Ron Iddles says Victorian police shortage is forcing officers to play ‘Russian Roulette’ with lives

Ron Iddles says the police shortage in Victoria has hit crisis point and it’s forcing senior members to play ‘Russian Roulette’ with lives.

The Secretary of the Police Association told Neil Mitchell ‘at least’ 10 per cent of all top priority calls weren’t being responded to quickly enough because of the shortage.

He said senior police were being forced to ‘choose’ which jobs were more important.

‘The sergeant gets the call and might have five jobs which he needs to send units to,’ Mr Iddles explained on 3AW Mornings.

‘One might be an armed robbery, one might be a carjacking, one might be family violence, one might be an accident – he has to make a decision which job to attend.

‘He’s playing Russian Roulette with people’s lives.

‘It will eventually end up in disaster because they’ll pick the wrong call.

‘Our members shouldn’t be put in that position.’

Click PLAY below to see what Ron Iddles had to say in studio

Mr Iddles called on the Victorian Government to fast-track the 406 new officers promised in the last budget.

‘Some people will say this is the Police Association grandstanding, this is Ron Iddles grandstanding – it is not,’ he said.

‘This is the middle management of Victoria Police saying we are at crisis.

‘All we’re doing at the moment is shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.’

Click PLAY below to hear more from Ron Iddles on 3AW