A plan to recruit thousands of skilled police officers from overseas has been blasted as a "stunt" as Victoria's crime rate becomes a central issue ahead of the state election.
Addressing community concerns about rising crime rates will be a major part of the state Liberal opposition's election pledge after it announced plans to recruit 3000 extra police officers.
Relocation allowances and fast-tracked applications will be used to entice police officers from the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand to emigrate to the state.
Victorians will head to the ballot box in November, with crime expected to be a key election issue.
One-in-five Victorians don't feel safe where they live, while a third feel less secure than they did 12 months ago, according to the latest RACV Home Safety Pulse report.
The survey, which heard from more than 5000 Victorians about their perceptions of safety, found 17 per cent felt somewhat or completely unsafe at home.
The state's latest crime statistics showed criminal offences rose 4.2 per cent in 2025.
State Opposition Leader Jess Wilson announced on Sunday the Liberals would recruit 3000 more Victoria Police officers to help fill 1500 current vacancies and reopen 40 stations either closed or operating on reduced hours.
The opposition has cost the policy at $565 million across the first four years and $370 million in the final year when the full number of additional officers are in the field.
Treasury estimates the cost could be much higher.
Ms Wilson said half of the promised 3000 new officers were already budgeted for and denied the plan was at odds with the work Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush was undertaking to address rising crime rates.
"Victoria Police have been very clear that they're having to reduce police officers, they're having to close police stations, they're having to reduce hours at police stations because they simply don't have the resources needed to keep them open," she said.
"That is the cold, hard truth ... this isn't a stunt. This is about keeping Victorians safe."
The Victorian government had already invested $4.5 billion in Victoria Police, including funding for 3600 new police officers, Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said on Sunday.
"(This) announcement by Jess Wilson and the Liberals is a bit of a stunt, where we know (the government) are backing Victoria Police and we are listening to the chief commissioner of police," she said.
"The chief commissioner is working to ensure that police are out on the streets where they need to be, and they are also working on significant recruitment drives, on double the intake at the academy, and they are seeing significant increases in recruitment applications."
Based on a similar recruitment scheme in WA, half of the recruits would be experienced officers from overseas, including the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
Relocation allowances of $5000 per successful applicant would be available, backed by a recruitment campaign.
