Police at Broadmeadows and Mill Park will be freed up to return to frontline duties after more than 36 Police Custody Officers were deployed to the stations.
Twenty-one Police Custody Officers (PCOS) are now working at Broadmeadows station, with 15 based at Mill Park.
They are responsible for searching people coming into the cells; looking after their welfare by organising medical treatment, meals and visitation; and supervising them when attending court.
There are now 400 Police Custody Officers, including 50 supervising PCOs, working at 22 of the busiest police stations across the state.
The latest recruits graduated from the Victoria Police Academy on February 2.
Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam said custody officers provided a vital service to Victoria Police.
“PCOs have now been managing people in police custody for two years. In this time, we have seen great improvements in the quality, professionalism and consistency of custody management,” she said.
“PCOs have reduced police shifts dedicated to custody by just over 90 per cent – the equivalent of more than 90,000 shifts or hundreds of thousands of hours of police work.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville said new police officers would also be deployed across Whittlesea in the coming months.
