Victoria Police

Victoria Police
Patch of the Victoria Police
Logo of the Victoria Police
Flag of the Victoria Police
Motto	Uphold the Right Originally written in French as "Tenez le Droit"
Agency overview
Formed	8 January, 1853
Employees	18,146 (30 June 2016)
Annual budget	A$2.51 billion (2015–16)
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	State of Victoria, Australia
Victoria Police jurisdiction
Governing body	Government of Victoria
Constituting instrument	Victoria Police Act 2013
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian police
Operational structure
Overviewed by	Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) (Formerly Office of Police Integrity)
Headquarters	Victoria Police Centre 637 Flinders Street, Docklands, VIC 3008 GPO Box 913 37°49′08″S 144°57′45″E / 37.8189°S 144.9624°E / -37.8189; 144.9624Coordinates: 37°49′08″S 144°57′45″E / 37.8189°S 144.9624°E / -37.8189; 144.9624
Sworn members	14,948 (June 2016)
Minister responsible	Lisa Neville, Minister for Police
Agency executive	Graham Ashton, Chief Commissioner
Units	List Air Wing Arson & Explosives Squad The Botany Branch Crime Scene Officers Central Property Management Unit Criminal Investigation Unit Critical Incident Response Team The Criminal Proceeds Squad Divisional Intelligence Unit Detectives Dog Squad Drug Task Force Forensic Services Department General Duties Highway Patrol Highway Patrol Solo Homicide Squad Licensing Services Branch Media Unit Mounted Branch Prosecutions Operations Response Unit Organised Motor Vehicle Theft Squad Physical training unit Proactive Media Unit Public Order Response Team Regional Response Unit Regions and Transit Safety Unit Search and Rescue Squad Sexual Offences & Child Abuse Unit Vehicle Impound Unit Special Operations Group Psychology Unit Traffic Management Unit Water Police
Regions	Western, Eastern, North West Metro, Southern Metro
Facilities
Stations	329
Website
police.vic.gov.au vicpolicenews.com.au
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

police.vic.gov.au

Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. It was formed in 1853 and operates under Victoria Police Act 2013.

As of 30 June 2016^[update], Victoria Police has over 18,146 sworn members, along with 109 recruits in training, 2 reservists, 1,355 protective services officers and 3,198 civilian staff across 329 police stations. It has a running cost of some A$2.51bn.

Victoria Police enjoys one of the highest community confidence in the world, with more than 86.1% of Victorian residents feeling confident to contact the police. The general satisfaction is also high, with more than 76.9% of the Victorian residents satisfied with policing services in general.

Victoria Police Mission Statement: The Victoria Police mission is to provide a safe, secure and orderly society by serving the community and the law.

The early settlers of Melbourne provided their own Police force and in 1840 there were 12 constables who were paid two shillings and nine pence per day and the chief constable was Mr. W (Tulip) Wright. Charles Brodie followed Wright as chief constable in 1842 and was succeeded by W. J. Sugden who held the positions of 'town chief constable' and superintendent of the local fire brigade. By 1847 there were Police in 'country centres' and the Melbourne force was composed of 'one chief officer, four sergeants, and 20 petty constables'. There was also 'a force of 28 mounted natives' enlisted and trained by DeVilliers and, later, Captain Pulteney Dana.

The Snodgrass Committee was established in early 1852 to "identify the policing needs of the colony" and, following the Committee's report in September 1852, the Victoria Police was formally established on 8 January 1853 from an existing colonial police force of 875 men. Later that month William Henry Fancourt Mitchell was 'gazetted as Chief Commissioner of Police for the Colony of Victoria'.

The Port Phillip Native Police Corps was established in Victoria in 1842 and employed aboriginal trackers to carry out duties which included searching for missing persons, carrying messages, and escorting dignitaries through unfamiliar territory.