❓ Mrs Roberts questions the Minister for Police about detective vacancies and the impact on existing staff. The Minister assures the House that the vacancies are part of a planned expansion, not due to resourcing issues, and are part of a broader reform agenda.
AnsweredQoN 764Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — DETECTIVES
764. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
(1) Why are there an unprecedented 50 vacancies in detective
positions?
(2) Does the minister realise the extra stress and workload
this places on existing detectives?
(3) Can the minister explain why the last three detective
schools have not been full?
764. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
(1) Why are there an unprecedented 50 vacancies in detective
positions?
(2) Does the minister realise the extra stress and workload
this places on existing detectives?
(3) Can the minister explain why the last three detective
schools have not been full?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I thank the member for Midland for the question. She is quite right; we have
advertised for an additional 50 detectives, I think it is, right across the
state of Western Australia.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
can assure the house that this is in no way, shape or form linked to any
government resource issue. As part of our growth program in the 2013 election
commitment, Mr Speaker, you will recall that we committed to providing an
additional 550 police and police auxiliary officers, in addition to our 2008 commitment.
Part of that commitment was to train an additional 200 detectives, specifically
in response to some of the issues that had been raised as the commissioner and
I had gone out particularly to regional Western Australia, where we were told
that they wanted more detectives. We have therefore made provision for an
additional 200 detective positions. Contrary to the member for Midland's
assertion, we are on the way to achieving that growth of 200 additional
detectives by 2017. It is not linked to a resourcing issue. As members in this
house know, we are undergoing a reform agenda in policing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As part of that reform agenda, we are looking at the
construction of our policing teams in regional Western Australia in particular.
We have started that conversation in Albany, Broome, Geraldton and Bunbury. We
are looking at what will be an appropriate composition of detectives, police
officers and public servants in each of those districts to ensure they can
service the community.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Albany!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Members in this house will probably recall when I announced
some additional detectives would be provided in the member for Vasse's
electorate. We expect more announcements will be made as the reform project
continues to unfold across the rest of Western Australia.
I thank the member for Midland for the question. She is quite right; we have
advertised for an additional 50 detectives, I think it is, right across the
state of Western Australia.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
can assure the house that this is in no way, shape or form linked to any
government resource issue. As part of our growth program in the 2013 election
commitment, Mr Speaker, you will recall that we committed to providing an
additional 550 police and police auxiliary officers, in addition to our 2008 commitment.
Part of that commitment was to train an additional 200 detectives, specifically
in response to some of the issues that had been raised as the commissioner and
I had gone out particularly to regional Western Australia, where we were told
that they wanted more detectives. We have therefore made provision for an
additional 200 detective positions. Contrary to the member for Midland's
assertion, we are on the way to achieving that growth of 200 additional
detectives by 2017. It is not linked to a resourcing issue. As members in this
house know, we are undergoing a reform agenda in policing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As part of that reform agenda, we are looking at the
construction of our policing teams in regional Western Australia in particular.
We have started that conversation in Albany, Broome, Geraldton and Bunbury. We
are looking at what will be an appropriate composition of detectives, police
officers and public servants in each of those districts to ensure they can
service the community.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Albany!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Members in this house will probably recall when I announced
some additional detectives would be provided in the member for Vasse's
electorate. We expect more announcements will be made as the reform project
continues to unfold across the rest of Western Australia.
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