Labor Pledges 1,500 Extra Police, New Academy in Melbourne's West

Premier Ben Carroll said applications to become a police officer were at a five-year high, but there was a bottleneck at the Victoria Police Academy in Glen Waverley, in Melbourne’s south-east. A regional training facility is due to open in Mildura next year, and a second is planned for Gippsland in the state’s east.

Under Labor’s plan, a new academy would be built in the Wyndham area. Carroll said positioning the academy in the west would make it easier for recruits to train closer to their homes, and upgraded facilities and accommodation at Glen Waverley would increase training capacity. The premier also announced plans to fast-track applications from defence force veterans and Protective Services Officers.

“Victoria has the largest police force in the country, but we still need more police,” Police Minister Paul Edbrooke said.

The Police Association of Victoria welcomed the pledge. Union secretary Wayne Gatt said the union had long called for more police delivered to the front line more efficiently. He said locating a second academy in the west would help ease pressure on the Glen Waverley facility.

In April, the Liberal party promised to hire an extra 3,000 police officers, including a $5,000 relocation allowance for officers to move to Victoria from overseas.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The pledge directly addresses community safety concerns ahead of the November state election.
Increasing the police workforce and training capacity could reduce response times and improve retention.
The outcome will shape Victoria Police’s ability to meet growing demand for officers.

Background

The Victoria Police Academy at Glen Waverley has been the state’s only permanent training facility. A regional campus is opening in Mildura next year, and another is planned for Gippsland. The police union has campaigned for higher staffing levels, citing pressure on frontline officers. Applications have risen, but training capacity has been a bottleneck.

Key Perspectives

Labor Government (Ben Carroll, Paul Edbrooke): Argues 1,500 extra officers and a new western academy will improve community safety and streamline training by placing facilities closer to recruits’ homes.

Police Association of Victoria (Wayne Gatt): Welcomes the pledge, noting the need to deliver officers more efficiently and reduce delays between application and training.

Liberal Opposition: Has offered a competing plan for 3,000 additional officers with international relocation incentives, presenting a higher recruitment target.

What to Watch

Whether Labor’s plan gains traction with voters in Melbourne’s west, a key electoral battleground.
The timing and location of the proposed Wyndham academy, and its impact on Glen Waverley’s workload.
How the Liberal party’s alternative pledge shapes the campaign debate on law and order.

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