FACT SHEET #F11: ACT POLICING NUMBERS

What’s in the Budget on police resources?
2006-07 Budget will provide 60 positions to ACT Policing and in addition provide supplementary funding to the previously announced 20 positions in the 2004-05 Budget to enable those 20 positions to be fully implemented.  This translates to funding of an additional $30.4 million over the next four years. 

A joint study into policing needs undertaken by the ACT and the Australian Federal Police identified a shortfall of 107 staff as at the end of 2004.  The study acknowledged that any increase in police numbers was a matter for Government to consider and balance against other priorities. Government has agreed to respond fully to the recommendation.  Coupled with increases since July 2004 already announced in previous budgets, this year’s budget allows for the provision of the 107 target to be reached by 2008-09.

	Start up year	
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	
Budget						
2002-03	7					
2003-04						
2004-05	10	10				
2005-06				10	10	
2006-07			27	33		
Cumulative total	17	27	54	97	107	

How does the ACT compare to other States and Territories?
The use of the national average of police per 100,000 population should not be considered as the sole indicator of determining police resources. The national average should be considered among a suite of other indicators such as crime rates, clear up rates and overall expenditure on policing services.

Why is the ACT Government making this change?
The additional resources will give ACT Policing the capacity to increase police visibility, respond more effectively to high priority incidents and improve clearance rates.  

What effect will this have on the ACT’s bottom line?
In 2006-07 funding of $3.721 million; in 2007-08 $8.664 million; in 2008-09 $9.015 million; and in 2009-10 $9.015 million.