Victoria Police will roll out 290 new divisional vans across the state over the next two years, of which 40 will be four-wheel drive suited for use in regional areas.

The first batch of the new purpose-built divisional vans will be on the road in Melbourne's west from February to support the additional frontline police members in the North West Metro Region.

The new divisional vans are based on the Holden Colorado and will provide frontline members with improved ground clearance and a better vantage point when they're patrolling the streets.

From February, 250 new two-door standard divisional vans will be gradually deployed across the state to replace the current model.

An additional 40 four-wheel drive, four door divisional vans equipped with bull-bars and winches will be deployed to regional areas to provide an off-road driving capability.

These vehicles are expected to be on the road from mid-2018.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said the divisional van is the hardest working vehicle in the Victoria Police fleet.

"Divisional vans are the heart and soul of what police do on the frontline, so the new vehicles needed to be durable, agile and equipped for modern policing," said AC Leane.

"Victoria Police has been well served by the current fleet which was rolled out in 2009 but we are looking forward to seeing these new vehicles with additional features hit the streets."

Additional features of the new divisional van fleet will include:

  • more storage in the cabin for members to store equipment
  • an additional camera in the custody compartment providing 360 degree monitoring and recording of persons in custody
  • air conditioning built into the custody compartment
  • new generation LED light bars which reduce power consumption
  • an improved digital siren system which is both louder and can be operated via the vehicle's horn.

The new vans will utilise the custody compartments - also known as rear pods - of the existing fleet, which will gradually be refurbished and converted by a local manufacturer in Kilsyth to fit the new cabins.

The vehicles have a maximum five star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) rating, with safety features including airbags, stability control and ABS brakes.

"The safety of our members is number one priority," said AC Leane.

"These vehicles have undergone rigorous performance and handling testing to ensure they are able to meet our needs.

"We are looking forward to their roll-out and the opportunity to enhance the operational and performance needs of our members.

It is anticipated the roll out of the new fleet will be completed by mid-2020.

Victoria Police photo.