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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website contains the names and images of people who have passed
229
Aboriginal recruitment
That all Police Services pursue an active policy of recruiting Aboriginal people into their services, in particular recruiting Aboriginal women. Where possible Aboriginal recruits should be taken in groups.
Aboriginal Justice Caucus Assessment
The intent of Recommendation 229 was to increase recruitment of Aboriginal people into police services, particularly women.
Actions taken by Victoria Police align with the intent of the recommendation, however there could be greater effort to recruit Aboriginal women into the police force, and to recruit Aboriginal people in groups.
The increasing number of Aboriginal people employed by Victoria Police suggests that actions taken have contributed to this outcome, however Aboriginal people remain under-represented in the Victoria Police workforce, accounting for around 0.7% of all staff compared with 1% of the Victorian population.
Full implementation of this recommendation would see more Aboriginal people employed across all areas of Victoria Police which could positively impact efforts to build relationships and trust with Aboriginal communities, reduce incarceration and increase safety in custody.
Priority for Further Work:
High
Relevance and potential impact | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low (0-2) | Moderate (3-4) | High (5-6) | |||
Extent of action taken and evidence of outcomes | High (5-6) | ||||
Moderate (3-4) | |||||
Low (0-2) | |||||
Potential Actions for Further Work
Address systemic racism across Victoria Police to reduce barriers to recruitment and retention of Aboriginal people.
Implement relevant actions from the Chief Commissioner’s Statement of Commitment:
- Increase the number of Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer positions across the state.
- Review and strengthen Aboriginal applicant attraction strategies including:
- Establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentoring program, and
- Actively engage with review and relaunch of Barring Djinang VPS Aboriginal employment and development strategy and (subject to funding/resources being provided) commit to all relevant quantitative and qualitative targets.
- Expand the diversity recruitment program with a focus on Aboriginal people.
- Ensure actions relating to Aboriginal employee life cycle (attraction, recruitment, development, mentoring, promotion, exit) have clearly identifiable criteria for success subject to regular monitoring and reporting.
- Implement self-determination reform through supporting the Aboriginal Employee Network and Network Council in their role in guiding how Victoria Police applies a self-determination reform framework.
- Ensure Aboriginal employees are proactively engaged and afforded opportunity to participate in exit interview process when leaving any workgroup within Victoria Police or leaving Victoria Police.
- Conduct an ongoing annual forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.
- Conduct an ongoing annual forum for the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer network.
- Conduct an ongoing annual forum for the Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer network.
Background
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) stressed the importance of recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into police services, and for police services in any community to be reflective of the composition of the community.
Actions Taken Since Last Review
Victoria Police
Victoria Police assessed this recommendation as partially implemented in 2023, noting the activities listed below are currently undertaken to proactively engage the Victorian Aboriginal community to enhance employment opportunities. However, these programs do not specifically focus on recruitment of Aboriginal women.
Victoria Police Aboriginal Employee Network Council
The Aboriginal Employee Network (AEN) was established in 2018 to provide a supportive and consultative forum to raise workplace cultural issues, provide input into workplace policy and develop mechanisms for advocating to senior leadership. The Executive Sponsor for the AEN is Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson. The Network exists to provide a safe and supportive environment for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees as a platform for sharing ideas, discussing issues and seeking advice. This includes speaking to members of the network about cultural support, professional development and training, engaging a mentor or mentee, organisational advocacy, and other matters of concern for Aboriginal employees.
School-Based Traineeship Program
The School-Based Traineeship Program for Aboriginal and new emerging communities was first funded in 2018 by Jobs Victoria to provide work placement opportunities for students completing years 10-12 at high school. Aboriginal students interested in pursuing a career with government departments, including Victoria Police, are eligible to apply to join the Program.
Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program
In 2022, the Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment Program eligibility expanded to participants who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The first seven participants of the Victoria Police Aboriginal Diversity Recruitment Program graduated in February 2023. The program is delivered in partnership with Victoria University and Jesuit Social Services, with support from various other external providers, and supports applicants to prepare for and navigate the recruitment process to become police officers, PSOs or Police Custody Officers. The program itself commenced in 2018 and has expanded to become a 15-week accredited course. The course is designed to build skills including exam preparation, fitness, swimming and First Aid. All participants are matched with a Victoria Police mentor, attend a tour of the Victoria Police Academy, and attend presentations from guest speakers throughout the course. An entry round for Aboriginal participants was planned for August 2023.
Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer Program Uplift
In 2022, Priority and Safer Communities Division (PSCD) commenced a review of the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) role to define how the position has evolved since its inception at a VPSG-3.1 level. In December 2022, Workplace Relations Division (WRD) within the Human Resources Command engaged an external consultant to undertake an independent review, including consultations with ACLOs, local police management, and representatives from the community nominated by the ACLOs. In April 2023, the Workplace Relations Division determined that the work value of the ACLO role meets the descriptors at the VPSG-4.1 level.
Aboriginal Yarning Circles
Victorian Police engage with Aboriginal communities via Aboriginal Yarning Circles to engage members of Aboriginal communities across metro and regional Victoria.
