❓ Question regarding police officer numbers and termination payments. The Minister acknowledges attrition challenges but claims WA is leading the nation in police retention and growing the force.
AnsweredQoN 481Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Police officers—Numbers
481. Mr David Bolt to
the Minister for Police:
I refer to last
financial year. This will be about numbers.
(1) How many sworn police officers were added to
the police force?
(2) How many sworn police officers left the police
force?
(3) Why have termination payments risen sharply
from $1.47 million in 2023–24 to $6.56 million last year?
481. Mr David Bolt to
the Minister for Police:
I refer to last
financial year. This will be about numbers.
(1) How many sworn police officers were added to
the police force?
(2) How many sworn police officers left the police
force?
(3) Why have termination payments risen sharply
from $1.47 million in 2023–24 to $6.56 million last year?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) As I said previously, there are
now more police officers in Western Australia on the force, on the beat, than
ever before, with a figure of 7,300-plus. Our academy at Joondalup is turning
out more than 1,000 officers a year. Attrition is a challenge, but the Western
Australia Police Force is dealing with that challenge better than any other in
the country. The rate of increase is greater than the rate of attrition. We are
growing the police force at a net level when other police forces are declining.
There is a challenge because it is a new economy, a new workforce world. It is
often the fact that 40 years ago, when police signed up and young graduates
came out of the academy, they would have a lifetime in the force. These days it
is much lower.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an interesting challenge that
is being faced by—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
to order for the third time.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an interesting challenge for police
forces across the globe, to militaries across the globe, because the new young
generation have a different attitude to career pathways. They have shorter
career spans in certain careers and this is something—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Churchlands, I call you for
the second time.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is something being addressed by
our police force in terms of how we become more flexible, the opportunities and
encouragement we give to police.
Mr Adam Hort interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an issue faced by police
forces around the world. Western Australia, in terms of our police force, is doing
a very good job in retaining more officers in comparison with other forces. We
are actually growing the force. There is always a challenge with retention, but
we are doing much better—indeed, we are leading the nation in terms of
the retention of police officers.
now more police officers in Western Australia on the force, on the beat, than
ever before, with a figure of 7,300-plus. Our academy at Joondalup is turning
out more than 1,000 officers a year. Attrition is a challenge, but the Western
Australia Police Force is dealing with that challenge better than any other in
the country. The rate of increase is greater than the rate of attrition. We are
growing the police force at a net level when other police forces are declining.
There is a challenge because it is a new economy, a new workforce world. It is
often the fact that 40 years ago, when police signed up and young graduates
came out of the academy, they would have a lifetime in the force. These days it
is much lower.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition!
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an interesting challenge that
is being faced by—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I call you
to order for the third time.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an interesting challenge for police
forces across the globe, to militaries across the globe, because the new young
generation have a different attitude to career pathways. They have shorter
career spans in certain careers and this is something—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Churchlands, I call you for
the second time.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is something being addressed by
our police force in terms of how we become more flexible, the opportunities and
encouragement we give to police.
Mr Adam Hort interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Kalamunda.
Mr Reece Whitby: This is an issue faced by police
forces around the world. Western Australia, in terms of our police force, is doing
a very good job in retaining more officers in comparison with other forces. We
are actually growing the force. There is always a challenge with retention, but
we are doing much better—indeed, we are leading the nation in terms of
the retention of police officers.
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