No. 44
 
ACT BUDGET MEETS NEED FOR 107 POLICE 

The ACT Government is to spend an additional $28.7 million to fund an extra 60 police officers for ACT Policing which will see a total of 107 extra positions funded between July 2004 and 2008-09.

Minister for Policing and Emergency Services Simon Corbell said the additional money had been provided for over the next four years.

“Funding for 27 new positions will be delivered from 1 July 2006, and a further 33 police positions from July 2007. This investment demonstrates the Government’s ongoing commitment to address crime and make Canberra an even safer place,” he said.

 “These 60 new positions are in addition to the extra 20 police committed in the 2005‑06 Budget.  The overall effect is an increase in 80 positions between 2006‑07 and 2008‑09.  The funding for the 60 positions in the 2006‑07 Budget totals $28.7 million.  This is in addition to $3.3 million for the 20 police included in the 2005‑06 Budget.  

“While 20 positions had been provided in the previous budget, the ACT Government is also making available supplementary funding to fully implement those 20 positions, on top of the funding being provided for the 60 new positions.  This supplementary funding will realise an additional investment of $1.7 million over four years from the 2006-07 Budget.

“A joint study into policing needs undertaken by the ACT and the AFP identified a shortfall of 107 positions as at June 2004.  Previous years’ budgets have seen 47 positions already provided since June 2004.  The 2006-07 budget allows the ACT Government to provide an additional 60 positions on top of those 47, resulting in a total of 107 positions provided between July 2004 and 2008-09.

“This increase will enhance the overall capacity of ACT Policing to respond more effectively to the ACT community in various ways, including increased police visibility, better response times to high priority incidents and improved clearance rates.

Mr Corbell said these funds represent a continued investment by the ACT Government to increase police strength, with $5.8m allocated over four years in the 2002-03 Budget, $7.7 million allocated over four years in the 2004-05 Budget, $3.3 million over four years in the 2005-06 Budget and now a further $30.4 million over four years.

“Funding these positions reflects this Government’s ongoing commitment to build a safe, cohesive community in which to live. Canberra continues to be one of Australia’s safest cities but this Government will not rest on its laurels and become complacent in targeting crime.

“The funding announced for police in this Budget is just part of the Government’s overall response to target crime and sends a very clear message of how seriously the Stanhope Government is committed to providing for a safe community.”