Victoria Police will temporarily reduce reception counter hours at several stations across the state, ensuring as many police as possible are diverted to the frontline.
Reception counter hours will be reduced during off peak times at 43 police stations across Victoria – predominantly at night when counters are rarely attended by the public.
When a station reception counter is closed, police will always be patrolling the local community and in many cases, still working from within the station.
As a result of these changes, officers formerly rostered on reception shifts will instead be used for frontline policing duties, such as community patrols.
This gives police the best opportunity to respond to urgent incidents, prevent crime before it can occur, and engage with large sections of the community.
This also provides important rostering flexibility at a time when Victoria Police is currently managing a significant number of officer vacancies due to attrition.
Similar changes to reception counters were implemented during the pandemic, with no adverse impact on the Victorian community.
It is expected 23 police stations will reduce reception counter hours towards the end of November. Further scheduling work is underway and once this is confirmed, the community will be notified around the exact dates that changes will occur.
A further 20 stations are also earmarked for reduced counter hours in the coming months.
The vast majority of impacted stations will retain reception counter coverage for either 16 or 8 hours per day, while most impacted stations are within 10km of the nearest 24-hour reception counter.
Signage will be clearly displayed on any police stations affected by counter reductions – re-directing the public to their nearest open reception counter, while the Victoria Police website will also reflect amended station counter open hours.
In an emergency, the community is always directed to call Triple Zero (000) for emergencies or the Police Assistance Line for non-urgent reports.
Updated reception counter hours will remain in place at each of the 43 stations while Victoria Police continues to recruit to fill current vacancies.
Victoria Police is starting to make inroads in this regard, with all recruits entering the academy since mid-August going towards filling the current attrition vacancies.
The first double squad since May 2021 will graduate from the Academy in early November 2023.
From that point onwards, the Academy will be at full capacity for the foreseeable future, with 48 new constables graduating each fortnight.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations, Neil Paterson
“Make no mistake – Victoria Police is not closing any police stations.
“Reception counter hour reductions will occur predominantly during the evening or overnight when we know they are rarely attended.
“Even when reception counters are unstaffed, police continue to patrol the local community and often, still work within the station.
“Every Australian policing jurisdiction is currently experiencing resourcing challenges and police counter reductions are also occurring in other states.
“When given the choice, police know crime is most effectively deterred and detected via highly visible patrols in the community, rather than from behind a scarcely attended reception counter.
“The vast majority of people attending police stations do so during the day, most regularly to have statutory declarations signed or documents certified.
“Redirecting officers towards frontline policing duties will increase the likelihood of crime being prevented, offenders being arrested, and the community remaining safe.”
Stations that will introduce reduced counter hours – phase one
| Station | Current classification | Revised classification | Nearest 24-hour stations |
| Wyndham North | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Werribee Police Station – 6km Altona North Police Station – 14km |
| Avondale Heights | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Moonee Ponds Police Station – 7km Sunshine Police Station – 8km |
| South Melbourne | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Melbourne West Police Station – 2.7 km Melbourne East Police Station – 3.6 km St Kilda Police Station – 5.4 km |
| Malvern | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Prahran Police Station – 3.2km Caulfield Police Station – 3.2km |
| Bayside | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Moorabbin Police Station – 5 km |
| Chelsea | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Frankston Police Station – 10km Dandenong Police Station – 15km |
| Cheltenham | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Moorabbin Police Station – 4km |
| Mordialloc | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Moorabbin Police Station – 9km Dandenong Police Station – 14km |
| Endeavour Hills | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day** | Dandenong Police Station – 6km Glen Waverley Police Station – 13km |
| Springvale | 24 hour | All-hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Glen Waverley Police Station – 6km Dandenong Police Station – 8km |
| Carrum Downs | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Frankston Police Station – 6km Cranbourne Police Station – 11.5km |
| Hastings | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Frankston Police Station – 24km Rosebud Police Station – 36km |
| Mornington | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours (Sun-Wed); 24 hours (Thu-Sat) | Frankston Police Station – 14km Rosebud Police Station – 26km |
| Camberwell | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Boroondara Police Station – 5km Box Hill Police Station – 8km |
| Clayton | Non-24 hour | No reception service | Glen Waverley Police Station – 6km Moorabbin Police Station – 11km |
| Mount Waverley | Non-24 hour | No reception service | Glen Waverley Police Station – 5km Knox Police Station – 12km |
| Forest Hill | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Box Hill Police Station – 7km Knox Police Station – 7.5km |
| Lakes Entrance | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Bairnsdale Police Station- 36km Sale Police Station – 106km |
| Colac | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Geelong Police Station – 80km Corio Police Station – 88km |
| Hamilton | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Warrnambool Police Station – 97km |
| Portland | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Warrnambool Police Station – 100km |
| Bacchus Marsh | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Melton Police Station – 15.6km Sunbury Police Station – 38km |
| Stawell | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Horsham Police Station – 67km Ballarat Police Station – 123km |
^For non-24-hour stations, policing resources from a neighbouring station are responsible for that area when officers are not rostered on.
Stations that will introduce reduced counter hours – phase two
| Station | Current classification | Revised classification | Nearest 24-hour stations |
| Southbank | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Melbourne West Police Station – 2km Melbourne East Police Station – 3km Richmond Police Station – 5km |
| Collingwood | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Richmond Police Station – 2km Melbourne East Police Station – 3.4km |
| Fitzroy | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Melbourne East Police Station – 2km Melbourne North Police Station – 3.4km Richmond Police Station – 3.6km |
| Williamstown | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Footscray Police Station – 7.5km Altona Police Station – 10km |
| Keilor Downs | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Sunshine Police Station – 7km Broadmeadows Police Station – 16km |
| Sunbury | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Gisborne Police Station – 19km Melton Police Station – 25km |
| Flemington | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Moonee Ponds Police Station – 2.6km Melbourne North Police Station – 3.2km |
| Brunswick | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day (Sun-Wed); 24 hours per day (Thu-Sat) | Moonee Ponds Police Station – 4.1km Melbourne North Police Station – 4.7km |
| Greensborough | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Heidelberg Police Station – 7.1km Mill Park Police Station – 7.7km |
| Northcote | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Preston Police Station – 4km Boroondara Police Station – 7km |
| Reservoir | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Preston Police Station – 7km Broadmeadows Police Station – 8km |
| Eltham | All hour response | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Doncaster Police Station – 11.7km Heidelberg Police Station – 12km |
| Epping | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 8 hours per day | Mill Park Police Station – 6km Mernda Police Station – 12km |
| Oakleigh | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Caulfield Police Station – 7.3km Moorabbin Police Station – 8.6km |
| Boronia | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Knox Police Station – 6km Ringwood Police Station – 8.6km |
| Moe | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Morwell Police Station – 14.5km Traralgon Police Station – 29km |
| Ararat | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Ballarat Police Station – 94km |
| Castlemaine | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Bendigo Police Station – 36km Ballarat Police Station – 80km |
| Maryborough | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Ballarat Police Station – 66km Bendigo Police Station – 68km |
| Kyneton | 24 hour | All hour response Reception 16 hours per day | Melton Police Station – 59km Bendigo Police Station – 65km |
