If the media reports are accurate, Herald Sun 3rd of October 2024, VicPol must be hugely embarrassed or tone deaf.
The report quoted a Police spokesperson as saying,
“The end of the financial year is traditionally a time when police choose to retire but this year’s total of 261 who left the organisation in July and August is well up on the 220 of the same period last year.”
The statement itself has no problems, but what is incredible is that the issue of a drop in police numbers in the set time frame is ‘traditional’, so the Force knows it’s going to happen, and given the other figures, it seems highly improbable that the Force has been able to manage this phenomenon.
Hiring extra professionals to help with the backlog of Police applicants is at best, a band-aid and any impact on reducing the backlog and training these applicants will not yield meaningful results for over twelve months.
However, the problem of a lack of Police and the adverse impact on the community is here, and now, waiting twelve months for an uptick in the ability of the Force to respond adequately to community needs is unacceptable.
Victoria Police should explain their breakdown in service delivery to the victims, who police have failed.
Given that the staffing level peaks and troughs are a known factor the failure in this staffing area is best described by the idiom.
“Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.”
-Often incorrectly attributed to Einstein
For a number of years, the solution, in part, has been available but apparently never really properly considered , most probably because of misconceptions about the vast number of former police members’ attitudes to policing, which a very few loud naysayers promulgate.
Retirement – “the ability to do what you want because you want to, not because you have to”.
The vast majority of former police are very proud of their Police service and the values of policing. While the former Police, by Legislation, are no longer Sworn members, the vast majority have never denounced their oath but continue to honour it.
Contrary to perceptions, there are literally thousands of former police who, with little training, could augment the Force staffing demands to flatten out the peaks and troughs. And they are not all old; substantial numbers left their police career to raise a family and for other personal reasons whose circumstances may have changed.
The recent survey in support of a former member, Dr Ray Shuey’s integrity ‘bells the cat’. The myriad of comments made during the survey by former members should be compulsory reading for anybody in the command structure who doubts how much integrity is valued by former Police and the community.
There are hundreds of veterans who could be a valuable resource if used properly.
Many names on the list remind us all that VicPol was so highly thought of in times past as the preeminent Police Force in Australia that many members were encouraged to leave for other Policing agencies in Australia, with some attracted to overseas Law enforcement.
It is noteworthy that when VicPol was at its peak, the incidents of PTSD were markedly lower, bordering on rare. Make of that as you will.
With the right incentives, these retired members of all ranks could affect relief for front-line police of a raft of duties that do not require physical prowess, but their experience and life skills, plus a stellar police career, equip them well to backfill vacancies, particularly at stations.
Their bodies may be worn, but their mental acuity is a resource worth harvesting.
Equally, many non-operational positions could be filled by former police, relieving police of these duties to move to the operational function.
Former Police would generally not be looking to return to full-time work, but many would be interested in short-term casual arrangements that fit in with their new lifestyle.
The former Police, re-sworn, could carry out most inquiry/watchhouse functions and be a valuable mentor for some younger members.
A pragmatic evaluation of position functions could identify hundreds that could be tagged as suitable to be backfilled even to deal with relatively short-duration issues like the current Pro-Palestinian discourse or an emergency, natural or otherwise.
One substantially positive outcome from this approach is taking pressure off frontline police members and their managers trying to provide an effective Police function for the community, which can also reduce the impact of stress causing PTSI.
Sometimes, more maturity in a police environment can positively affect morale.
The recent push for a four-day week imbroglio might be resolved by providing serving members with the opportunity to move to a Police Reserve where their personal situation or lifestyle can be accommodated. Why lose them completely?
Never uttered in the same breath are the policing numbers and the crime rate.
Closely examining crime trends may show that the number of operational police corresponds to the crime trends. An effective Police Reserve force will positively impact the crime rate by injecting a vast knowledge base of experience into the organisation and allowing more police back on the street.
Before formulating a view on this missive, we suggest you return to the above Idiom. If this is not the solution, offer a better one than Insanity.
It would be very interesting to know how many ex-members would consider returning to VicPol, even on a part-time basis, provided the conditions were appropriate.
The attached survey form is not a commitment but an expression of support for the concept of a Police Reserve.
Good to see there are people thinking outside the square. The current situation if allowed to continue will more likely than not reflect very badly on Vicpol.
I concur with the article and continuance to take part in semi operational duties such as door knocks, statement taking and reviewing CCTV to relieve operational members especially at major crime incidents. It works very well at the MET London Constabulary. You put your name with an employment agency stating your skills. That is the “well” that task forces as made up from along with sworn members. The agency pays the retired members and in turn sends an invoice to the MET. A police reserve already exists in QLD, NYPD and parts of Canadia. I have been advised by a very senior officer in command that the notion of a police reserve is on the agenda, but when?
It seems to me that no matter where VicPol , or any other force draw their ‘troops’ from, if you don’t treat them with dignity or respect, if senior officers use them to feather their own career aspirations, if nepotism, incompetence and corruption exist in the higher ranks, the troops will leave and won’t come back. They, and their families, will take their stories with them and that is a deterrence to anyone else considering the job.
In my view, THAT is the number one reason why VicPol can’t retain or attract officers.
Senior officers and management cannot see the value of anyone who displays initiative or competence. They do not know how to relate to junior officers on anything but an authoritarian and narcissistic basis and any form of competence from a “junior” officer is seen as a ‘threat’ to their own careers, regardless of how many years of police experience and insight that officer might have. Yet they expect “the troops’’ to be compassionate, empathetic, politically correct and compliant or they will have to be ‘disposed of’.
The organization and their senior officers have a sense of entitlement. They see themselves as “above the law” and do whatever they like. THEY ARE NEVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS!
Even when IBAC makes findings and recommendations against senior officers the organization ignores them or put it off until it is supposedly forgotten and the said officers retire with all their “entitlements” and medals.
But it is never forgotten by the ‘troops’ who have been wrongly accused and wear the undeserved abuse and battering, and lack of recognition. It isn’t forgotten by the immediate and extended family members who live with the collateral damage and stress on a daily basis, forever, who lose that which is most precious to them – their family and happiness.
Is it any wonder that we see frustration and anger in the troops on the street? They cop it from both the public and their “superiors”.
Yet the community and Vic Pol still don’t get it. Wake up guys and gals. You have what you deserve. I have no sympathy for you. I am disgusted with what I have seen in the streets of Melbourne during my last few visits. The city is a disgrace!
I am definitely not a young person. I do have considerable life experience. I come from a long line of police in my family but I shake my head and ask why would anyone consider joining or rejoining Victoria Police? No one wants a career that destroys their life.
The solution to your problem is simple. Clean up your act. Recognise those with competence, informed knowledge, true integrity and decency. Make the narcissists accountable.
I left the job as a Senior Sergeant in 1996 to enter private business.
I was approached some time later after I had sold the business by the local Super who asked if I would be interested in becoming a Reservist, as a pilot project was being considered, but heard nothing more about it.
I’m a bit long in the tooth now, however still reckon I have plenty to offer.
I attended a local station to make a statement at the request of a member. It was 20 minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. Another 20 minutes whilst he looked for the member who had gone home, and couldn’t find anyone else to do it. I made the statement myself and E mailed it to him.
Why they don’t look at this more closely astounds me. I know plenty of veteran members with extensive skills and experience that would be interested.