August 31 2018 Cuts to police budget destroy morale The $250 million cuts to the police budget by the McGowan Labor government have destroyed police morale and stretched the thin blue line so far it is threatening the ongoing safety of our community, the Liberal Opposition said today. Shadow Minister for Police Peter Katsambanis said a poll of members of the WA Police Union showed our custodians of community safety felt let down by the McGowan Government. “It’s time the Premier and the Minister started supporting our police,” Mr Katsambanis said. “Our police officers do not believe the McGowan Government is appropriately resourcing the WA police force and that law and order is not a priority for the McGowan Government. “The Government’s failure to adequately resource WA Police and its failure to prioritise law and order is putting community safety at risk. “The budget cuts add to the Government dudding WA police on the pay deal they were promised, their failure to provide police with the safety equipment they need and their failure to deliver on their promise to provide a compensation and redress scheme. “When our own front line officers do not believe the Government cares about law and order, the community must feel vulnerable and deeply concerned.” Mr Katsambanis said the Minister for Police needed to detail her plan to rebuild morale in the police force. “When only 2.8 per cent of police feel they are appropriately resourced, it is going to have a lasting impact on morale,” Mr Katsambanis said. “The Government needs to take swift and decisive action to show it respects our front line officers and that law and order is a priority. “To date, their decisions have shown they don’t care about our officers, and extrapolating that, they don’t care about the safety of our community.” Media Contact |
