❓ The Minister for Police provides an update on the McGowan government's commitment to recruit 950 additional police officers, highlighting recruitment progress, efforts to attract diverse candidates, and positive community engagement.
AnsweredQoN 333Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — RECRUITMENT
333. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Minister for Police:
I note the McGowan government's
unprecedented support for our frontline police force. Can the minister update the house on the work underway to deliver this
government's unprecedented commitment to recruit a record 950 additional police officers?
333. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Minister for Police:
I note the McGowan government's
unprecedented support for our frontline police force. Can the minister update the house on the work underway to deliver this
government's unprecedented commitment to recruit a record 950 additional police officers?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for her question
and acknowledge her deep knowledge and understanding of all things first responder and her great support for police in the
electorate of Dawesville. I also acknowledge you, Madam Speaker , as the
architect of this incredible increase in police numbers—950 over four
years, which is a 15 per cent increase in numbers. In the past financial year,
the objective of recruiting 350 additional police officers above attrition was achieved. I can report that as of 2 July, some 173
had graduated and by October, the remainder of that first tranche of officers
will have graduated from the academy. I can also confirm that a lot of effort
is going into attracting new recruits to fill these numbers. We have to do
another 200 every year for the next three years. We are out there telling
people what an attractive, exciting, interesting and diverse career path can be
offered in the Western Australia Police Force. There is a range of
advertising activities in the Let's Join Forces campaign, but also,
recently, I attended a jobs expo at the police academy. There was an
extraordinary turnout. Noting that it is the middle of winter and quite
miserable weather, several thousand people came. Some 1 200 potential recruits
preregistered for that day, so they would
have been amongst the crowd that attended. On the day, over 100 applications
were physically received by police from potential recruits. There were also
around 700 applications handed out to people on the day.
I also note that it was wonderful to
see not just what might in the past have been the expected recruitment target
audience for the police. We had a really diverse crowd there. There were a lot
of people from our culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The
Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests assisted in passing out the word through our networks and our community
connections that there are great jobs to be had, there is wonderful service to be delivered and everyone in Western Australia—all our
citizens—are sought to join in this effort to join forces with the Western
Australia Police Force and ensure that Western Australia remains the safest and
strongest part of the world to live in.
and acknowledge her deep knowledge and understanding of all things first responder and her great support for police in the
electorate of Dawesville. I also acknowledge you, Madam Speaker , as the
architect of this incredible increase in police numbers—950 over four
years, which is a 15 per cent increase in numbers. In the past financial year,
the objective of recruiting 350 additional police officers above attrition was achieved. I can report that as of 2 July, some 173
had graduated and by October, the remainder of that first tranche of officers
will have graduated from the academy. I can also confirm that a lot of effort
is going into attracting new recruits to fill these numbers. We have to do
another 200 every year for the next three years. We are out there telling
people what an attractive, exciting, interesting and diverse career path can be
offered in the Western Australia Police Force. There is a range of
advertising activities in the Let's Join Forces campaign, but also,
recently, I attended a jobs expo at the police academy. There was an
extraordinary turnout. Noting that it is the middle of winter and quite
miserable weather, several thousand people came. Some 1 200 potential recruits
preregistered for that day, so they would
have been amongst the crowd that attended. On the day, over 100 applications
were physically received by police from potential recruits. There were also
around 700 applications handed out to people on the day.
I also note that it was wonderful to
see not just what might in the past have been the expected recruitment target
audience for the police. We had a really diverse crowd there. There were a lot
of people from our culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The
Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests assisted in passing out the word through our networks and our community
connections that there are great jobs to be had, there is wonderful service to be delivered and everyone in Western Australia—all our
citizens—are sought to join in this effort to join forces with the Western
Australia Police Force and ensure that Western Australia remains the safest and
strongest part of the world to live in.
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