We've always hosted recruits here, but as numbers going through the academy have increased as part of a state government recruitment campaign, the flow-on to stations such as Ballarat has also been on the rise.

Ballarat is a good training ground for new recruits.

Newly-sworn members will work closely here with seasoned officers and will experience a breadth of operational duties.

Somewhat unfortunately perhaps, Ballarat will give them first-hand knowledge of some of the more challenging aspects of policing.

Their time here should help them prepare for their careers as fully-fledged officers.

Hopefully, a taste of life in Ballarat might make them more inclined to want to pursue their careers here longer-term.

The state government has made much about its recruitment campaign and has been happy to publicise the fact that new recruits are making their way to regional stations such as Ballarat.

While we welcome their addition to the ranks, we can't rely on them alone to bolster our police numbers in Ballarat, which are still short of where the community expects them to be.

We accept that the 1700 new police promised by the state government will have to come largely through new recruits. Obviously, that will take time.

But the force is also undergoing a program of putting previously non-operational officers back on the beat.

Ballarat should also be benefiting from this initiative.

As yet, neither the state government nor police command has given any indication of when Ballarat might see an increase in real numbers here.

This is despite the city being nominated as an area of need.

We look forward to confirmation of how many new police officers will be assigned to our city and, more importantly, when that will be.