A message from the Acting Chief Commissioner

Victoria Police is proud to serve a diverse community.

We’re also proud to be a diverse workforce, welcoming employees from all walks of life to ensure our organisation reflects the range of backgrounds and experiences we see in the Victorian community.

One element of our workforce diversity can be heard in daily interactions between our police and protective services officers and members of the public — although you might not understand what you’re listening to.

That’s because more than 100 languages are spoken by our employees, and, on any given day, those employees might be using their unique skills to help a lost tourist, provide comfort to a victim of crime, or diffuse situations where language is a barrier.

In this edition of Police Life, you’ll read about five police and protective services officers who have the ability to speak a second language and how this assists them in their job — including Leading Senior Constable Lisa Lorenz, who can communicate using Australian Sign Language (Auslan).

Also featured in this edition is an update on the important work being undertaken by our Crime Reduction Teams across Melbourne.

While the teams have been in operation for less than a year, their impact on the behaviour of serious and high-risk offenders — many of them child and youth offenders — is already being felt.

We’re also working hard to engage with Victorian youths on another notable and potentially life-changing topic — road safety.

The Victoria Police Cricket Club is using a shared love of sport to engage with teenagers about safe road behaviours and good decision-making when it comes to driving.

In 2024, an average of five people were killed each week on roads across our state, and eight people were hospitalised every day, meaning the stakes are high when getting behind the wheel of a vehicle or travelling as a passenger.

Finally, Police Life magazine has been a mainstay for many Victorians for 70 years, with each edition providing you an insight into our people and our work.

This Autumn/Winter 2025 edition will be our final printed magazine, as we transition to a new digital platform via the Victoria Police website later this year.

Rest assured, we will continue to tell the same great stories and introduce you to our dedicated police officers, just as you’ve come to expect from Police Life — only the format has changed.

You’ll now be able to access these stories on our website, our social media channels and by listening to our terrific podcast Police Life: The Experts.

More information about the evolution of Police Life can be found on page 16.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank former Chief Commissioner Shane Patton for his dedication, passion and hard work during his more than 45 years with Victoria Police, and wish him well for the future.

Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent APM