Our operating environment

Victoria Police operates in a constantly changing environment. Shifts over the next one to two years will influence Victoria Police’s policies and response.

These include:

  • increased risk of more frequent and severe concurrent emergencies, such as bushfires and floods, driven by climate change
  • decriminalisation of public drunkenness to move to a new health-based response model resulting in reduced police involvement
  • increased cost of living driven by global and local events
  • large increases in outer suburban populations will change patterns of demand on police services.

Victoria Police will continue to work with partner agencies and communities to address key themes such as:

  • the increase in youth offending
  • emerging technologies and the ways they enable criminal activity
  • the impact of mental health on offending and victimisation
  • and demand for police services across the state, particularly in country Victoria.

Our objectives and performance

Our mission is to keep the community safe: in their home, on the roads and public transport, online, and in public day and night.

Our performance indicators are:

  • community safety during the day and at night
  • community safety on public transport
  • crime statistics
  • number of road fatalities
  • number of road injuries.

Victoria Police monitors and reports on performance in line with government requirements, including the Victorian Government Budget Papers. This includes a detailed annual report and internal governance mechanisms.

Our progress regarding specific initiatives is monitored by, but not limited to:

  • Minister for Police
  • Implementation Monitor for Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants
  • Victims of Crime Commissioner
  • Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner.

Our finances

Victoria Police has a budget of $4.13 billion in 2023-24.

We use this budget to deliver policing services to the community when and where it matters and to improve our capability and capacity to respond to changing demands.

Approved Expenditure Review Committee (state budget) funded asset investment programs and targets over the next four financial years are published in the 2023-24 State Budget Paper 4.

Our organisational risks

Victoria Police manages organisational risks in line with the Victorian Government’s Risk Management Framework, which assists us in the integration of risk management into our activities, functions, and decision-making processes.

Our commitment is to manage risk proficiently and in a manner that improves performance; encourages innovation; and supports the achievement of the organisation’s vision, service delivery and community safety performance objectives.

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