Opposition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue said Warrnambool was not among six stations that would receive the first recruits in the early part of 2016. There is no firm date for a roll-out beyond the initial sites.  

But police minister Wade Noonan said the claims were false and PCOs would be rolled out to Warrnambool in the middle of 2016. 

PCOs will manage and supervise prisoners in the cells, 24 hours a day, at police stations across Victoria.

The job is currently done by sworn police officers, making them unavailable for day-to-day policing.

The officers will initially be employed at Sunshine, Dandenong, Heidelberg, Ballarat, Geelong and Broadmeadows next year.

Seventeen other stations, including Warrnambool, will follow in a gradual roll-out over the next two years.  

The Victorian police association has been vocal in the past few months, claiming the Warrnambool station was critically under staffed. 

They say having to monitor prisoners and perform court security duties only added to the problem.

Mr O’Donohue said the state’s police cells were  under enormous pressure following the Metropolitan Remand Centre riot in July.

“Training of custody officers hasn’t even begun yet, the first recruits won’t qualify or be deployed until next year,” Mr O’Donohue said. 

“The Warrnambool police and community still don’t know when they will receive custody officers.

“The Police Association is frustrated by the lack of support from Labor. It’s easy to see why when the already-stretched police numbers are being left to guard prisoners in cells rather than being on the beat catching crooks.”

But Mr Noonan said rather than spreading confusion, Mr O’Donohue should be welcoming the officers. 

“The opposition voted in support of this legislation,” he said. 

“Police in Warrnambool will be freed up to do their jobs on the frontline instead of babysitting people in police cells.

“Subject to the recruitment of suitable applicants and their success at The Victoria Police Academy, Police Custody Officers (PCOs) will start to be deployed to Warrnambool police station by the middle of 2016.

“About seven custody officers are expected to be deployed to the station by the end of the program.”