Victoria Police get new vans from March
THE rollout of almost 300 purpose-built police vans will give Victorian cops a better vantage point from March.
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POLICE will roll out 290 new divisional vans across the state over the next two years.
The first batch of the purpose-built divisional vans will be on the road in Melbourne’s west by March.
The new vans are based on the Holden Colorado and will provide police officers with a better vantage point when they are patrolling the streets.
The deployment includes 250 two-door standard divisional vans across the state to replace the current model.
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An additional 40 four-wheel-drive, four-door vans equipped with bullbars and winches will be rolled out in regional areas to provide an off-road capability. Those vehicles are expected to be in service from mid-2018.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said: “Divisional vans are the heart and soul of what police do on the frontline, so the new vehicles needed to be durable, agile and equipped for modern policing.
“We are looking forward to seeing these new vehicles with additional features hit the streets.”
Features of the new fleet will include more storage in the cabin and an extra camera in the custody compartment providing 360-degree monitoring and recording of people in custody.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said: “The new divisional vans will ensure our police officers are kept safe on the road while they’re patrolling and protecting the Victorian community.”