Victoria’s top cop has unveiled a plan to overhaul the structure of the police force in an effort to rein in the state’s crime crisis.
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush says a five-point proposal would see admin staff complete paperwork rather than have members spend four to six hours of their shift at their desks.
Under the first restructure in a decade, sworn members will no longer be manning the watchhouse and reception counters.
Instead, non-operational staff will be employed to face the public, which could save 1.4 million personnel hours over a year.
A new 24/7 command centre will also be established to help police respond to crime faster as youth and organised crime runs rampant.
The restructure will also see jobs on the line with cuts proposed from the top ranks.
“We need to police differently, we need a reset,” Bush said.
The changes will come into effect immediately and will be subject to a review.
Bush said the force aimed to reduce serious offending by five per cent every year for the next five years.
