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Victoria Police Callsigns

"VKC" is the callsign for Victoria Police network control. "VKC" is part of a national callsign allocation for emergency services.

The callsigns for police in each state are as follows:

# Federal Police VKX
# South Australia VKA
# New South Wales VKG
# Western Australia VKI
# Victoria VKC
# Tasmania VKT
# Queensland VKR
# Northern Territory VKM

Federal Police in each state identify as "VL#AFP", e.g. Victoria uses "VL3AFP" or just "AFP". VKX is used in Canberra for general duties policing.

All radio operators in the Metropolitan Communications Centre (MCC) identify as "VKC", and include a suffix of "Melbourne" where confusion may otherwise result.

Mobile communications units use callsigns such as VKC2, VKC4, VKC6 etc., and regional communications stations also identify with VKC region.

There are six dedicated regional communications centres:

CommsCentre Callsign Control Districts
Ballarat VKC Ballarat Region 2 Div 3 & 4
Warrnambool VKC Warrnambool Region 2 Div 5
Bendigo VKC Bendigo Region 3 Div 3 & 4
Mildura VKC Mildura Region 3 Div 5
Wangaratta VKC Wangaratta Region 4 Div 4 & 5
Morwell VKC Morwell Region 5 Div 3 & 4


VKC8 is a 'mini-D24' located in the Police Academy. This is used for training and redundancy, and can be nightswitched to control the entire metropolitan area if, for whatever reason, the MCC at World Trade Centre or Tally Ho is shut down.
The last "live" test of the VKC8 facility was on 20th April 1999.

Operational Units

The allocation of radio communication callsigns to each Victoria Police unit has been formulated on operational requirements and the following factors:# Type of vehicle
# Geographical areas of deployment
# Type of duty performed by the crewCallsigns are comprised of two components, detailed below.Callsigns - First Component
All callsigns begin with (1) a station name or (2) a department name.
1. - Station Names. Police station names are used as callsign identifiers by operational units.
2. - Departments & Specialist Groups. There are nine major departments, listed here. Both callsign prefixes and department codes may be heard on-air.

DEPARTMENT DEPT. CODE CALLSIGN PREFIX
Communications & Information Technology CITD  
Corporate Policy, Planning & Review CPPR  
Research & Development   RESEARCH
Corporate Resources CR  
Chief Commissioner’s Office   ADMINISTRATION
Media Liaison   MEDIA
Crime (CIU Headquarters, Admin. & Squads) CRI CRIME
Bureau of Criminal Intelligence INTEL  
Ethical Standards (Internal Investigation’s Department) ESD INVESTIGATIONS
Operations Department OPS OPERATIONS
Air Wing AIR AIR
Community Policing Squad CPS OPERATIONS
Dog Squad CAN CANINE
Government House Shrine Guard   GOVERNMENT
Water Police MAR MARINE
Mounted Branch MOU MOUNTED
Search & Rescue Squad RES RESCUE
Transit Police TST TRANSIT
Protective Security Group & SOU SOU SECURITY
Personnel Department PNL PERSONNEL
Traffic & Operations Support (TOPS) TRF TRAFFIC
Services Department   SERVICES
Audio Visual Division   AUDIO / VIDEO
Radio Electronics Division RED COMMUNICATIONS
Transport Division TRP TRANSPORT
Forensic Science Laboratory FSL FORENSIC
Fingerprint Section   PRINTS
Training District TRG TRAINING

Callsigns - Second Component

The Second Component of each callsign is a numeric identifier belonging to one of the following categories:

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Officers   100 - 199
  Chief Superintendent 100
  Superintendent 101 - 109
  Chief Inspector 110 - 119
  Detective Chief Inspector 120 - 129
  Inspector 130 - 149
  Duty Officers 150 - 159
  Detective Inspector 160 - 169
  [Spare] 170 - 199

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Station Cars   200 - 299
  Supervising Sgt, No 1 Division 251
  Supervising Sgt, No 2 Division 252
  Senior Sgt (Night Shift Supervisor) 265
  Burg cars - see below 270
  [District Information Support Centre 270] -
  Computer Co-Ordinator 271
  Traffic Co-Ordinator 274
  Range Controller (firearms?) 275 - 277
  DISPLAN 280 - 284
  Schools Resource Office 285
  Neighbourhood Watch 286 - 289
  District Administration 290 - 294
  TACO 295
  District Welfare 296
  DFO (District Firearms Officer) 297 - 299

