❓ WA Police staffing levels are detailed, including authorised and actual FTE for police officers by district and unsworn staff by employment category as of January 2026. The response highlights variations due to officer movement and vacancies.
AnsweredQoN 1516Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) What is the current FTE police staffing allocation: (a) In total; (b) For each policing district in the metropolitan area; and (c) For each policing district in regional Western Australia? (2) What is the current actual FTE police staffing: (a) In total; (b) For each policing district in the metropolitan area; and (c) For each policing district in regional Western Australia? (3) What is the current FTE staffing allocation for all unsworn staff in the WA Police Force, broken down by category of employment? (4) What is the current actual FTE for all unsworn staff in the WA Police Force, broken down by category of employment?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 February 2026
Responded by
Minister for Police
Response time
2 days
Statistics in Tables 1 & 2 do not include police officers in other portfolios including Specialist Policing Services.
Police officers regularly move across the agency and there will always be a varying number of positions, at any time, where the incumbent has vacated a position and the newly selected officer is yet to arrive, creating a vacancy for a period of time.
(1) As at 29 January 2026:
(a) 7,331 Authorised FTE (police officers).
(b-c)
Table 1: Authorised FTE (police officers) by policing district
DISTRICT/DIVISION
Authorised FTE
Armadale District
292.75
Cannington District
301.00
Fremantle District
297.65
Goldfields-Esperance District
242.00
Great Southern District
212.00
Joondalup District
303.00
Kimberley District
296.00
Mandurah District
342.00
Metropolitan Regional Office
5.00
Mid West-Gascoyne District
279.00
Midland District
300.50
Mirrabooka District
300.00
Perth District
462.50
Pilbara District
260.00
Regional WA Regional Office
7.00
South West District
307.00
Wheatbelt District
175.00
(2) As at 29 January 2026:
(a) 7,341 Headcount, 7,112.09 Actual FTE (police officers).
(b-c)
Table 2: Actual FTE and Headcount (police officers) by policing district
DISTRICT/DIVISION
Headcount
Actual FTE
Armadale District
275
269.33
Cannington District
276
274.52
Fremantle District
276
270.63
Goldfields-Esperance District
211
206.50
Great Southern District
204
197.75
Joondalup District
297
287.15
Kimberley District
266
260.40
Mandurah District
338
326.08
Metropolitan Regional Office
28
20.60
Mid West-Gascoyne District
270
265.90
Midland District
283
277.98
Mirrabooka District
283
276.08
Perth District
394
395.68
Pilbara District
238
232.45
Regional WA Regional Office
48
29.50
South West District
287
275.15
Wheatbelt District
162
157.35
(3-4) As at 29 January 2026:
· 2,026.38 Authorised FTE (Police Staff).
· 2,141.66 Actual FTE (Police Staff).
Employee Category
Headcount
Full-time
Part-time
Total
Total Police Staff
1,992
368
2,360
Notes:
· Authorised FTE is the number of permanently funded positions within the WA Police Force.
· Actual FTE is a standardised unit of measure for all employees directly paid by the WA Police Force through its payroll. It is calculated from the number of normal hours paid on the last pay day.
· Headcount is a snap shot of the number of employees in the Agency.
· Police Staff does not include Wages Staff or employees of the Road Safety Commission.
Police officers regularly move across the agency and there will always be a varying number of positions, at any time, where the incumbent has vacated a position and the newly selected officer is yet to arrive, creating a vacancy for a period of time.
(1) As at 29 January 2026:
(a) 7,331 Authorised FTE (police officers).
(b-c)
Table 1: Authorised FTE (police officers) by policing district
DISTRICT/DIVISION
Authorised FTE
Armadale District
292.75
Cannington District
301.00
Fremantle District
297.65
Goldfields-Esperance District
242.00
Great Southern District
212.00
Joondalup District
303.00
Kimberley District
296.00
Mandurah District
342.00
Metropolitan Regional Office
5.00
Mid West-Gascoyne District
279.00
Midland District
300.50
Mirrabooka District
300.00
Perth District
462.50
Pilbara District
260.00
Regional WA Regional Office
7.00
South West District
307.00
Wheatbelt District
175.00
(2) As at 29 January 2026:
(a) 7,341 Headcount, 7,112.09 Actual FTE (police officers).
(b-c)
Table 2: Actual FTE and Headcount (police officers) by policing district
DISTRICT/DIVISION
Headcount
Actual FTE
Armadale District
275
269.33
Cannington District
276
274.52
Fremantle District
276
270.63
Goldfields-Esperance District
211
206.50
Great Southern District
204
197.75
Joondalup District
297
287.15
Kimberley District
266
260.40
Mandurah District
338
326.08
Metropolitan Regional Office
28
20.60
Mid West-Gascoyne District
270
265.90
Midland District
283
277.98
Mirrabooka District
283
276.08
Perth District
394
395.68
Pilbara District
238
232.45
Regional WA Regional Office
48
29.50
South West District
287
275.15
Wheatbelt District
162
157.35
(3-4) As at 29 January 2026:
· 2,026.38 Authorised FTE (Police Staff).
· 2,141.66 Actual FTE (Police Staff).
Employee Category
Headcount
Full-time
Part-time
Total
Total Police Staff
1,992
368
2,360
Notes:
· Authorised FTE is the number of permanently funded positions within the WA Police Force.
· Actual FTE is a standardised unit of measure for all employees directly paid by the WA Police Force through its payroll. It is calculated from the number of normal hours paid on the last pay day.
· Headcount is a snap shot of the number of employees in the Agency.
· Police Staff does not include Wages Staff or employees of the Road Safety Commission.
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