Police members in country and rural areas enjoy a rich and varied working life and many benefits.
Those who choose country policing placements often develop a lifelong love of the country lifestyle.
Country and regional policing life
Life in a regional position is a fantastic life experience. It also provides a strong foundation for your future policing career.
This career journey offers many lifestyle benefits, including work-life balance, community connection and a lower cost of living.
Wherever you choose to work, it will be against the backdrop of Victoria’s most picturesque landscapes, from the bush to the snow-covered alpines, and everything in between.
Benefits of country and regional policing
Country policing skills are highly regarded as part of the transfer and promotion process within Victoria Police. Not only that, country policing also offers:
- opportunities for professional development through role upgrading, temporary transfers, and location-based training (e.g. alpine training, 4X4 driving courses)
- reduced living costs, with potential savings in transport, housing, and utilities
- a deep sense of work/life balance
- great camaraderie with colleagues
- warm connections with your community
- flexible rostering in many locations
- support in relocation.
Bonus financial benefits, tax breaks and allowances
Choosing to work at a country location often entitles you to extra tax breaks and monetary benefits, including remote area salary packaging and relocation costs.
Learn more about police officer salary, leave, benefits and hours for regional and country areas.
Senior Constable Hayley McDonald
Hayley shares how working in the Proactive Policing Unit allows her to work with the youth in her community in early intervention strategies.
Constable Tom Horsten
Tom shares how his various past job experiences helped in his transition to operational work as a police officer.
Senior Constable Amy Starzer
Working in regional Victoria allows Amy to develop new skills specific to the country region, such as conducting searches in the bushland.
Leading Senior Constable Leigh Johnson
Leigh is excited about moving home to Shepparton and the opportunity to transfer into country policing.
Constable Grace Rounds
Grace loves being part of the country community she works in.
How recruit employee placements work
Beginning your police career in a regional community offers you a variety in choice of location.
The process is simple.
- Prior to starting your 31 weeks of training at the Victoria Police Academy, you can preference your preferred work location from a list of selected regional police stations.
- After completing training, you may be placed in that chosen special category location.
- You then must complete two years of service at this location.
- After that two-year period, you can transfer to another position or express interest in a general duties position.
- This exempts you from a ballot transfer process.
- This placement and time-in-position form a condition of your employment with Victoria Police.
- After completing your time-in-position at the location you can choose to stay on.
Recruit employee placement locations
Country locations you may be able to choose to work from include:
- Ararat
- Bairnsdale
- Hamilton
- Horsham
- Kerang
- Nhill
- Mildura
- Portland
- Robinvale
- Shepparton
- Stawell
- St Arnaud
- Swan Hill
- Warracknabeal
Getting started
Think country policing is for you?
Make sure you are ready and capable to be a police officer by taking our interactive 12 question quiz.
You can also attend one of our regional information sessions for police roles.
Already started your application?
Continue your police officer application by logging in to our careers portal.
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