❓ Mr. Katsambanis questions the Minister for Police about providing a permanent increase in police presence to combat rising crime, given the impact of Operation Heat Shield. The Minister responds by highlighting increased police numbers and the broader scope and impact of Operation Heat Shield compared to previous initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 26Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — STREET
PRESENCE
26. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
Given that Operation Heat Shield is
having an impact on skyrocketing crime in the city, why will the minister not
provide the community with a permanent increase in police on the streets to
deliver a permanent solution all the year round?
PRESENCE
26. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Police:
Given that Operation Heat Shield is
having an impact on skyrocketing crime in the city, why will the minister not
provide the community with a permanent increase in police on the streets to
deliver a permanent solution all the year round?
AnswerView source ↗
As the member will be aware from
the figures that I outlined to the house yesterday, we have 153 additional
officers. Based on the numbers on 7 November, after that last graduation, we
had 153 more officers than we had in February 2017, so we have delivered those
extra police numbers. Operation Heat Shield is, of course, a much bigger operation than anything the opposition ever
put in place when its leader was the Minister for Police. It put in a little bandaid called Operation Celsius. It did
it for about six weeks at a very small cost, and it mainly targeted the CBD. Ours, of course, is a much broader program than that. It goes through
until May, and it goes across the whole state. It is 55 000 additional police
hours. It is having a significant impact in not just the CBD, but also
Armadale, Joondalup, Bunbury and Geraldton. It has given police those extra
hours to target things to actually support retailers,
to target shoplifting and to work in with the convenience stores association in
terms of fuel drive-offs and other crimes. Police have also been able to
target drug dealers in the suburbs. Only at the weekend, I highlighted the fact
that in the Cannington district, warrants were executed in a number of homes
and people were raided and a range of drugs, cash and stolen goods were found.
Individual police districts have been able to use those additional hours to
target particular crimes of concern in their community. I hope that will have
an ongoing effect. We know that criminals involved in volume crimes such as
burglary and backyard drug dealers are at it every day. If we can charge them
and take them out of commission, that has an ongoing effect on the community.
the figures that I outlined to the house yesterday, we have 153 additional
officers. Based on the numbers on 7 November, after that last graduation, we
had 153 more officers than we had in February 2017, so we have delivered those
extra police numbers. Operation Heat Shield is, of course, a much bigger operation than anything the opposition ever
put in place when its leader was the Minister for Police. It put in a little bandaid called Operation Celsius. It did
it for about six weeks at a very small cost, and it mainly targeted the CBD. Ours, of course, is a much broader program than that. It goes through
until May, and it goes across the whole state. It is 55 000 additional police
hours. It is having a significant impact in not just the CBD, but also
Armadale, Joondalup, Bunbury and Geraldton. It has given police those extra
hours to target things to actually support retailers,
to target shoplifting and to work in with the convenience stores association in
terms of fuel drive-offs and other crimes. Police have also been able to
target drug dealers in the suburbs. Only at the weekend, I highlighted the fact
that in the Cannington district, warrants were executed in a number of homes
and people were raided and a range of drugs, cash and stolen goods were found.
Individual police districts have been able to use those additional hours to
target particular crimes of concern in their community. I hope that will have
an ongoing effect. We know that criminals involved in volume crimes such as
burglary and backyard drug dealers are at it every day. If we can charge them
and take them out of commission, that has an ongoing effect on the community.
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