More police are on the beat as extra custody officers begin their new roles to maintain security at Dandenong Police Station.

Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams said the Police Custody Officers (PCOs) would proudly serve the community while also helping sworn police return to the front line.

Custody officers are also being deployed to police stations statewide including Sunshine, Ringwood, Mill Park, Geelong, Bendigo, Mildura and Wangaratta.

The new PCOs will manage prisoners in police cells, supervise offenders at the station, transport people between court and police stations, and perform administrative duties to support police.

More than 200 custody officers have joined the force after the Andrews Labor Government spent $148.6 million to deploy 400 custody officers to 22 of the state’s busiest police stations.

The rollout will be completed by December 2017.

A $596 million Public Safety Package announced in the Victorian Budget 2016/17 delivers on the Andrews Labor Government’s promise to give police the resources they need to respond to gang-related crime, gun crime, terrorist threats, and family violence.

Anyone interested in becoming a custody officer can visit the police careers website www.policecareer.vic.gov.au/PCO

Quotes attributable to Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams

“Police Custody Officers perform a critical role in keeping watch of our police station cells across Victoria.”

“Having stations under the supervision of PCOs will allow police officers to return to frontline duties, fighting crime and working to keep communities safe.