Young Officer Reveals Why She Quit Victoria Police Amid Force Crisis
Molly Gribble, a 23-year-old former Victoria Police officer, has publicly disclosed the severe challenges that drove her out of the force after just three years. Her departure coincides with Victoria grappling with alarmingly dwindling police numbers, raising concerns about public safety and institutional culture.
A Dream Job Turns Sour
Gribble joined Victoria Police at age 20, describing her decision as spontaneous but filled with optimism. "I got pulled over one day by a female police officer and I was looking at her, and she was all kitted out. And I was like, that could be really cool," she recalled. After 12 weeks at the academy, she was posted to Werribee, one of the state's top five busiest stations. "You learn heaps, you're thrown in the deep end, that's for sure," she said.
However, the reality of policing quickly set in. Gribble highlighted overwhelming paperwork, shift work, and long hours as major issues. "What they don't warn you about is the paperwork. You go to a job and you might apprehend someone, and then you are in the station for the next five hours," she explained.
Exhausting Conditions and Personal Tragedy
Gribble described exhausting rosters with frequent overtime and minimal recovery time. "I remember one time I did overtime to 3am and I had to be back at 9am. The shift work is hard. It is really hard, and it takes its toll," she said. While she could mentally cope with confronting incidents like dead bodies, her resilience was tested when her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer just 18 months into her career.
She continued working during his illness and death but found the emotional toll devastating. "I walked downstairs one morning and I said to my mum I don't think I can do this anymore," Gribble revealed. After her father's death, she attempted to transfer closer to home in Geelong to be near family, but the request was rejected, ultimately pushing her to resign. "Honestly, I haven't looked back," she stated.
Toxic Culture and Hierarchical Pressures
Beyond personal grief, Gribble pointed to broader cultural problems within policing. She described a highly hierarchical environment where officers are harshly judged by colleagues. "It's very hierarchical. You call your senior sergeant, boss. It just really grinded my gears," she said. She also noted a toxic atmosphere, adding, "If you do a s*** job, you're going to hear about it. It can be very toxic. You miss out on a lot. I felt like I did lose a bit of my life there for a little bit."
Despite everything, Gribble said she doesn't regret joining but is adamant she won't return. Her experience reflects wider trends, with long hours, burnout, and mental health pressures increasingly cited as reasons officers leave, particularly among younger recruits.
Victoria Police in Crisis
Gribble's comments come as data shows Victoria Police has fallen to just 15,601 full-time officers under the Allan government, the lowest figure since September 2019. Over the same period, Victoria's population has grown by more than 500,000 people, while crime rates have surged by more than 20 percent.
Wayne Gatt, boss of the Victorian Police Association, warned that Australia's largest state ought to have more than 17,014 police officers, but Victoria is more than 1,400 short. "Stations are closing, experienced police are leaving and the force is losing more police through the exit door than it is recruiting through the academy door," he said. "A proactive policing model, designed to prevent crime before it occurs, is the best way to reduce crime and victims of crime. But it requires adequate police numbers to succeed."
Government Response and Recruitment Efforts
Premier Jacinta Allan hit back at the criticism, stating Victoria has the "largest police force in the nation." She emphasized that the current recruitment campaign is already seeing application numbers flood in. "We want to see more people come and join the ranks of Victoria Police," she said.
However, Gribble's story underscores the urgent need to address internal challenges to retain officers. As Victoria faces rising crime and a growing population, the exodus of young recruits like Gribble highlights a deepening crisis that threatens community safety and police morale.
