Victorian police allegedly pretending to be non-binary

An investigation has been initiated into allegations that male police officers in Victoria have pretended to be non-binary to receive additional pay through a clothing allowance program. Victoria Police confirmed that their professional standards command detectives are actively looking into the fraudulent claims related to civilian clothing allowances. This investigation included the execution of a search warrant at a Southern Region Police Station and interviews with 17 police officers.

The term "non-binary" refers to gender identities that do not conform strictly to male or female categories.

Female police officers are entitled to a clothing allowance that is approximately $1300 more than their male counterparts.

Victoria Police officers conducted searches at the Frankston station and interviewed officers as part of the ongoing investigation. Chief Commissioner Shane Patton expressed strong disapproval of such behaviour, emphasising that it is not in line with the expected standards of Victoria Police members and the established code of conduct and values.

The option to identify as non-binary was introduced three years ago to support gender-diverse employees in good faith. This misconduct has had a detrimental impact on gender-diverse employees and the reputation of Victoria Police within the LGBTIQ+ community.

To prevent further exploitation of the clothing allowance scheme, officers seeking to claim it must now provide a sworn statement when self-describing as non-binary. Reports about this issue first surfaced in June, with an Instagram account (@discernableofficial) sharing unconfirmed reports that a significant number of officers in a Crime Investigation Unit in the Southern Region had changed their profile in the HR system to be 'gender neutral,' causing concern among police management.