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Divisional Vans   300 - 399

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
CPS & DSG   400 - 499
  District Support Groups 400 - 449
  Community Policing Squads 450 - 499
  CPS Night Shift - C, D, E, F & G districts EAST 451
  CPS Night Shift - A, B, H, I & J districts WEST 451

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU)   500 - 599
  Day Shift - divisional units Use shift system, e.g. 508
  Afternoon Shift - district response units 520
  Night Shift - A & B districts CRIME 540
  Night Shift - I & J districts CRIME 541
  Night Shift - C, D & E districts CRIME 542
  Night Shift - F, G & H districts CRIME 543
  Supervision A & B Districts CENTRAL 550
  Supervision I & J Districts WEST 550
  Supervision C, D, E, F, G & H Districts EAST 550

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Traffic Management Unit (TMU)   600 - 699
  TMU Supervising Senior Sergeant 600
  Senior Sergeants 601 - 603
  Sergeants 604 - 609
  Marked Cars 610 - 629
  Unmarked Cars ("Q" cars) 630 - 634
  Camera Cars 635 - 639
  Complaints Cars 640 - 644
  Amphometer Cars 645 - 649
  TMU Supervising Sergeant 650
  Supervisors 651 - 659
  Motor Cycles ("Solos") 660 - 669
  Accident Cars (attend major accidents) 670 - 684
  Special Events 685 - 689
  Regional Traffic Task (RTT) units 690 - 699

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
District Special Duties   700 - 799

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Foot patrols   800 - 899
  District Special Events (foot) 800 - 839
  Foot patrols - normal 850 - 889
  Bicycle patrols 890 - 899

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Stations / Divisions   900 - 999
  Uniform 900
  DSU 904
  CIU 905
  TMU 906
  Special Events or Operations 907
  District Headquarters 910
  District Caravan 915
  CPG points ("PATROL xxx") 900 - 999

Notes:

For 200 & 300 units, the last two figures indicate the starting time of the units' shift, e.g. Ballarat 303 = Ballarat van on 3 pm - 11 pm shift. (12 hr clock.) A 5 as the middle digit of the numeric identifier indicates a sergeant; subsequently, a 1 or 2 as the last digit indicates the relative division, e.g. Ararat 251 = Ararat sergeant supervising Number 1 division units.
A 6 as the middle digit of the numeric identifier indicates a senior sergeant, e.g. Horsham 265 = Horsham Night Shift supervisor.

Note:

that several variations in numeric identifier appear in Departmental callsigns: Units attached to the Community Policing Squad may use a divisional callsign with a 400 series, eg. Bacchus Marsh 463, or a departmental callsign, eg. OPERATIONS 222 (shift system not applicable).
Operations Department units employ the 400 callsign series. Canine units are the only exception to this rule - see below.
"270" is being used by Knox & Boronia in July-August '99 to expedite investigation of burgs and training new detectives. It is being used at peak times by an experienced officer, usually a senior constable. Apparently this resource has been utilised very well.

Air Wing

The Air Wing uses a 400 callsign series:
40* Ground vehicles
41* Fixed wing aircraft - Cessnas
47* Rotary wing aircraft - Squirrels
49* Rotary wing aircraft - Dauphins
eg. AIR 402, (filling truck,) AIR 492, (helicopter,) etc..

N.B.:

The air ambulance helicopter identifies on any service as AIR 495.
Rotary wing aircraft from other services identify as " 499".
Police aircraft on CAA frequencies may identify with a "PolAir" callsign, e.g. the Air Ambulance uses the callsign "PolAir 33" on airband frequencies.

Police Callsign Aircraft Registration Air Traffic Control Callsign Comments
AIR 490 VH-PVH PolAir 30 New Dauphin N3, primary police
AIR 491 VH-PVF PolAir 31 C1 Dauphin, former primary police (Retired)
AIR 492 VH-PVK PolAir 32 C1 Dauphin, standby police (Retired)
AIR 493 VH-PVA PolAir 33 C1 Dauphin, former air ambulance – Backup Air Ambulance
AIR 495 VH-PVG PolAir 35 New Dauphin N3, primary ambulance
AIR 474 VH-PVM PolAir 34 AS350B Squirrel - Support and Training

Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS)

A recent review of medical air-transport facilities in Victoria recommended the consolidation of callsigns on all radio networks.