Employment Programs
Victoria Police participate in several State Government employment programs, which create employment pathways in the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) for Aboriginal applicants. Some of these programs include GRADS - Graduate Program (post-tertiary degree), Youth Cadet Scheme, Youth Employment Scheme, and Career Trackers. Victoria Police also conduct one-on-one ‘meet and greets’ with Aboriginal applicants during the recruitment process for both police and VPS roles.
Victoria Police Aboriginal Inclusion and Action Plan 2023-2025
In June 2023, Victoria Police launched the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Action Plan 2023-2025. The Action Plan is part of the Victoria Police Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Framework 2023–2030. The Action Plan contains an action to review and strengthen current Aboriginal applicant attraction strategies. This will be accomplished through removing social barriers experienced by Aboriginal people aspiring to obtain employment with Victoria Police.
Impact
Outputs
Victoria Police Aboriginal Employment Network, School-Based Traineeship, Victoria Police Diversity Recruitment and Employment Programs described above.
Designated Positions
Victoria Police has 22 designated positions that positions must be occupied by an Aboriginal person. These include:
- 16 Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers (ACLOs)
- 2 in Capability within the Aboriginal Portfolio in Priority and Safer Communities Division (PSCD)
- 1 in Gender Equality and Inclusion Command
- 1 in People Development Command
- 1 in Family Violence Command
- 1 in Human Resources Command
Aboriginal recruitment and employment are overseen by a designated position within the Talent and Attraction team, being the Program Manager – Aboriginal Recruitment and Employment. In March 2023, Victoria Police announced funding had been approved for a Bendigo ACLO position. Additional designated positions which had just been approved in 2023 at the time Victoria Police provided this response:
- VPS5 Aboriginal Programs Coordinator located at PSCD
- VPS4 ACLO position located at Professional Standards Command
- VPS4 ACLO position in North West Metropolitan Region located at Richmond Police Station.
Outcomes
Aboriginal people employed by Victoria Police
Over time the number of Aboriginal people employed by Victoria Police increased to 148 in 2023-24 but the proportion of Aboriginal employees (as a percentage of all employees) has only slightly increased over the past five years to 0.7%.
Community Views
Sergeant Melissa Peters
This yarn with Sergeant Melissa Peters, a proud Yorta Yorta, Ngurai Illum Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wamba Wamba and Wadi Wadi woman was first published in Victoria Police Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Inclusion Action Plan 2023-25 and is available here
Melissa graduated from the Victoria Police Academy in 1998 and was the Sergeant in charge of the Proactive Policing Unit at Western Region, Division 3, at the time of this interview.
Why did you join Victoria Police?
I always wanted to be a police officer to help people. Growing up in the western suburbs in a single parent household opened my eyes to life’s struggles, as well as built my empathy and desire to help people.
I feel as police members we can assist in changing negative attitudes and promoting social inclusion for all.
Tell us about your career
Throughout my career I have had different roles that draw on my life experiences as a First Nations woman with mixed heritage.
My training station was Melton, where I had great mentors and learnt a lot about general duties policing. I attended many traumatic events from road fatalities to family violence incidents.
My outlet from the trauma and stress of the job was sport and my Aboriginal community, to which I am strongly connected to.
I have had many other roles including at Laverton Police Station where I took an active role in my local Aboriginal community as part of the Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee and Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Group. I was able to advocate for our community for better justice outcomes.
After working in metropolitan locations, we moved our family to regional Victoria where I accepted a role as a community engagement officer.
I have learnt so much about our diverse communities, but the common fact is that we are all more similar than different. Everyone wants to feel safe and included in community.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I love connecting to community in all its forms. We are a vibrant and diverse community and need to celebrate this.
What progress have you seen over your career with Aboriginal inclusion?
Over the years I have seen the introduction of specific roles such as Police Aboriginal Liaison Officer (PALO), Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) and Aboriginal Community Justice Panel volunteers (ACJP). All these roles aim to reduce the over representation of Aboriginal people within our justice system.
Victoria Police has a focus on building Aboriginal employee inclusion, with the Aboriginal Inclusion Action Plan and Aboriginal Employee Network.
I have been honoured to participate in the permanent flying of the Aboriginal flag at Victoria Police buildings and contribute to the development of a mandatory e-Learning module about understanding family violence in the Aboriginal community.
What barriers are remaining for Aboriginal employees?
Many Aboriginal employees work in areas with no other Aboriginal employees; this can be quite isolating.
As community members we don’t have the luxury of finishing when our shift ends, there’s an expectation that we will support our community 24/7. This can be very tiring and having another Aboriginal member to support each other helps as we understand the cultural load.
Unfortunately, racism and outdated views of our community still exist. Aboriginal cultural safety is a concern to our employees.
What are your hopes for the future?
Victoria Police should continue their path of inclusion for all; we still have a long way to go.
What advice would you pass on?
My advice to all police officers is to be creative in the ways we can help. By saying “you are worth it”, “I believe you”, “I will help you”, can be the catalyst for change in someone’s life.