Right: Protective Service Officers, or PSOs, guard many of Melbourne's public buildings and places, including courts and Parliament House itself. Now, the Victorian government plans to use PSOs to guard suburban railway stations..
Background information
(The following information was taken from Victoria Police's Internet site. It can be accessed at http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=123)
The Protective Services Division (PSD) is Victoria Police's specialist provider of security services. The Division is located within the State Emergencies and Security Department of Victoria Police.
The PSD was established following a 1986 security review and formally commenced operations on 1 May, 1988. A member of the Protective Services Division is known as a Protective Services Officer (PSO).
Protective Services Officers are not empowered with the same powers of arrest as police. PSOs have specific powers and authorities under various Acts of Parliament that cover most of the areas where they are deployed.
In addition to the Legislated and Common Law 'citizens arrest' authorities, PSOs are authorised to issue penalty notices for parking offences if they take place in an area of their responsibility.
Although PSOs are not 'sworn' members of Victoria Police, they are bound by the Victoria Police's Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct and subject to the same disciplinary system as sworn members of the Police.
PSOs are currently deployed in the following areas:
Melbourne's Supreme Court, County Court, Magistrates' Court and Children's Court
Suburban Magistrates Courts at Dandenong, Frankston, Ringwood, Heidelberg, Broadmeadows and Sunshine
Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
24-hour deployments
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Southern Cross building (Department of Justice)
Parliament House Victoria
The Shrine of Remembrance
Victoria Police Centre
Victoria Police St Kilda Road Complex.
Recruits undergo eight weeks of training at the Victoria Police Academy, Glen Waverley, before being sworn-in as PSOs.
It is not compulsory to live-in at the Academy during training; however recruits residing within the Academy during their training period will be required to pay an establishment fee including meals and accommodation.
Recruits who live-in during training and have a dependant spouse may be eligible for an allowance. Under these circumstances the spouse must not be earning more than a certain amount per week. This is detailed and assessed once you are accepted for recruit training.
Academy training hours are usually day shift Monday to Friday, but may vary to include evening and weekend work.
The syllabus covers elements of the Victoria Police constable's course, as well as PSO specific subjects such as Court Security, and Standing Operating Procedures for specific work locations. Over the term of the training course, recruits must qualify in defensive tactics and firearms instruction to police recruit standards.
Upon graduation from the Victoria Police Academy, PSOs undertake 12 months probation. Following the initial training at the Victoria Police Academy, over the next fifty-two weeks, appointees are required to fulfil a number of workplace competencies as part of their 12 month probation.
PSOs have several further training and development opportunities available to them. They can undertake further courses, including personal development and computer related subjects.