Police union urges Victoria to act to stop interstate police poaching

Victoria’s police union has demanded the Andrews government act to stop Queensland poaching members from our force.

The Queensland Police Service is offering up to $20,000 to lure interstate officers to the state, in a bid to increase the size of the service by 1450 officers by 2025.

Under a $90m package prospective officers in Queensland could also have up to $20,000 wiped from their HECS debt.

Victorian police association boss Wayne Gatt has told the Herald Sun the Andrews government must act to ensure Victoria’s already struggling service is not impacted by the compelling offer to get police officers to move jurisdictions.

New South Wales recently stopped charging police recruits for training and is incentivising regional deployment  and Mr Gatt is urging Victoria to do the same, given the state has about 800 police vacancies.

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