❓ This parliamentary question seeks detailed data on police strip searches in Western Australia over several years, focusing on demographics, locations, and the impact of body scanner technology.
AnsweredQoN 1622Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to strip searches undertaken by police, and I ask:(a) how many strip searches were conducted in:(i) 2019-20;(ii) 2020-21;(iii) 2021-22;(iv) 2022-23;(v) 2023-24;(vi) 2024-25; and(vii) 2025-26 to date;(b) for each year in (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many of those searches were conducted on:(i) Aboriginal men;(ii) Aboriginal women;(iii) all women; and(iv) young people under the age of 18 years;(c) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), in which region were the searches conducted;(d) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many searches were undertaken at:(i) a police station or watch house; and(ii) other location (please advise where);(e) do police have body scanners for use for people taken into custody;(f) if yes to (e), which stations; and(g) if yes to (e), does this lead to a reduction in the use of strip searches?
I refer to strip searches undertaken by police, and I ask:
(a) how many strip searches were conducted in:
(i) 2019-20;
(ii) 2020-21;
(iii) 2021-22;
(iv) 2022-23;
(v) 2023-24;
(vi) 2024-25; and
(vii) 2025-26 to date;
(b) for each year in (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many of those searches were conducted on:
(i) Aboriginal men;
(ii) Aboriginal women;
(iii) all women; and
(iv) young people under the age of 18 years;
(c) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), in which region were the searches conducted;
(d) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many searches were undertaken at:
(i) a police station or watch house; and
(ii) other location (please advise where);
(e) do police have body scanners for use for people taken into custody;
(f) if yes to (e), which stations; and
(g) if yes to (e), does this lead to a reduction in the use of strip searches?
I refer to strip searches undertaken by police, and I ask:
(a) how many strip searches were conducted in:
(i) 2019-20;
(ii) 2020-21;
(iii) 2021-22;
(iv) 2022-23;
(v) 2023-24;
(vi) 2024-25; and
(vii) 2025-26 to date;
(b) for each year in (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many of those searches were conducted on:
(i) Aboriginal men;
(ii) Aboriginal women;
(iii) all women; and
(iv) young people under the age of 18 years;
(c) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), in which region were the searches conducted;
(d) for each year (a)(i) to (a)(vii), how many searches were undertaken at:
(i) a police station or watch house; and
(ii) other location (please advise where);
(e) do police have body scanners for use for people taken into custody;
(f) if yes to (e), which stations; and
(g) if yes to (e), does this lead to a reduction in the use of strip searches?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 June 2026
Responded by
Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Police
Response time
6 days
(a) (i) 32,707
(ii) 27,065
(iii) 24,246
(iv) 31,763
(v) 41,438
(vi) 49,362
(vii) 47,171 (as at 13 May)
(b) (i)
2019-20: 9,502 2020-21: 8,372 2021-22: 7,889 2022-23: 11,047 2023-24: 13,862 2024-25: 16,486 2025-26 as at 13 May: 16,091
(ii)
2019-20: 4,226 2020-21: 3,013 2021-22: 3,046 2022-23: 4,719 2023-24: 6,553 2024-25: 7,720 2025-26 as at 13 May: 7,525
(iii)
2019-20: 7,793 2020-21: 5,723 2021-22: 5,432 2022-23: 7,500 2023-24: 10,247 2024-25: 12,414 2025-26 as at 13 May: 11,974
(iv)
2019-20: 1,181 2020-21: 1,011 2021-22: 937 2022-23: 982 2023-24: 950 2024-25: 1,183 2025-26 as at 13 May: 1,354
(c) Information relating to ‘region’ reflects Western Australia Police Force administrative boundaries. 2019-20: 25,423 Metropolitan Region; 7,124 Regional WA; 160 Unknown*. 2020-21: 20,520 Metropolitan Region; 6,413 Regional WA; 132 Unknown*. 2021-22: 18,606 Metropolitan Region; 5,579 Regional WA; 61 Unknown*. 2022-23: 23,952 Metropolitan Region; 7,717 Regional WA; 94 Unknown*. 2023-24: 31,008 Metropolitan Region; 10,325 Regional WA; 105 Unknown*. 2024-25: 35,744 Metropolitan Region; 13,541 Regional WA; 77 Unknown*. 2025-26 as at 13 May: 32,731 Metropolitan Region; 14,346 Regional WA; 94 Unknown*.
