Victoria Police makes drastic job cuts to non-critical policing roles under cost-saving restructure

Non-critical policing roles will be on the line under a major cost-saving restructure as Victoria Police scrambles to recoup tens of millions of dollars in savings.

Victoria Police is facing a massive organisational restructure in a bid to find tens of millions of dollars in savings amid increasing budget pressures.

The move would aim to boost the number of frontline police on the beat while stripping back corporate roles and executive positions to keep its $4.5bn budget in check.

Chief commissioner Shane Patton launched a force-wide review this week, saying Victoria Police was not immune from “pressures currently impacting the fiscal environment in Victoria.”

It is expected to consider potential redundancies of hundreds of non-critical roles, as well as the potential amalgamation of command divisions.

Hundreds of non-critical policing jobs will go under the restructure. Picture: Aaron Francis

The review comes after Victorian hospitals were asked to rein in more than $1bn in spending before the government agreed to provide $1.5bn in top-up funding.

A leaked email by Mr Patton to police members warned the force was “under pressure from escalating service demands”.

“At the same time, our capacity to put officers into frontline positions has been challenged by competitive labour markets, a trend which has impacted recruitment of police across the country,” he said.

“And while we have received significant investment from Government in recent years, we are not immune to the pressures currently impacting the fiscal environment in Victoria and so it is a reasonable expectation that we manage our budget accordingly.”

Mr Patton said the organisational review would be conducted by Assistant Commissioner Mick Frewen and overseen by Deputy Secretary Susan Delroi and Deputy Commissioner Bob Hill.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton launched the review into the force this week. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

“The review will assess our structural arrangements to ensure that positions and functions are strategically placed where they are most needed,” he said.

“It will sustainably position our organisation by streamlining operations, enhancing frontline service delivery and allowing us to focus on our core policing functions.

“This Review presents Victoria Police with a rare opportunity to make transformational changes to the ways in which we operate.

“It will consider the fundamental aspects of our role in keeping the community safe and ensure we are not extending ourselves beyond our core functions.”

It comes with the Victorian youth crime rate now at a 14-year high, with crimes committed by children aged 10 to 17 at their highest level since 2010.

The surge in youth crime included a 45 per cent increase in robberies committed by children aged between 14 and 17 over the last year, and a 30 per cent spike in car thefts.

The number of aggravated residential burglaries hit 6445 for the year to June compared to 5,461 in the previous year.

Rank and file police members have expressed concern over the cost-cutting meaures.

Rank and file members have expressed concern that cost-cutting measures could lead to station closures and impact key service delivery efforts.

Others have questioned the need to rein in spending at a time when an estimated 1,000 vacancies remain unfilled, saving millions in wages costs.

Victoria Police recorded a $33m deficit last financial year, its first in five years.

Its annual report blamed a 4.5 per cent, or $186.5m, total expenditure increase on a carry-over of around 19,000 days of leave entitlements and increased WorkCover costs.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said the review, the first in more than a decade, would look at opportunities for reform.

“Like many policing agencies in Australia and around the world, our capacity to deliver frontline services has been challenged by a highly competitive jobs market and escalating service demands,” they said.

“It is also true that Victoria Police is not immune to the pressures currently impacting the fiscal environment in Victoria, and it is therefore incumbent on us to review our operations and ensure delivery of services that are both highly effective and efficient.”

A Police Association of Victoria spokesperson said the organisation would await the outcome of the review.

“We hope the findings and subsequent actions will not further diminish service to the community,” he said.