Aircraft Registration HEMS Callsign Comments
VH-PVG HEMS 1 (rarely used) Air 495, Dauphin N3, primary MAS/ backup police
VH-VAB HEMS 2 Helimed 1, RAV-SE Region Bell 412 based at La Trobe Valley Airport
VH-VAA HEMS 3 RAV Bell 412 based at Bendigo Airport

Dog Squad

The Dog Squad use the 200 series, but does not follow the divisional shift system. Units are instead allocated individual callsigns.
Canine 2** - Regular Dog Squad Units.
Canine 7** - Drug Dogs & Explosives Dogs.eg. CANINE 278, CANINE 256, etc.; these are all dog squad units.Note that CANINE units may be heard on any operational VHF or UHF channel, in addition to SMR trunking channels (not static police allocations) for direct working. Dog Squad units also have access to the Education Security radio network.

Services Department

Radio Electronics Division (RED) in Dawson Street use COMMUNICATIONS as a prefix followed by a 6xx number, e.g. "Communications 610". The old RED test callsign is COMMUNICATIONS 677 but this has not been heard since the cutover from D24 in Russell Street. Other callsigns with this identifier may be allocated to RED members on an individual basis. The field kitchen (mobile canteen) is SERVICES 200, known informally as CUP 'A' TEA 200. The Quick Response Vehicle (Communications) may also be known as the 'QRV'. The callsign of this vehicle is VKC6. It is housed at the World Trade Centre garage.

Protective Services / Security Groups
Special Operations Group

The Special Operations Group use SECURITY identifiers when operating 'clear', ie. non-DVP. When Protective Security & District Support Groups are not allocated major incident colour codes, they may also use SECURITY identifiers.

SUFFIX Sub-unit
Security 100 - 199 Inspectors - Special Operations Group
Security 200 - 299 District Support Group
Security 300 - 399 Special Operations Group
Security 400 - 499 District Support Group & Protective Services Group
Security 500 - 699 Special Operations Group
Security 700 - 999 Protective Services Group

City Patrol Group

The City Patrol Group is the foot patrol division which works in the Central Business District. The net control station on channel 26 is PATROL 900, being the Bourke St. City Traffic office. This is one of few police channels controlled by a unit other than VKC.Melbourne Traffic Units identify with PATROL followed by a relevant numeric identifier, such as '303'. Foot patrols use the 800 numeric series.Traffic direction units identify with point numbers. Each intersection in the CBD has its own number. For example, a unit at Batman Ave. & St. Kilda Rd., 8 point, would identify as PATROL 908, a unit at 12 point (Flinders St. Station) would identify as PATROL 912, and so on.

Traffic Management Unit

Divisional allocations. Divisional TMU units identify with their divisional name and a 600 numeric identifier.The "600" identifier is detailed in the table above (Callsigns / Second Component / Traffic Management Unit) The following table details changes to the TMU divisional callsign prefixes:Departmental allocations. Departmental TMU callsigns satisfy one of the following criteria:

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Command    
  Chief Superintendent - Administration TRAFFIC 100
  Chief Superintendent - Operations TRAFFIC 101
  Superintendent - Administration TRAFFIC 105
  Superintendent - Operations (East) TRAFFIC 107
  Superintendent - Operations (West) TRAFFIC 108
  Duty Officer TRAFFIC 150

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
General Traffic Policy and Information Centre    
  Chief Inspector TRAFFIC 112
  Units TRAFFIC 200 - 249
  Speed Camera Units TRAFFIC 250 - 259
  N.B. Speed Camera units will often identify with a  
  District 630 callsign e.g. Goldfields 639

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Administration    
  Inspector (Administration) TRAFFIC 130
  Inspector (Prosecutions Office) TRAFFIC 132
  Inspector (Central Licence Registry) TRAFFIC 134

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Special Duties Groups    
  Roadway Spot Check Section TRAFFIC 300 - 309
  Speed Measuring Device TRAFFIC 310 - 349
  Tow Truck Supervising Units TRAFFIC 390 - 391
  Traffic Research Section TRAFFIC 395 - 399

