Victoria Police recruitment is an election issue, with Labor promising 1,500 additional officers and the Liberal–National Coalition pledging 3,000 as the force works to fill vacancies and reduce administrative duties.
Neither announcement reviewed for this report specifies additional allocations for Frankston or the Mornington Peninsula.
How The Recruitment Plans Compare
Labor proposes a new Wyndham academy, upgrades at Glen Waverley and expanded regional training. It would also fast-track applications from Defence veterans and protective services officers.
Police Minister and Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke identified accommodation and instructor capacity as training bottlenecks. The Police Association Victoria welcomed the proposed second Melbourne academy. ABC reporting
The Coalition plans to recruit 1,500 experienced overseas officers within its 3,000-officer commitment, offering $5,000 relocation payments and faster applicant checks. Overseas recruits would still undertake relevant training. ABC reporting
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said half the promised positions were already budgeted for, meaning the commitment includes filling existing vacancies. AAP reporting
Vacancies Persist Despite Strong Applications
Victoria Police reported more than 1,500 vacancies in May, alongside plans to double annual academy intake to 1,300.
The force received 8,700 applications in 2025, its highest number in at least five years. Retaining experienced officers also remained a priority. Applications and recruitment totals therefore do not, by themselves, establish net workforce growth. ABC reporting
Reducing The Administrative Burden
Victoria Police estimates officers spend approximately 1.4 million hours annually staffing station reception counters.
Its reservist programme recruits former officers for support duties, including answering phones, assisting with paperwork and taking crime reports, to release serving police for operational work. Victoria Police
The planned programme expanded to 400 positions in August, targeting 2,000 support shifts weekly. These are projected benefits, rather than confirmed frontline hours already delivered. ABC reporting
Local Staffing Questions Remain
STPL previously reported June allocations of 166.37 full-time equivalent officers for Frankston and 169.41 for the Mornington Peninsula. Those figures did not identify local vacancies. STPL’s staffing report
How will Labor and the Coalition turn their recruitment pledges into more police available for frontline duties, while retaining experienced officers and reducing their administrative workload?
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