Question On Notice No. 1440 asked in the Legislative Council on 28 June 2018 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Police
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to Legislative Council questions on notice Nos 735 and 1404, and the Minister's refusal to answer specific questions asked by me and the Minister's now breach of Section 82 of the Financial Management Act 2006, and I ask for the third time in relation to Protective Service Officers (PSO) employed by the Western Australia Police:
(a) as of 1 January 2018, how many PSO are engaged by Western Australia Police;
(b) in the 2017-18 budget, how much FTE is allocated to the employment of PSO; and
(c) I refer to an article published on 3 March 2018, WA Police Union claims protective service officers victims of cost cutting, and I ask:
(i) how many PSO will be re-deployed or offered the opportunity to become full police officer's;
(ii) based upon the 'fresh assessment', how many PSO does Western Australia Police require; and
(iii) does the Minister support the reduction in PSO FTE and what role did she have in instigating such a change?
Answered on 12 September 2018
The assertions within the Member’s question are not accepted.
The Western Australia Police Force advise that as at 30 June 2018 there are 36 Protective Services Officers (PSO). The WA Police Force further advise that the number of PSO offered the opportunity to become police officers is contingent on the number of PSO who wish to undertake the training and the number of PSO assessed as suitable to become police officers. The Commissioner of Police is responsible for the deployment of Protective Services Officers. In answer to Legislative Assembly question 2792, it was advised that under the Protective Service Officer realignment, PSO are assigned to Parliament House on sitting days until Parliament rises, and on non-sitting days PSO will be deployed in a variable patrol cycle which includes Parliament House, the Parliament and Executive Government Precinct and police sites.