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Traffic Alcohol Section (TAS)    
  Chief Inspector TRAFFIC 114
  Inspector TRAFFIC 138
  Senior Sergeants TRAFFIC 400 - 405
  Sergeants TRAFFIC 406 - 410
  Units - "Booze Buses" TRAFFIC 411 - 499

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Accident Investigation Section (AIS)    
  Inspector TRAFFIC 136
  Senior Sergeant TRAFFIC 500
  Units (Dawson St. & Glen Waverley) TRAFFIC 5xx
  N.B. There is no longer a Nunawading or a Dandenong AIS  

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Mechanics    
  Senior Sergeant TRAFFIC 510
  Units TRAFFIC 520, 530

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Driving and Allied Schools    
  Inspector TRAFFIC 140
  Senior Sergeants TRAFFIC 600 - 605
  Sergeants TRAFFIC 606 - 619
  Units TRAFFIC 620 - 699

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Special Events / Task Force   TRAFFIC 700 - 799
  Roadworthy duties TRAFFIC 721
  Caravan TRAFFIC 800
  TOG Special Solo Section TRAFFIC 840 - 859

DSU Identification

These units use the geographical name of their base station, eg. Melbourne, Prahran, etc., with a 400 callsign series. The second digit represents the team number while the third digit denotes individual members.eg. Team 1 working from Melbourne in a car - the callsign would be Melbourne 410; a member on foot from this team would be 411, then 412, and so on.The DSU team on operational duty between the hours of 1800 and 0200 or 1900 and 0300 will use the 12 hour clock system regardless of what team is working the shift.eg. Callsigns using Melbourne as an example:

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
Senior Sergeant   Melbourne 400
1800 - 0200 unit   Melbourne 406
1900 - 0300 unit   Melbourne 407
Team 1 Vehicle 1   Melbourne 410
  foot patrol Melbourne 411
  foot patrol 2 Melbourne 412
Team 2 Vehicle 2   Melbourne 420
  foot patrol Melbourne 421
  foot patrol 2 Melbourne 422

Crime Car Identification

The following numeric identifiers are prefixed with the departmental name, CRIME.

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
CRIME    
  Armed Robbery Squad 300 - 399
  Arson Squad 770 - 799
  Asian Squad ???
  Child Exploitation ???
  Crime Identification Squad (defunct?) 840 - 849
  Crime Prevention Bureau (defunct?) 800 - 839
  Detective Training School 940 - 960
  Drug Squad 700 - 749
  Gaming & Vice (GVS)  
  Casino Crime Unit (CCU) 250 - 299
  Racing Bureau 391 - 399
  Vice Squad ???
  Homicide Squad 400 - 499
  Livestock Squad (defunct?) 750 - 769
  Major Fraud Squad 600 - 699
  North Metro Region Crime Squad (defunct?) 860 - 864
  Rape Squad 870 - 879
  South Metro Region Crime Squad 865 - 869
  Special Branch (defunct?) 900 - 939
  Special Events Administration (defunct?) 970 - 979
  Special Response Squad 850 - 859
  Stolen Motor Vehicle Squad (SMVS) 200 - 249
  After-hours CIU  
  After-hours CIU 500 - 599
  After-hours CIU (A & B Districts) CENTRAL 540
  After-hours CIU (I & J Districts) WEST 541
  After-hours CIU (C, D & E Districts) EAST 542
  After-hours CIU (F, G & H Districts) EAST 543
  A/H CIU Supervision A, B, I & J Districts WEST 550
  A/H CIU Supervision C, D, E, F, G & H Districts EAST 550

Forensic Branch Identification

The following numeric identifiers are prefixed with the departmental name, FORENSIC.

TYPE OF UNIT Sub-unit SUFFIX
FORENSIC    
  Director 105
  Chief Inspector 110
  Mobile Laboratory 200 - 219
  Liaison Officer - Senior Sergeant 220
  Photographic Section 300 - 319
  Ballistics 400 - 419
  Documentation 500 - 519
  Disaster Victim Identification 550 - 569
  Ethical Standards Department  
  Yes, they do have radios, and that's about all we know.
"ESD 433" has been heard on-air investigating pursuit accidents, etc..
 

Special Events Colour Codes

These callsign identifiers are used during combined operations and/or special events. Their use requires authorisation by the Officer in Charge, Communications. Any numeric series may be used with these callsigns, e.g. "WHITE 812", "BLUE 900".Note that RED is an international colour code denoting serious injury or malfunction and is NOT USED for police operations.

