A policy expanding Protective Services Officers' powers and deploying them in shopping centres over the Christmas period — introduced after several high-profile incidents — has been condemned by legal advocates as "insulting and disingenuous".
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, PSOs will patrol suburban shopping centres across Melbourne to deter anti-social behaviour. Alongside police not rostered on regular shifts, they will operate at 10 centres for an initial 90-day trial, with the option to make the program permanent.
The plan requires changes to Victoria Police regulations to classify shopping centres as a "designated area," enabling PSOs to carry firearms, conduct searches based on reasonable suspicion and make arrests. They will work alongside police, mirroring the integrated public transport model introduced by the Andrews Government in 2018.
.jpg)
But community and Indigenous legal organisations say the expansion has caused "distress," arguing they were blindsided and not consulted. In a joint statement, the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, the Federation of Community Legal Centres, Youthlaw and Inner Melbourne Community Legal said PSOs create unsafe conditions for vulnerable communities, including Aboriginal people and those experiencing social disadvantage.
"Authorising powers to search children who have cognitive impairments without a parent or support person present is extremely invasive, contrary to children's rights and will cause trauma and harm," VALS chief executive Nerita Waight said.
She said VALS is "gravely concerned" about the widening scope of PSOs' duties in recent years, particularly their movement beyond transport settings without additional training.
"We are strongly opposed to putting PSOs in shopping centres with arrest powers and handguns, especially since there have been significant issues with PSOs overstepping and using unwarranted brutality," Ms Waight said.
The government say the program was designed by Victoria Police, which makes its own operational decisions, and that it fully supports Police Commissioner Mike Bush's push for expanded police powers.
"PSOs are a crime-reduction tool, but right now they're hamstrung by the past and glued to their seat, even if crime is occurring down the street," Police Minister Anthony Carbines said. "As a result, police can't properly respond to changes in criminal activity.
"We need to put more local police where the problems are. Now, they won't just be on platforms. They'll also be riding the trains and patrolling interchanges, and shopping areas - protecting people from morning to night."
A post shared by VALS (@vicaboriginallegalservice)
National Indigenous Times reported on Monday that FOI data showed Aboriginal people were 15 times more likely to be searched by Victoria Police than Caucasian people — data experts say reflects "systematic racial profiling".
Ms Waight said granting PSOs arrest powers raises further concern, noting "significant issues with PSOs overstepping and using unwarranted brutality".
"This ramming through of legislation to try and appease the voting public is insulting and disingenuous," she said. "This is not leadership, this is not about community safety, this is about power and control. We should all be concerned about this government's approach."
Louisa Gibbs, CEO of the Federation of Community Legal Centres, called the decision "another example of kneejerk public policy that goes against the evidence base and the voices and advice of those who it will affect".
"Protection safety officers lack the training needed to identify appropriate responses, and to de-escalate situations. Giving them police powers isn't just wrong — it's dangerous," she said.
Legal groups highlight the stark training gap: while police undergo more than two years of training, PSOs receive less than three months.
"After just 12 weeks of training, this bill is proposing that PSOs will be in our communities and armed with weapons such as firearms, tasers and OC spray," they said.
The announcement follows recent violence, including a machete brawl between youth gangs at Northland Shopping Centre in Preston in May.
"We, like everyone, are very disturbed by the level of violence and dishonesty in our shopping centres, and a more visible police presence will do a lot to prevent harm and crime in those areas," Chief Commissioner Bush said earlier this month.
A shift in PSO deployment will see 32 train stations staffed around the clock and another 72 stations staffed from 6 pm until the last train.
"We need to deploy them more intelligently, depending on demand," Chief Commissioner Bush said.
However, legal organisations maintain that expanding PSO powers — particularly in public spaces — is "certainly not the answer to creating a safer environment". They argue genuine community safety depends on long-term investment in social supports, not legislation that overlooks root causes of offending, such as poverty.
They are calling on the government to consult affected communities and drop the bill, instead funding evidence-based measures, including early intervention, housing, mental health support and cost-of-living relief.
Nadia Morales, CEO of Inner Melbourne Community Legal's Police Accountability Project, said PSOs have "all the weapons" carried by police but only "a tenth of the training".
"We know police themselves regularly misuse OC spray and tasers; the expansion of PSOs to more areas only risks more harm to the community," she argued.
"Communities need more services that support and care for people struggling with the cost of living and housing crisis. PSOs in shopping centres is a misdirection from the real problems Victorians face."
