Exams and psych tests to join an Australian police force will be relaxed in a dramatic measure to bolster frontline officers and fast-track recruitment.
Victoria Police announced an array of changes on Tuesday, as it battles low morale and seeks to fill more than 1000 vacancies statewide.
These mean paramedics, firefighters, defence force personnel and those with an ATAR score higher than 65, as well as a study score of at least 25 in English, will no longer need to sit an entrance exam.
Individuals who have completed a bachelor degree in the arts, science, humanities, business or law will also be exempt from the exam.
The changes take effect immediately and apply to residents who studied or worked in emergency services in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom in the past five years.
Also removed is the need for the majority of potential recruits to have a one-on-one psychologist appointment.
Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent said the changes meant quality applicants would no longer be held up with unnecessary obstacles.
"We want to make sure we're doing everything we can to attract those people and back the hardworking police making a difference out in the community each and every day," Mr Nugent said on Tuesday.
The announcement follows a tough time for the force, spending 18 months locked in a pay dispute with its members, low morale and officers dropping out in high numbers.
It resulted in a leadership shake-up with Chief Commissioner Shane Patton resigning last month after a no confidence vote by rank and file members.
Deputy commissioner Neil Paterson also left four days later.
A search for Mr Patton's permanent replacement is ongoing after the government ruled his position untenable.
In his maiden press conference last month, Mr Nugent said community safety, employee well-being and recruitment would be some of his priorities while he was in the chair.
"We have over 1000 vacancies in the organisation at the moment, and we need to ensure that the pipeline is clear to enable people to be recruited in this organisation," he said at the time.
Police association secretary Wayne Gatt said the reforms would reduce red tape and barriers in the recruitment process.
"For too long, police recruitment has been plagued by an assessment process that has lacked agility and simply hasn't kept pace with recruitment trends in the broader workforce," he said.
Premier Jacinta Allan similarly welcomed the decision to relax entrance requirements as a way of "welcoming more people into the force".
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said while the changes were a step in the right direction, they fell short of delivering the comprehensive plan needed to address the police shortage crisis.
