❓ The Minister for Police provides an update on the success of police recruitment campaigns, both in Australia and overseas, highlighting the high number of applicants and increased training capacity to meet demand. The response is overwhelmingly positive, showcasing the WA Police Force's strong reputation and resources.
AnsweredQoN 706Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE —
RECRUITMENT
706. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
efforts to boost the number of police officers in Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the outcomes
of the recruitment campaigns in Australia and overseas?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on what measures are being implemented to support the
overwhelming demand to join the Western Australia Police Force from both international
and local applicants?
RECRUITMENT
706. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
efforts to boost the number of police officers in Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the outcomes
of the recruitment campaigns in Australia and overseas?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house on what measures are being implemented to support the
overwhelming demand to join the Western Australia Police Force from both international
and local applicants?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for his question and for his wholehearted support of the Western
Australia Police Force. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Western Australia is
doing incredibly well in attracting police recruits who are interested in
applying to join our police force. The campaign in the United Kingdom and
Ireland earlier this year was extraordinarily successful, to the extent that we
had some 1 438 applicants from across the UK, Ireland and New Zealand. We have
welcomed the very first squad of those officers who have been selected. We get
to choose the best because we have so many applicants. Only a week or so ago I was
at the academy welcoming the very first squad of transition officers. Of the 27
internationals, 23 are Brits, three are Irish officers and there are a couple
of Kiwis. We also got a couple of New South Welsh officers—I will not
say ''men'' because there were women as well—and one Western
Australian returning police officer. That is the first transition squad. They
are all experienced, with a minimum of three years, but many of them have done
far more than that. These are experienced officers who will bolster the
experience of our Western Australia Police Force. They require only half the
length of training. It is transitional training. They will be finished by
Christmas and out on the streets serving the Western Australian population in
the new year.
At the same time, we have had
incredible success in attracting good Western Australians who are stepping
forward to serve in our Western Australia Police Force in, I would say,
unprecedented numbers. We had something like 1 600 applicants from within the Western
Australian community who wanted to join the Western
Australia Police Force. That is a huge number. Coupled together, we have to do
something to get them through the academy, so we have doubled the
throughput. We are now training 1 000 officers over a 12-month period and
putting them through at double the normal rate. The last graduation I went to
had three squads. The next will probably have the same number and it will go on
like that into the foreseeable future. We will continue to recruit from
overseas, probably for the next five years. We have a labour agreement to take
150 a year. As I said, we are attracting many hundreds. Over time, it will be
thousands. Therefore, we can select the best. That portends well for the Western
Australia Police Force and the community. It also undeniably confirms that the Western
Australia Police Force enjoys an incredible reputation for professionalism. Our
police officers have very high morale and are well led. We have the
best-resourced police force in the country, if not equal to any in the world.
That is a good thing for Western Australia.
thank the member for his question and for his wholehearted support of the Western
Australia Police Force. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Western Australia is
doing incredibly well in attracting police recruits who are interested in
applying to join our police force. The campaign in the United Kingdom and
Ireland earlier this year was extraordinarily successful, to the extent that we
had some 1 438 applicants from across the UK, Ireland and New Zealand. We have
welcomed the very first squad of those officers who have been selected. We get
to choose the best because we have so many applicants. Only a week or so ago I was
at the academy welcoming the very first squad of transition officers. Of the 27
internationals, 23 are Brits, three are Irish officers and there are a couple
of Kiwis. We also got a couple of New South Welsh officers—I will not
say ''men'' because there were women as well—and one Western
Australian returning police officer. That is the first transition squad. They
are all experienced, with a minimum of three years, but many of them have done
far more than that. These are experienced officers who will bolster the
experience of our Western Australia Police Force. They require only half the
length of training. It is transitional training. They will be finished by
Christmas and out on the streets serving the Western Australian population in
the new year.
At the same time, we have had
incredible success in attracting good Western Australians who are stepping
forward to serve in our Western Australia Police Force in, I would say,
unprecedented numbers. We had something like 1 600 applicants from within the Western
Australian community who wanted to join the Western
Australia Police Force. That is a huge number. Coupled together, we have to do
something to get them through the academy, so we have doubled the
throughput. We are now training 1 000 officers over a 12-month period and
putting them through at double the normal rate. The last graduation I went to
had three squads. The next will probably have the same number and it will go on
like that into the foreseeable future. We will continue to recruit from
overseas, probably for the next five years. We have a labour agreement to take
150 a year. As I said, we are attracting many hundreds. Over time, it will be
thousands. Therefore, we can select the best. That portends well for the Western
Australia Police Force and the community. It also undeniably confirms that the Western
Australia Police Force enjoys an incredible reputation for professionalism. Our
police officers have very high morale and are well led. We have the
best-resourced police force in the country, if not equal to any in the world.
That is a good thing for Western Australia.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.