Mr. Omodei questions the accuracy of police statements regarding rising pharmacy break-ins for ice ingredients and accuses the Minister of denying a police shortage. The Minister avoids providing statistics and makes a cryptic remark.

AnsweredQoN 723Legislative Assembly
Asked
21 November 2007
Portfolio
Police and Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

LAW AND ORDER - CRIME FIGURES
I have a supplementary question. Is the minister saying that the police blatantly lied on the television last night when they said that pharmacy break-ins were on the rise as criminals tried to obtain ingredients for ice? Mr J.C. KOBELKE

AnswerView source ↗

The issue of pharmacy break-ins is one small section. While the total number of break-ins might go down, the criminal element out there in the community shifts its mode of operation. What the police were alluding to is that there is now a real concern about people seeking to get precursor drugs to manufacture illegal drugs, and that has resulted in an increased number of pharmacy break-ins. Mr P.D. Omodei : Minister, why don’t you give us those police statistics? We are between 300 and 500 police short, and you know it. However, you denied it yesterday and you are denying it today. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : To use a quote, I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition slowly.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: The issue of pharmacy break-ins is one small section. While the total number of break-ins might go down, the criminal element out there in the community shifts its mode of operation. What the police were alluding to is that there is now a real concern about people seeking to get precursor drugs to manufacture illegal drugs, and that has resulted in an increased number of pharmacy break-ins. Mr P.D. Omodei : Minister, why don’t you give us those police statistics? We are between 300 and 500 police short, and you know it. However, you denied it yesterday and you are denying it today. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : To use a quote, I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition slowly.
The issue of pharmacy break-ins is one small section. While the total number of break-ins might go down, the criminal element out there in the community shifts its mode of operation. What the police were alluding to is that there is now a real concern about people seeking to get precursor drugs to manufacture illegal drugs, and that has resulted in an increased number of pharmacy break-ins. Mr P.D. Omodei : Minister, why don’t you give us those police statistics? We are between 300 and 500 police short, and you know it. However, you denied it yesterday and you are denying it today. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : To use a quote, I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition slowly.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Minister, why don’t you give us those police statistics? We are between 300 and 500 police short, and you know it. However, you denied it yesterday and you are denying it today. Mr J.C. KOBELKE : To use a quote, I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition slowly.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE : To use a quote, I am going to do the Leader of the Opposition slowly.

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