Police powers: your rights in Victoria

Important update

From September 2022 police and protective service officers have new powers in and around police stations.

Police and protective service officers can now:

• ask why you are at or near a police station. ‘Near a police station’ includes in the car park or out the front.
• ask for your name and address if they do not think you have a legitimate reason for being there. A ‘legitimate reason’ includes reporting a crime, asking for help, or if you need to go there as part of your bail conditions.

Police and protective service officers can ask you to leave the station or direct you to stay away for up to seven days. They can do this if they believe two things:

• you do not have a legitimate reason for being there
• this is needed to preserve the peace or station security.

Police and protective service officers can remove, arrest or fine you if:

• you do not answer these questions
• you do not leave or stay away when asked
• you try to stop police carrying out these duties
• you try to stop someone from going into or leaving the police station.

For more information, please see our pages on speaking to the police and protective service officers.