Entry requirements for police officers

Victoria Police has no tolerance for illicit or illegal drug use by an employee or applicant either in their work or private life.

All applicants will be subject to random drug testing during the recruitment process.

Code of conduct and prior behaviour

All Victoria Police employees follow a code of conduct regardless of rank, position or title. Victoria Police conducts extensive background checks on applicants during the selection process.

All applicants need to align with the code of conduct expected of our employees. That means the application process involves a thorough assessment to identify any:

• prior misconduct
• corruption
• or any form of improper conduct.

The ongoing expectation is that you understand and avoid misconduct, and immediately report it should you become aware of it in others.

This helps keep Victoria Police an ethical organisation for our employees and the community we serve.

Prior offences and Voluntary Disclosure Form (VDF)

Your previous history will be continually checked and assessed.

Failure to declare information before you submit your application may result in automatic cancellation of your application.

Check the prior history guidelines to assess if a prior offence will affect your application to Victoria Police.

Check the prior history guidelines

If you have a previous offence, we recommend that you submit a Voluntary Disclosure Form (VDF) prior to submitting your application.

Individuals 18 years of age and over are eligible to apply.

There are no education requirements to apply for Victoria Police; no specific pre-requisite subject requirements and no Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) requirement needed.

The Victoria Police Regulations 2014 stipulate that you must be an Australian Citizen or hold Australian permanent residency to join Victoria Police.

New Zealand citizens may apply, however, will need to be residing in Australia and hold a special category visa prior to commencing employment with Victoria Police.

When applying, you need to provide proof of citizenship (Australian or New Zealand) or permanent residency.

New Zealand citizens not residing in Australia at time of application will need to provide proof of special category visa prior to induction.

Australian Government security clearances

Some specialist areas in Victoria Police, such as Crime Command and Counter Terrorism Command, require employees to have an Australian Government security clearance.

To apply for an Australian Government security clearance, you must:

• be an Australian citizen, and
• have a checkable background.

Without a clearance, you may not be able to work in some specialist areas.

For more information, read Policy 12: Eligibility and suitability of personnel.

Police officers need to maintain a healthy level of cardio fitness and physical strength to meet the physical requirements of the job.

As part of the recruitment process, you will be required to undertake a fitness test.

Once employed with Victoria Police you will undertake regular fitness testing.

We recommend regular exercise to maintain your fitness for the application process and once employed.

Prepare for the fitness requirement

Victoria Police has updated the POLICE FIT app. This app is developed to assist applicants to prepare for the fitness requirement of their application. It includes strength, body weight and running workouts, all which can be customised to suit your fitness level.

Download the free POLICE FIT fitness app today and improve your chances of success.

Victoria Police fitness test video

This video details what’s involved in the Victoria Police fitness test to help applicants better prepare. Go to the POLICE FIT app page to find out more.

To apply for a police officer position you must have an Australian driver’s licence:

• Your drivers licence can be either manual or automatic.
• A probationary licence is acceptable.

You must have a current first aid certification as a police officer, both in training and in the field.

Before their induction, applicants must have obtain a Level 1 First Aid Certificate with CPR. Course code Level 1 HLTAID010 or Level 2 HLTAID011.

This certificate must be valid at the time of training and for a further 12 months after the completion of your training.

Regular renewals of the CPR component of the First Aid Certificate will be required.

Any costs associated with obtaining First Aid Certification will be incurred by the applicant.

You must meet the minimum medical requirements to safely and effectively perform the role of a police officer.

As part of your application, you will undertake a medical evaluation.

This will include:

• a self-assessment
• an examination by a GP
• a review of your hearing by an audiologist or audiometrist
• and your vision by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

You may also need to provide specialist reports depending on your medical history.

If you have any concerns about your eligibility due to a medical condition, please consult our Medical guidelines.

Police officers need to communicate clearly, effectively and professionally and negotiate confidently.

A fundamental skill of a police officer is the ability to communicate well.

Our members must both give and receive verbal information in sometimes stressful situations.

Sometimes the process identifies applicants with possible issues in this area. These applicants will then take part in an assessment of their verbal communication skills in the context of operational suitability and safety.

Verbal and written communication skills are assessed at various stages of the process.

Applicants not deemed competent may still succeed in another attempt at recruitment. Exposing themselves to situations that develop communication skills can help them advance in future.

During the selection process you will be asked to declare associations.

An inappropriate association is a link to a person or organisation with ties to unlawful activity. This association may be suspected of, or known to take part in, or have a history of, this activity.

Associations reflect on community perceptions of integrity and your ability to use authority with integrity.

They may also put you in a position where they attempt to ask you to forgo your duty or compromise you as an employee of Victoria Police.

It is important that Victoria Police are aware of any association or potential conflict of interest. This is because they may compromise you or reflect negatively on the organisation as a whole.

These associations could be:

• family
• friends
• members of recreational clubs
• or other people you associate with.

During the application you must declare any such associations.

In some cases a management plan may be put in place, in others the association should be terminated.

If you fail to disclose associate information, your application may not proceed. It may also result in a termination of employment later on.

Police work is a unique career with demands that are different to most other jobs.

To get the right people for the job we have a strict assessment process. This includes:

• an assessment of work history
• applicant performance in professional and contemporary employment settings.

We expect applicants to show a willingness to work and an ongoing drive for employment.

Assessment of work history

We conduct an assessment of work history early in the process as it is a very good predictor of success.

Later stages require applicants to relate lived experiences to answer the behavioural questions. These include:

• 1:1 psych interview
• panel interview.

Without experience gained mainly from employment, applicants are unlikely to succeed. This is why we recommend that applicants have some form of paid employment during the process.

If you are not employed when you apply, that does not mean an automatic exclusion.

If your previous work history shows strong work ethic and drive, you can still succeed. You might have finished a role and are looking for a career change, or returning from a break due to caring responsibilities.

Parents and carers

Victoria Police values diverse applicants and this includes those with experience in parenting and caring.

We understand returning to work after a period of caring responsibilities can seem daunting. However, some considerations for you application may include:

1. Work history before, during, and post caring responsibilities
2. Your caring role, what skills, attributes and knowledge you obtained during your period of caring (e.g. Organisational skills, negotiation, co-ordination and empathy)
3. Any volunteer work (e.g. Work at schools, day care, hospitals or community centres)
4. Your educational history and experience.

Applying straight after high school

To apply after high school, there is no prerequisite subject selection. However, any subjects that develop communication skills, languages and fitness are very useful.

If you're about to leave school and want to become a police officer, here are some things we look for.

The following suggestions will help younger applicants develop the life experience we expect to see in our applicants.

1. Work experience in a customer service environment (e.g. working at McDonald's). This provides exposure to different people and develops communication, teamwork and conflict resolution skills.
2. Volunteer experience (e.g. working at the local surf lifesaving club or community centre). This develops community mindedness and communication skills.
3. Sporting club experience (e.g. playing for a local sports team). This develops teamwork, communication and leadership skills and a healthy level of fitness.
4. Overseas travel (e.g. a gap year or extended trip). This shows exposure to other cultures, religions, languages and fosters independence and assertiveness.

If you want to apply, we recommend that you seek customer service work while going through the recruitment process.