to reducing road trauma through proactive enforcement and community engagement.

The operation embedded road safety activities into frontline policing, with members contributing more than 1,776 hours of Operation Halo activity during the reporting period.

This resulted in more than 10,500 preliminary breath tests, 7,100 vehicle intercepts and almost 7,900 public contacts, along with 153 penalty infringement notices and numerous road safety interventions.

Operation Halo engaged police across all North West Metro Region divisions and reinforced road safety as a shared responsibility across frontline policing.

Through targeted deployment at identified road trauma hotspots and high-risk locations, the operation increased police visibility and supported enforcement activity in areas of greatest risk.

By combining high-visibility policing, targeted enforcement and community engagement, Operation Halo strengthened Victoria Police’s efforts to reduce road trauma and improve road safety across the region.

Operation Awning and Operation Jackal disrupted serious organised crime networks involved in arson, firearms, drug trafficking and extortion during 2025–26.

Operation Awning identified those responsible for two high-value factory arsons that caused more than $23 million in damage.

The investigation resulted in the arrest of five offenders and the seizure of illicit firearms, drugs, cash and other evidentiary material.

Building on these outcomes, Operation Jackal targeted a sophisticated drug trafficking network responsible for the supply of commercial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and MDMA (ecstasy).

The operation removed high-risk offenders from the community, seized significant quantities of drugs and weapons, and generated intelligence shared with domestic and international law enforcement partners.

Together, these operations disrupted organised criminal activity, reduced community harm and strengthened Victoria Police’s response to serious and organised crime.

Victoria Police strengthened its intelligence-informed response to serious and violent youth offending through Operation Alliance, which targets networked youth offenders and youth gangs involved in cross-border offending, emerging youth crime trends and organised group-related violence.

Since July 2025, Operation Alliance has resulted in more than 1,400 arrests and over 3,800 charges.

The operation brings together frontline police, intelligence practitioners and specialist resources to identify priority offenders, monitor gang-related activity and coordinate targeted enforcement responses.

Dedicated intelligence capabilities support the operation through analysis of social media, offender networks and emerging crime patterns, enabling timely intervention and disruption of offending behaviour.

Through a coordinated approach to intelligence collection, offender management and enforcement, Operation Alliance has strengthened Victoria Police's ability to respond to serious and violent youth offending and reduce community harm.

The Criminal Organisations Control Amendment Act 2024 commenced on 25 August 2025, expanding Victoria Police's powers to prevent, disrupt and counteract serious and organised crime in Victoria.

The reforms strengthened the unlawful association scheme, introduced a new serious crime prevention order scheme and established prohibitions relating to prescribed criminal organisations.

During 2025–26, Victoria Police led organisation-wide implementation of the reforms, including the development of new policy, operational guidance, training and supporting systems to enable their effective application.

Victoria Police also developed recommendations to the Attorney-General resulting in 13 motorcycle clubs being prescribed under the Criminal Organisations Control Regulations 2026.

As a result, the public display of their insignia is now prohibited, providing additional tools to disrupt and deter organised criminal activity.

Together, these reforms strengthened Victoria Police's ability to target serious and organised crime through enhanced legislative powers, improved operational capability and new measures to restrict the visibility and influence of prescribed criminal organisations.

Victoria Police strengthened supervision and monitoring arrangements for high-risk youth offenders through its participation in the Enhanced Bail Supervision and Support (EBSS) trial in partnership with Youth Justice, Department of Justice and Community Safety.

During 2025–26, updated operational protocols were implemented between Youth Justice, the Electronic Monitoring Service and Victoria Police to support information sharing, monitoring and responses to potential bail breaches.

These arrangements enabled timely intervention when young people breached curfew or exclusion zone conditions and strengthened inter-agency coordination.

The trial completed 193 suitability assessments and supported the issuing of 89 EBSS orders, including 84 orders incorporating electronic monitoring.

The program also monitored compliance through hundreds of electronic alerts and facilitated 38 escalations to Victoria Police.

During the reporting period, 35 young people successfully completed EBSS orders, demonstrating the operation of a structured supervision and monitoring framework designed to support compliance with bail conditions.

Replace, refurbish, and uplift outdated and not fit-for-purpose critical infrastructure and equipment under the Capital Investment program of works.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During 2025–26, Victoria Police continued to invest in critical infrastructure renewal to support frontline service delivery, workforce growth and operational capability.

Key projects completed during the year include:

• infrastructure projects to accommodate additional 2729 police
• infrastructure to accommodate additional 502 police and 50 protective services officers
• Moonee Ponds Police Station refurbishment
• Ballarat Police Station refurbishment
• Victoria Police Academy C-Block refurbishment
• dynamometer project for the vehicle fleet team.

Bairnsdale Police Station Incident Police Operations Centre (IPOC) was delivered in March 2026, providing emergency management capability to the region.

