Serco extends Victoria Police partnership after uplift to improve digital crime reporting

Digital uplift streamlines reporting templates and aligns with Victorian Government design standards.

Serco has extended its partnership with Victoria Police for a further two years to operate the Victorian Police Assistance Line (PAL) and Online Reporting (OLR) service.

The service provides a vital link between the public and the police, enabling members of the public to report non-urgent crimes and access advice and information.

Serco has managed more than 650,000 community contacts across the PAL and OLR in the past 12 months and more than 3.5 million calls through the PAL since the partnership started in 2019.

“Our partnership has returned more than 100,000 hours for frontline policing each year, so police officers can do what they do best – protect the community,” said Paul Clark, Serco contract manager for Victoria Police.

Serco recently delivered a significant OLR uplift project for the PAL, making it easier for community members to report crimes digitally.

Working with its tech teams and partners, Serco has enabled a range of additional capabilities, including new reporting categories, an improved step-by-step reporting experience and the ability to return to saved reports at a later time.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to leveraging a modern, product-driven approach to deliver intuitive and accessible digital experiences for the community and frontline officers,” said Jason Richardson, chief digital officer, Serco Asia-Pacific.

A Victoria Police spokesperson told CRN the public can now use the PAL to report stolen vehicles and burglary as well as theft, property damage and lost property.

“The refreshed website includes an updated and more user-friendly interface. We have also introduced a new function that allows people to save a report and complete it later,” the spokesperson said.

AI and Salesforce tools streamline crime reporting

Working alongside Salesforce and DXC, Serco introduced key enhancements using OmniStudio and additional AI tools.

“These improvements support contact centre agents and improve the public’s customer experience, including allowing users to securely return to saved reports,” said Richardson.

The digital uplift has streamlined crime reporting templates, aligned with Victorian Government design standards and introduced automation that saves around 7,000 hours of manual effort annually.

“From our frontline teams answering calls from the public, to our support office and tech staff working on Online Reporting, we’re committed to continuing our co-creation partnership with Victoria Police to help keep people safe,” he said.