More than 1200 aspiring police are expected as Victoria Police hosts its biggest careers event in more than a decade.
The Victoria Police Careers Expo – to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this Saturday 18 March – will allow potential recruits to learn more about the opportunities working in policing can provide.
It comes as Victoria Police embarks on a major recruitment drive, with an extra 502 police to be added to the force’s ranks over two years.
More than 100 police from general and specialist units will be on hand at the expo to answer any questions attendees have about a career with the force.
They will include members of Victoria Police’s Road Policing Command who will have a booze bus and highway patrol vehicles on site.
The Water Police Squad will also be there with one of their boats as well as crime detectives, the Public Order Response Team, Critical Incident Response Team and police who work in country areas.
A rotating panel of experts including assistant commissioners Glenn Weir and Luke Cornelius will take part in four question and answer sessions talking about their experiences and what working as a police officer is like.
The panels will also include Inspector Ilsa Wakeling – a champion softballer outside of Victoria Police – and Crime Commander Paul O’Halloran.
Medical experts, fitness trainers and staff from the Victoria Police academy will field any questions one-on-one.
Attendees will be able to apply on the day.
The expo, to run from 10am-6pm, follows a smaller-scale event at Kensington in January which attracted hundreds of would-be police.
Victoria Police recently recorded its highest number of weekly applicants in five years, while 33,000 people who’d previously expressed interest in pursuing a career in policing have now been contacted.
They include potential recruits who previously applied to join Victoria Police but missed out or who registered for a careers information session.
Those who signed up to learn about the police fitness test will also be contacted.
For further information about the upcoming expo go to police.vic.gov.au/victoria-police-careers-expo.
The event is free but attendees are asked to register on the website.
Quotes attributable to Inspector Ashley Wigg, Victoria Police Recruitment Division:
“If you’ve ever thought about a career in policing there’s never been a better time to apply.
“This event is all about giving potential recruits an up-close look at the amazing opportunities a career in policing can provide.
“Our road policing members and other specialist police including our tactical units and water police will all be there as well as detectives and officers who work in regional Victoria.
“We will also have experts to talk people through the recruitment and training process.
“There has been a real spike in applications over recent weeks as we ramp up our recruitment campaign and there’s already been strong interest in this event.
“We look forward to meeting the future police of Victoria there.”
