Prospective officers in Queensland could also be provided up to $20,000 in HECS debt relief under a $90 million package.
Victoria Police Association CEO Wayne Gatt told the Herald Sun the Victorian Government must act immediately to ensure its already struggling force isn’t impacted further.
“Given Victoria has approximately 800 police vacancies, something compromising our operational capacity, we need to incentivise policing in Victoria too,” Sgt Gatt said.
“Government has supported recruitment in other essential industries, and it needs to do so in policing too.
“We need to fill our academy urgently, to ensure today and into coming years we have enough police to keep the community safe.”
Sgt Gatt said the government needs to provide incentives to lure people into the force – especially if it hopes to attract at least 2,000 new officers over the next two years.
Last year, the State Government announced free university for nurses and midwives under a $270 million package to attract new members over the next five years.
“The Police Association has been advocating to government for the need to incentive policing so as to address the most significant recruitment shortfall ever experienced,” Sgt Gatt told the Herald Sun.
“We need to urgently help new recruits make the practical transition from other paid employment and manage cost of living pressures during training.”
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