BLUE PINK BLACK BROWN GREEN PURPLE ORANGE
GOLD WHITE YELLOW GREY OLIVE SILVER  

Callsigns for special events and operations may also use the name of the operation as the identifier. For example, "CABOOL 813" is a foot patrol unit working the King Street night-club area in Melbourne (i.e. Operation Cabool).

Melbourne Cricket Ground

The MCG is divided into "sectors" with a sergeant in charge of each. Consequently, the conventional callsign system is modified slightly, and "sector sergeants" have callsigns ending in zero, eg, MCG 810, MCG 840, etc.. The middle digit of each callsign denotes the sector. There is no "net control" on Channel 46, and units frequently traffic direct. However MCG 900 does monitor from the policerooms in the Southern Stand. Duty Officer is MCG 800.

Personalised Callsigns - Command & Control

These callsigns are allocated for use by senior-ranking members of the police force Names are correct at time of print,These callsigns are always phonetically announced.

Callsign Rank Name
X C C Chief Commissioner of Police Simon Overland
X D O Deputy Commissioner; Operations ?
? ? ? Asst. Commissioner; General Policing ?
X A C Asst. Commissioner; Crime (CRI) ?
X A T Asst. Commissioner; Traffic Ops Support (TOPS) ?
X D A Deputy Commissioner; Policy & Standards  
X A I Asst. Commissioner; Ethical Standards (ESD) ?
  Asst. Commissioner; Training (TRG) ?
  Executive Director; Corporate Services ?
  Director; Information Management ?
  Director; Business Management ?
  Asst. Commissioner; HR Development ?
M C O Metropolitan Commander (duty roster - as allocated)
C C O Country Commander (duty roster - as allocated)
  Commander - Region 1  
  Commander - Region 2  
  Commander - Region 3 ?
  Commander - Region 4 ?
  Commander - Region 5 ?

Other Services

Victoria Police units on other networks Police units may use allocated police callsigns on other services' networks; eg.- "WX Melbourne, AIR 495" (Ambulance Service network), "Melbourne Radio, this is Marine 418" (VHF Marine network), "Lilydale 900 to SES Control" (Channel 31), etc..Police units may be allocated new callsigns in a foreign radio network; eg.- "Jolimont 100, Police 900" (St. John network, Melbourne Cricket Ground), etc..Other services may use their own Australian Communications Authority callsign on the police network under extenuating circumstances, followed by the name of their service; eg.- "VKC Melbourne, this is Hotel Juliet Kilo - Channel 10 helicopter", etc..Note that other police services may use their own callsigns on Victorian networks where liaison is required. Many regional units have radios common to other services; eg.- "Moama 1 calling VKC Bendigo." (NSW police calling Victoria police)

Miscellaneous Suffixes

A suffix may sometimes be appended to a callsign to denote an alternative mode of operation or condition:
PORTABLE may be added to indicate that a unit is, in fact, using a portable radio and not in the vehicle, eg. "Ballarat 203 Portable". This is distinct from "Ballarat 203", being the car radio.
Similarly, the proword "ALPHA" may be used for this purpose; this has fallen into disuse but may still be heard.
URGENT is used to denote priority traffic. A unit whose callsign is suffixed with URGENT will be given immediate attention by the operator.
PURSUIT indicates that a unit has engaged in a car chase.
DRIVER indicates that the driver or radio operator of the person called is answering in that person's stead, eg, "Ballarat 150 Driver." This proword has fallen into disuse but may still be heard.
OPERATOR indicates that a police member is responding on behalf of the unit or member being called, similar to "DRIVER", eg, "Melbourne 110 Operator." This proword has fallen into disuse but may still be heard.
District identifiers may be affixed to the end of some callsigns, eg. "Crime 150 Golf", denoting the departmental duty officer for that district. Fallen into disuse since regionalisation.Other identifiers.
SINCLAIR - Training exercises can often be heard on VHF, characterized by the "Sinclair" station identifier. Incidents are staged on-air as units from Sinclair police station attend train derailments, sieges, air crashes and other disasters. All such scenarios have been heard from time to time. Some of these are made to sound very real, but remember, they are ONLY EXERCISES!