* Location information is based on references in a free text field. ‘Unknown’ locations include free text fields with references to WA Police Force operational units (e.g. ‘Breath and Drug Bus’) with no further location information.
(d) (i)
2019-20: 31,870 2020-21: 26,320 2021-22: 23,801 2022-23: 31,373 2023-24: 41,017 2024-25: 48,910 2025-26 as at 13 May: 46,767
(ii) Other locations include airports, breath and drug buses, courts, medical centres/hospitals, prisons, and other miscellaneous locations.
2019-20: 837 2020-21: 745 2021-22: 445 2022-23: 390 2023-24: 421 2024-25: 452 2025-26 as at 13 May: 404
(e-g) Under the Criminal Investigation Act 2006, police may conduct a strip search where lawful grounds exist. While the Western Australia Police Force does have a body scanner (at the Perth Watch House) this does not reduce the necessity or requirement to conduct strip searches. Body scanner technology may assist in certain circumstances, but it does not replace or remove the requirement to strip search, which is influenced by intelligence holdings, criminal history and assessed risk factors.
(ii) 27,065
(iii) 24,246
(iv) 31,763
(v) 41,438
(vi) 49,362
(vii) 47,171 (as at 13 May)
(b) (i)
2019-20: 9,502 2020-21: 8,372 2021-22: 7,889 2022-23: 11,047 2023-24: 13,862 2024-25: 16,486 2025-26 as at 13 May: 16,091
(ii)
2019-20: 4,226 2020-21: 3,013 2021-22: 3,046 2022-23: 4,719 2023-24: 6,553 2024-25: 7,720 2025-26 as at 13 May: 7,525
(iii)
2019-20: 7,793 2020-21: 5,723 2021-22: 5,432 2022-23: 7,500 2023-24: 10,247 2024-25: 12,414 2025-26 as at 13 May: 11,974
(iv)
2019-20: 1,181 2020-21: 1,011 2021-22: 937 2022-23: 982 2023-24: 950 2024-25: 1,183 2025-26 as at 13 May: 1,354
(c) Information relating to ‘region’ reflects Western Australia Police Force administrative boundaries. 2019-20: 25,423 Metropolitan Region; 7,124 Regional WA; 160 Unknown*. 2020-21: 20,520 Metropolitan Region; 6,413 Regional WA; 132 Unknown*. 2021-22: 18,606 Metropolitan Region; 5,579 Regional WA; 61 Unknown*. 2022-23: 23,952 Metropolitan Region; 7,717 Regional WA; 94 Unknown*. 2023-24: 31,008 Metropolitan Region; 10,325 Regional WA; 105 Unknown*. 2024-25: 35,744 Metropolitan Region; 13,541 Regional WA; 77 Unknown*. 2025-26 as at 13 May: 32,731 Metropolitan Region; 14,346 Regional WA; 94 Unknown*.
* Location information is based on references in a free text field. ‘Unknown’ locations include free text fields with references to WA Police Force operational units (e.g. ‘Breath and Drug Bus’) with no further location information.
(d) (i)
2019-20: 31,870 2020-21: 26,320 2021-22: 23,801 2022-23: 31,373 2023-24: 41,017 2024-25: 48,910 2025-26 as at 13 May: 46,767
(ii) Other locations include airports, breath and drug buses, courts, medical centres/hospitals, prisons, and other miscellaneous locations.
2019-20: 837 2020-21: 745 2021-22: 445 2022-23: 390 2023-24: 421 2024-25: 452 2025-26 as at 13 May: 404
(e-g) Under the Criminal Investigation Act 2006, police may conduct a strip search where lawful grounds exist. While the Western Australia Police Force does have a body scanner (at the Perth Watch House) this does not reduce the necessity or requirement to conduct strip searches. Body scanner technology may assist in certain circumstances, but it does not replace or remove the requirement to strip search, which is influenced by intelligence holdings, criminal history and assessed risk factors.
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