Mr WARREN - 2005-08-16
You may have noticed a little while ago we were joined in the gallery by members of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Community Police Officers. Can the minister please provide an update on the impact the government’s Building our Police Force plan is having on this important part of the police force?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. It was great to see the new ACPOs in training in the gallery today.
Over the last two years, members and Territorians have certainly seen the impact of the government’s commitment to our police force, as our $75m Building our Police Force plan rolls out across the Northern Territory. We have committed to an extra 200 police out on the beat by the end of 2006. I am pleased to advise today that there are now 120 extra police on the beat, with 80 more on the way. On Friday, it was good to be at the college at Berrimah to see another 20 police officers graduate into the Northern Territory Police Force, eight of whom are to go to Alice Springs.
Importantly, the Building our Police Force plan is not just about policing in our urban centres. One of the important commitments we made was to recruit an additional 28 ACPOs across the Northern Territory, and move from having Aboriginal Community Police Officers serving in isolation as one law enforcement officer in remote communities across the Northern Territory, to having two in each of those communities. I am pleased to say that results are already being achieved. From 30 June 2003 to 31 July 2005, the number of ACPOs in the Northern Territory Police Force grew from 42 to 57. An extra 15 ACPOs are now on patrol around the Northern Territory.
The eight officers here today from ACPO Squad 10 are testament to the recruitment efforts under way. They joined the force in February this year, and they are now playing an important role in building safer communities, because this is what this is about – safer communities in Nguiu, Beswick, Finke, Milikapiti, Barunga, Katherine and Santa Teresa. I know those communities are very appreciative of the extra presence.
Applications have also just closed for a new 10-position ACPO squad which will get under way in October. The briefing I had from the commissioner yesterday revealed that something like 47 people applied for that particular squad. With the advertising campaign, we are seeing more people apply for these positions, which I am absolutely pleased to see.
As well as recruiting additional Aboriginal Community Police Officers, we were pleased to deliver, for the first time, the same conditions of service to Aboriginal Community Police Officers in the bush as for fully-sworn police officers. What that means is that those ACPOs are now receiving remote area allowances and fares out of isolated locations, consistent with those provided to fully-sworn police officers.
A commitment in the budget, it has been a long-running issue. I am sure that all members of this House who serve those remote communities with local government councils will know that it has been the issue of who funds, runs and maintains the vehicles for ACPOs in remote communities. Previously, community government councils had to fund those vehicles themselves. We will spend $2m to take over the cost of running those vehicles over the next few years, and work is under way to work with communities to roll out that additional funding.
To the eight ACPOs who were here today, I wish you all the best in your career, as I am sure the House does. We will send the Parliamentary Record to them. On behalf of all members, I thank our ACPOs who do a magnificent job in serving and protecting the people of the Northern Territory. We will continue to support those ACPOs in their career.
Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Goyder for his question. It was great to see the new ACPOs in training in the gallery today.
Over the last two years, members and Territorians have certainly seen the impact of the government’s commitment to our police force, as our $75m Building our Police Force plan rolls out across the Northern Territory. We have committed to an extra 200 police out on the beat by the end of 2006. I am pleased to advise today that there are now 120 extra police on the beat, with 80 more on the way. On Friday, it was good to be at the college at Berrimah to see another 20 police officers graduate into the Northern Territory Police Force, eight of whom are to go to Alice Springs.
Importantly, the Building our Police Force plan is not just about policing in our urban centres. One of the important commitments we made was to recruit an additional 28 ACPOs across the Northern Territory, and move from having Aboriginal Community Police Officers serving in isolation as one law enforcement officer in remote communities across the Northern Territory, to having two in each of those communities. I am pleased to say that results are already being achieved. From 30 June 2003 to 31 July 2005, the number of ACPOs in the Northern Territory Police Force grew from 42 to 57. An extra 15 ACPOs are now on patrol around the Northern Territory.
The eight officers here today from ACPO Squad 10 are testament to the recruitment efforts under way. They joined the force in February this year, and they are now playing an important role in building safer communities, because this is what this is about – safer communities in Nguiu, Beswick, Finke, Milikapiti, Barunga, Katherine and Santa Teresa. I know those communities are very appreciative of the extra presence.
Applications have also just closed for a new 10-position ACPO squad which will get under way in October. The briefing I had from the commissioner yesterday revealed that something like 47 people applied for that particular squad. With the advertising campaign, we are seeing more people apply for these positions, which I am absolutely pleased to see.
As well as recruiting additional Aboriginal Community Police Officers, we were pleased to deliver, for the first time, the same conditions of service to Aboriginal Community Police Officers in the bush as for fully-sworn police officers. What that means is that those ACPOs are now receiving remote area allowances and fares out of isolated locations, consistent with those provided to fully-sworn police officers.
A commitment in the budget, it has been a long-running issue. I am sure that all members of this House who serve those remote communities with local government councils will know that it has been the issue of who funds, runs and maintains the vehicles for ACPOs in remote communities. Previously, community government councils had to fund those vehicles themselves. We will spend $2m to take over the cost of running those vehicles over the next few years, and work is under way to work with communities to roll out that additional funding.
To the eight ACPOs who were here today, I wish you all the best in your career, as I am sure the House does. We will send the Parliamentary Record to them. On behalf of all members, I thank our ACPOs who do a magnificent job in serving and protecting the people of the Northern Territory. We will continue to support those ACPOs in their career.
Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016