In developing this plan, we considered the policy landscape, including Victorian and Commonwealth law and policies, and the recommendations of the Disability Royal Commission.
The criminal justice system was an important area of enquiry for the Royal Commission, and this plan considers the outcomes and recommendations closely.
For example, what must be done to ensure people with disability have equal and fair access to police services.
This plan performs several functions. Firstly, it fulfils the requirement under s 38 of the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) to have in place a disability action plan for the purpose of:
- reducing barriers to accessibility
- reducing barriers to employment
- promoting inclusion
- changing community attitudes.
In addition, this plan:
- aligns with our other legal obligations and strategic priorities
- outlines how we will work with people with disability to achieve our vision and objective
- acknowledges the overrepresentation of people with disability at all stages of the criminal justice process, including factors that may result in an increased risk of offending and recidivism
- proactively promotes partnerships with the community to reduce overrepresentation through awareness and education
Inclusive Victoria, the state disability plan’s outcomes framework, sets out six systemic areas of reform that seek to make inclusion business as usual for government and government agencies.
These reforms are reflected in this plan, including co-designing with people with disability, Aboriginal self-determination, intersectional approaches, accessible communications and universal design, disability confident and inclusive workforces, and effective data and outcomes reporting.
Victoria Police Enablers Network
The Victoria Police Enablers Network is a group of over 100 Victoria Police employees with disability, or who are carers or allies of people with disability.
Enablers Network members promote the voice of lived experience in their various workplaces across Victoria Police and advocate for Victoria Police employees with disability and for carers.
They help our organisation to learn about and understand how to be a better and more attractive employer for people with disability.
The Enablers Network reminds Victoria Police of our responsibility to the principle of ‘nothing about us without us.’ Its members are fearless in challenging the organisation where needed to achieve more accessible and inclusive workplace practices and facilities.
The work of the Enablers Network is performed in addition to their usual duties. For this reason, they do not own specific actions for the delivery of the DAP.
Through their representation on the DPRG and their promotion throughout each year of a range of awareness raising activities, they are critical partners in the success of the DAP.
The DAP is an important demonstration of Victoria Police’s commitment to the rights of people with disability to enjoy equal rights. Victoria Police appreciates the dedication of these employees and their vision for an inclusive, accessible and disability confident organisation.
Our existing commitments
There are a number of activities that are foundational to the accessibility and inclusiveness of our organisation that are now embedded in our business-as-usual work. For this reason, they are not captured as distinct new actions in the Plan. These include:
- online accessibility principles embedded into web content development
- universal design, and design for dignity principles embedded into building and facilities planning
- regular participation in disability community events
- use of Independent Third Persons and Auslan interpreters
- celebrating dates of significance relevant to the disability community.
Work already underway
Victoria Police has made considerable progress in the accessibility of our website over the life of the previous plan. We apply accessibility principles and a digital-first approach to all new public facing website tools, content development and publishing requests.
The Victoria Police website aims to meet Level AA of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 where possible.
The Find my local police station tool is available on the Victoria Police website. It includes the contact details and location of any police station in Victoria. A key function of the tool is that it includes the accessibility features of a station in or near your area.
The accessibility support information on the Victoria Police website includes a disability community safety hub, Disability Liaison Officer page, Easy English guides, and a Communication assistance page.
Disability Liaison Officers
Victoria Police launched the Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) program in April 2024, as we continued to undertake goals set out in previous Accessibility Action Plans.
The launch of the DLO program supports the outcomes of the Disability Royal Commission. The DLO program seeks to reduce barriers and strengthen disability community confidence in police.
DLOs work to build the disability confidence of their colleagues and provide support to people with disability in the community to make our services more accessible.
DLOs are in every Police Service Area in Victoria, and in specialist areas including Transit Safety Division and State Highway Patrol.
Undertaken in addition to police core duties, the DLO role has strong links to frontline police and provides a broader leadership and champion role. DLOs are supported in their role by the Disability Portfolio at Victoria Police.
Disability Liaison Officers in action
Victoria Police DLO logo
Updated