Modernise our police facilities through our infrastructure program of works.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

The new Clyde North Police Station was completed in October 2025, and a major refurbishment of the Narre Warren Police Station was completed in March 2026.

Construction on new police stations are nearing completion in South Melbourne and Point Cook, with completion to be achieved in the second half of 2026.

Planning is underway for a new police station at Wollert, with completion expected in 2028. The facility will replace the existing Epping Police Station.

Plan and deliver a suite of finance and procurement systems, including Oracle Cloud Financials.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

The project was paused in December 2025 and recommenced in June 2026 under revised governance arrangements. Scope, timelines and resourcing are currently being reviewed to support completion of remaining design and build activities.

Plan and deliver an ePINS solution to replace manual paper-based processes for capturing infringement information.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

The Electronic Penalty Infringement Notices (ePINs) solution remained fully operational across Victoria Police during 2025–26.

The project formally closed in December 2025 and transitioned to business-as-usual operations, with ongoing application enhancements undertaken in response to operational feedback.

Strengthen media campaign to attract and recruit new police applicants.

Update (as at 30 June 2026)

During the time the Made for More campaign was active (10 August 2025 to 30 June 2026), 8263 police applications were submitted, averaging about 180 applications per week.

In total, Victoria Police received 9007 police applications during 2025–26, the highest annual number of applications since 2019–20.

Victoria Police strengthened recruit training and workforce capability during 2025–26 through the introduction of the 25‑week recruit training program and the resumption of double recruit squad intakes at the Victoria Police Academy.

The 25-week recruit training program introduced a modern, practically focused curriculum with a greater emphasis on immersive, scenario-based learning to better prepare recruits for operational policing.

The revised training model was designed to strengthen the alignment between learning and operational readiness, ensuring recruits are exposed to the expectations and challenges of frontline policing from the outset.

In April 2026, Victoria Police also restarted the intake of fortnightly double recruit squads, increasing training capacity to support workforce growth and future operational requirements.

Together, these reforms strengthened Victoria Police's ability to attract, train and prepare new police members to meet the evolving needs of the Victorian community.

Victoria Police achieved Gold Tier Employer status for the first time at the 2026 Australian LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion Awards.

These awards are based on results from the Australian Workplace Equality Index, an evidence-based benchmarking framework tool that measures the progress and impact of LGBTQ+ initiatives across workplaces each year.

In 2026, Victoria Police was the highest-ranked law enforcement agency nationally and the only Victorian Government agency to receive Gold Tier status.

Our Pride employee network, VP Pride, was also recognised as a finalist for Employee Network of the Year category.

The achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees feel respected, valued and supported.

Participation in the Australian Workplace Equality Index process also provides insights that will help inform future inclusion initiatives and strengthen support for LGBTIQA+ employees across the organisation.

Victoria Police delivered a Portable Equipment Issue Office (PEIO) during 2025–26 to strengthen logistical support for police members responding to critical incidents and emergencies.

The PEIO provides a mobile, network-connected capability that enables operational equipment to be issued directly in the field, improving flexibility and supporting rapid deployment during large-scale incidents.

By bringing equipment and logistical support closer to operational environments, the capability enhances Victoria Police’s ability to respond effectively in dynamic and complex situations.

During the year, the PEIO was deployed in support of Operation Summit in Porepunkah and the Eastern Region fires response at Puckapunyal, providing timely access to equipment and resources for members operating in emergency environments.

During 2025–26, Victoria Police established the new State Police Search and Rescue Coordination Centre to enhance coordination of land and marine search and rescue operations across Victoria.

The centre incorporates technology modelled on the Computer Aided Dispatch system used by Triple Zero Victoria, providing improved mapping, situational awareness and incident management capabilities for members coordinating complex search and rescue activities.

The new capability strengthens Victoria Police's ability to manage multiple incidents simultaneously, improve coordination with operational partners and support timely decision-making during large-scale and high-risk incidents.

Together, these enhancements have improved service delivery to the Victorian community and strengthened Victoria Police's search and rescue capability across the state.

Victoria Police completed Phase 1 of its Organisational Redesign program in March 2026, transitioning to a new organisational structure designed to better align the organisation with the A Safe Victoria strategy and our operating model.

The redesign focused on reducing unnecessary complexity, strengthening organisational coordination and ensuring resources and effort are directed to areas of greatest community and operational need.

The new structure was implemented on 8 March 2026 following an organisation-wide review and introduced a revised portfolio and functional area model to support clearer accountability, improved coordination and more effective service delivery.

The redesign aims to better support frontline policing through strengthened enabling functions, technology and business processes.

The organisational redesign also established a foundation for ongoing reform by improving alignment between strategy, structure and operating model.

Building on the successful implementation of the new structure, Victoria Police commenced the next phase of work, including enterprise functional analysis and functional area reviews to further strengthen organisational effectiveness and support community safety outcomes.