1000 POLICE VACANCIES – TIME FOR A RESERVE FORCE

1000 POLICE VACANCIES – TIME FOR A RESERVE FORCE

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.

VICTORIA POLICE RESERVE FORCE

VICTORIA POLICE RESERVE FORCE

CAA would be interested in your thoughts on whether or not you believe a Reserve Force would be an asset to Victoria Police. Would you be interested in becoming a Reserve Force member? Your responses will remain anonymous.

Victoria Police would benefit from a Reserve Force
I am a retired VicPol Member and would be interested in being part of the Force Reserve