Published 30 September 2024
About this booklet
This comprehensive booklet has information about your rights if you are dealing with police or protective service officers (PSOs).
Topics include:
- practical tips for dealing with police and PSOs
- giving your name and address
- searches
- move on powers
- arrest
- mental illness and psychological distress
- traffic offences
- public intoxication.
It also has information about making complaints and where to get help.
This booklet was produced in partnership with Inner Melbourne Community Legal.
Updates on laws
Age of criminal responsibility
The age at which you can be charged with a crime has changed.
From 30 September 2025, you need to be at least 12 years old to be charged with a crime. This is an increase from 10 years old.
If you have a current criminal matter and were charged when you were under 12, you can contact us for help.
Bail
Bail laws have changed.
From 26 March 2025, it may be harder to get bail. Visit our website ‘Being released from police custody’ for more information.
Laws about designated areas have changed.
From March 2025, police can:
- make an area a designated area if they have information that it is likely an incident with weapons will happen
- announce an area is a designated area on the Victoria Police website – they do not have to publish this in a local newspaper.
Prohibited weapons
Weapon laws have changed.
There are some weapons that you can't carry or own for any reason in Victoria, including machetes, flick knives, daggers, butterfly knives, double-ended knives, knuckle knives, push knives, credit card knives, nunchakus, batons, knuckle-dusters, shanghais, blow guns, capsicum spray, slingshots, weighted or studded gloves, throwing stars and catapults.
From 1 September 2025, machetes are a prohibited weapon. A machete amnesty runs from 1 September to 30 November 2025, allowing people to hand in machetes without penalty. For more information about the machete ban, visit the Victorian Government's website.
The types of weapons that you can't carry or own at all may continue to change. Visit our website 'Guns and other weapons' for more information.
Updated