Strike teams of protective service officers would patrol shopping centres without a reduction of PSOs at railway stations under a Coalition bid to one-up their election rivals on safety and retail crime.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin has promised an additional 200 PSOs as part of the plan for high-risk shopping areas if he wins the 2026 state election. The Coalition says the $70 million price tag has been fully budgeted.

Battin said Victoria Police would be consulted to ensure the extra resources were targeted at areas with the greatest need and the additional officers would be legislated with the power to use metal detectors to search people anywhere knife crime was considered a risk.

Battin’s commitment seeks to trump the Allan government and Victoria Police’s overhaul of PSOs, firs

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