Petition Review police stations and operating hours

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council that community safety depends on timely access to police services. Many Victorians expect police stations to provide reliable access to assistance at all times, particularly during emergencies, after-hours incidents and periods of increased community risk. Where police stations are not open or staffed on a 24-hour basis, members of the public may be uncertain about where to obtain immediate assistance. The petitioners believe that greater transparency regarding police station operating hours and increased investment in frontline policing would improve public confidence, strengthen community safety and ensure policing services meet the needs of growing communities.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to review operating hours and staffing levels of police stations across Victoria, investigate which police stations are not operating on a 24-hour basis and the reasons for those operating arrangements, publicly report the operating hours of all police stations and any planned changes to service availability, increase investment in frontline policing and police infrastructure to enable more police stations to operate on a 24-hour basis where operationally justified and develop a long-term strategy to improve community access to policing services, particularly in high-growth, regional and high-demand communities, with findings to be tabled in Parliament and made publicly available.