New sherriff vehicles in town

One of the new sherriff's office vehicles unveiled at their western metro headquarters in Laverton North on October 11. (supplied)

Sheriff’s Office Victoria will have more capability to recover outstanding debts and fines thanks to new vehicles unveiled at their western metro headquarters in Laverton North on Wednesday October 11.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes was on hand to inspect the first of 63 new vehicles that have been fitted out to give sheriffs more modern tools for enforcement and operations.

The $9.47 million Fleet Upgrade Project involves three fit-outs of the Ford Ranger utility – an Automatic Number

Plate Recognition (ANPR) vehicle, an Arrest and Support vehicle and a General Execution vehicle.

It’s estimated the new ANPR vehicles will increase sheriffs number plate recognition capacity by more than 30 per cent, with three cameras able to read more number plates at a wider range of angles.

Jaclyn Symes welcomed the new vehicles.

“The new fleet represents a significant step in modernising the Sheriff’s Office Victoria, providing them with greater

capability to enforce warrants and orders issued by the courts,” she said.

“While most people do the right thing and address their fines, they don’t go away if you ignore them. I encourage anyone with outstanding fines to contact Fines Victoria to work out a way of addressing them before it reaches the sheriffs.”

The new vehicles are being fitted out in Melbourne’s west using local materials and

providers, with the first four expected to hit the road this month.