A Tasmanian Labor government will act on Police Association concerns and give police the resources and support they need to do their jobs and keep Tasmanians safe.
The Police Association of Tasmania Conference in Hobart today has highlighted police concerns about their capacity to deal with serious incidents without putting police officers or the community at risk.
The Association says 140 officers need to be recruited this financial year just to implement the commitments made by the Liberals at the last election and to replace those who have left the service – but just 80 have been brought in so far, indicating a significant shortfall.
Tasmania is also the only state without a dedicated, full-time Special Operations Group, despite the government promising in the 2020 budget to employ 20 full-time officers by 2024.
And we are the only state without general purpose police dogs, even though they are crucial across a range of important policing areas.
Labor supports the Police Association’s push for the government to deliver on these promises – and we commit to funding a full-time Special Operations Groups, as well as three general purpose police dogs – one each in the south, north and north-west.
A Labor government would also act on the recommendations made by the Winter Review into workers compensation and wellbeing from 2021 as well as the Wise Lord Ferguson Review into WHS from 2020 to ensure they are not only implemented but that they are assessed to understand what difference they are making.
Labor will also develop a strategic workforce plan and assist the Police Department to deliver on the need for research to better understand the workload in urban areas and ensure effective recruitment and retention policies are devised and followed.
Our police put their lives on the line every day and many live with trauma as a result of doing their jobs – they deserve every support we can offer to not only keep the community safe, but also to keep our dedicated police officers safe.
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
