❓ Dr. Buti questions the lack of a 24/7 police station in Armadale, citing high crime rates. The Minister responds that resources are better allocated to mobile patrols, and the policing model is under review.
AnsweredQoN 13Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — ARMADALE —
24/7 PUBLIC ACCESS STATION
13. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for
Police:
In light of the fact that, outside
the Perth CBD, Armadale has the highest crime numbers for assault, home
burglary and car theft —
(1) Can the
minister please explain why the Armadale area does not have a 24/7 public
access police station?
(2) Why is the
south east metropolitan police district, in which Armadale is located, the only
metropolitan policing district to have only one 24/7 public access police
station, although all other metropolitan policing districts have two?
24/7 PUBLIC ACCESS STATION
13. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for
Police:
In light of the fact that, outside
the Perth CBD, Armadale has the highest crime numbers for assault, home
burglary and car theft —
(1) Can the
minister please explain why the Armadale area does not have a 24/7 public
access police station?
(2) Why is the
south east metropolitan police district, in which Armadale is located, the only
metropolitan policing district to have only one 24/7 public access police
station, although all other metropolitan policing districts have two?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Armadale for
the question. He has raised the question of a public access 24-hour police
station in Armadale a number of times in this place. I will repeat the previous
answers that I have given.
(1)–(2) A
24-hour police station provides an opportunity for people to drop into the
police station and report, or whatever it might be they choose to do. Looking
at who those people are, we often find that they are people reporting for bail
conditions or curfew requirements —
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : However, in answer to the member's question, I have
recently visited Armadale Police Station and spoken to the teams that are
working there. We would like to throw some more resources into the Armadale
policing teams. That was raised in that meeting and the commissioner is going
to work on that. A 24‑hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week police station would
effectively tie up resources in someone being behind a counter to answer
walk-ins who might come in through the front door during the evening. We then
also need to have a customer service officer there throughout the evening. The
numbers do not always add up. When I speak to people in Armadale, I ask them
whether they would rather have a couple of officers protecting a police station
—
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I have been out to community forums in Armadale a number of
times and I have met with groups there who are concerned about crime. I have
met with the shire and I have visited the police station with the commissioner.
The feedback that we have had from people in that community when faced with the
question whether they would rather have their money put behind manning a desk —
Dr
A.D. Buti : That's a lie!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Just withdraw that, please.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I withdraw that, Mr Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I ask whether they would rather have people sitting behind a
desk or those officers in a vehicle responding to calls from the community.
They always want the officers out in cars and available to them. That is the
model we are looking at. The south east metro district requiring two
24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week police stations is being reviewed as part of
the reform 2020 model.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If members had been paying attention over the summer break, we said that there
would be a review of the model. Out of that review, which included members from
the local policing teams and response teams, we are enacting changes to ensure
that the model will be effective in driving down crime and improving community
safety.
the question. He has raised the question of a public access 24-hour police
station in Armadale a number of times in this place. I will repeat the previous
answers that I have given.
(1)–(2) A
24-hour police station provides an opportunity for people to drop into the
police station and report, or whatever it might be they choose to do. Looking
at who those people are, we often find that they are people reporting for bail
conditions or curfew requirements —
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : However, in answer to the member's question, I have
recently visited Armadale Police Station and spoken to the teams that are
working there. We would like to throw some more resources into the Armadale
policing teams. That was raised in that meeting and the commissioner is going
to work on that. A 24‑hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week police station would
effectively tie up resources in someone being behind a counter to answer
walk-ins who might come in through the front door during the evening. We then
also need to have a customer service officer there throughout the evening. The
numbers do not always add up. When I speak to people in Armadale, I ask them
whether they would rather have a couple of officers protecting a police station
—
Dr
A.D. Buti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I have been out to community forums in Armadale a number of
times and I have met with groups there who are concerned about crime. I have
met with the shire and I have visited the police station with the commissioner.
The feedback that we have had from people in that community when faced with the
question whether they would rather have their money put behind manning a desk —
Dr
A.D. Buti : That's a lie!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Just withdraw that, please.
Dr
A.D. BUTI : I withdraw that, Mr Speaker.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I ask whether they would rather have people sitting behind a
desk or those officers in a vehicle responding to calls from the community.
They always want the officers out in cars and available to them. That is the
model we are looking at. The south east metro district requiring two
24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week police stations is being reviewed as part of
the reform 2020 model.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
If members had been paying attention over the summer break, we said that there
would be a review of the model. Out of that review, which included members from
the local policing teams and response teams, we are enacting changes to ensure
that the model will be effective in driving down crime and improving community
safety.
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