❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Police about a decline in traffic offence fines, suggesting it's due to fewer officers. The Minister refutes this, citing increased police numbers and a transition to a new infringement management system as potential factors.
AnsweredQoN 709Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD SAFETY — POLICE RESOURCES
709. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Police:
I refer to figures provided in the
other place, which highlight that the number of speeding fines issued by police officers plummeted from 100 209 in 2020 to 51
000 in 2022. Seatbelt offences fell from 2 804 in 2020 to 1 774 in 2023.
Mobile phone offences fell from 16 472 in 2020 to 3 590 in 2023.
(1) Does the
minister acknowledge that the reduction in these offences is due to fewer
police officers patrolling our roads?
(2) Does the
minister acknowledge that this reduction in officers is sending a clear message
to drivers that they are less likely to be caught when breaking road safety
laws because of a lack of police presence?
709. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Police:
I refer to figures provided in the
other place, which highlight that the number of speeding fines issued by police officers plummeted from 100 209 in 2020 to 51
000 in 2022. Seatbelt offences fell from 2 804 in 2020 to 1 774 in 2023.
Mobile phone offences fell from 16 472 in 2020 to 3 590 in 2023.
(1) Does the
minister acknowledge that the reduction in these offences is due to fewer
police officers patrolling our roads?
(2) Does the
minister acknowledge that this reduction in officers is sending a clear message
to drivers that they are less likely to be caught when breaking road safety
laws because of a lack of police presence?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) No.
(2) Not
applicable. There are more police today than there have ever been in Western Australia.
In fact, operating on all data—it is changing by the moment; I do not
know what happened there—the correct number
is 724 more police officers than when the member was in office. There are 724
more police officers in Western Australia than when the member was in
office, and today there are 7 201 officers. That is a 10 per cent growth in the
police force since this government came to office, and we are growing further.
Right now, 300 recruits are training at the Western Australia Police Academy. I
venture that more police will be trained
this year than at any other time in the history of the academy and we are
continuing to grow . We have the
greatest number of applicants to join the Western Australia Police Force
because morale is so high and the academy has enjoyed such a strong
reputation worldwide—including in Western Australia, of course. There
are extraordinary numbers joining under the Let's Join Forces campaign,
which we launched in 2020–21. Since
that time, there have been 9 880 applications from Western Australians to join
the Western Australia Police Force. That is almost 10 000 for a police force of
only 7 200 at the moment. From overseas, there have been almost 4 000
applications—3 880—making that more than 11 000 applying to join our police force of only 7 200, although it is growing. There are more
police on the roads than ever before. Every one of our police officers is a road
traffic cop because we do not isolate people and train them in only one element
of policing. Right across the state, police officers are tasked with enforcing
the law on road traffic matters.
With respect to the numbers to
which the member refers, I will let her know that in early September, a legacy
infringement management system operated by the police was replaced by a new
multi-million dollar system under the Minister for Road Safety's
portfolio. There has been a transition, so it may well be that there is a significant
administrative implication around that changeover from a legacy system to a much
more modern system. It may well be that there are many, many thousands of
infringements that are being processed in
that changeover process and that may have caused the apparent distortion in
numbers . I can say that there is no shortage of police officers in Western
Australia. Our police force is the best in the country; if not one of the best
in the world. I will continue to defend the police against the member's
baseless accusations.
(2) Not
applicable. There are more police today than there have ever been in Western Australia.
In fact, operating on all data—it is changing by the moment; I do not
know what happened there—the correct number
is 724 more police officers than when the member was in office. There are 724
more police officers in Western Australia than when the member was in
office, and today there are 7 201 officers. That is a 10 per cent growth in the
police force since this government came to office, and we are growing further.
Right now, 300 recruits are training at the Western Australia Police Academy. I
venture that more police will be trained
this year than at any other time in the history of the academy and we are
continuing to grow . We have the
greatest number of applicants to join the Western Australia Police Force
because morale is so high and the academy has enjoyed such a strong
reputation worldwide—including in Western Australia, of course. There
are extraordinary numbers joining under the Let's Join Forces campaign,
which we launched in 2020–21. Since
that time, there have been 9 880 applications from Western Australians to join
the Western Australia Police Force. That is almost 10 000 for a police force of
only 7 200 at the moment. From overseas, there have been almost 4 000
applications—3 880—making that more than 11 000 applying to join our police force of only 7 200, although it is growing. There are more
police on the roads than ever before. Every one of our police officers is a road
traffic cop because we do not isolate people and train them in only one element
of policing. Right across the state, police officers are tasked with enforcing
the law on road traffic matters.
With respect to the numbers to
which the member refers, I will let her know that in early September, a legacy
infringement management system operated by the police was replaced by a new
multi-million dollar system under the Minister for Road Safety's
portfolio. There has been a transition, so it may well be that there is a significant
administrative implication around that changeover from a legacy system to a much
more modern system. It may well be that there are many, many thousands of
infringements that are being processed in
that changeover process and that may have caused the apparent distortion in
numbers . I can say that there is no shortage of police officers in Western
Australia. Our police force is the best in the country; if not one of the best
in the world. I will continue to defend the police against the member's
baseless accusations.
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