40 ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS OVER FIVE YEARS

The Stanhope Government is continuing its ongoing commitment to combating crime in the capital and making Canberra an even safer place to live with further spending on policing in the 2005-06 Budget.

“In this Budget, the Government has moved to increase police strength allowing for two additional 24-hour patrols to address front line response across north and south Canberra.  

“$1.1 million has been allocated for a ten sworn officers to patrol to the North District covering Canberra City, Belconnen and Gungahlin, taking effect from July 1, 2007. Another $1.1 million will be available from 1 July 2008 allowing for a second patrol of ten sworn officers to be allocated to the South District covering south Canberra, Woden and Tuggeranong. 

“These new patrols are in addition to the extra 20 police committed in the 2004-05 Budget – ten of which will be coming on stream from 1 July 2005.  The overall effect is an increase of 40 sworn police between 2004-05 and 2008-09.

“This increase will enhance the capacity of ACT Policing to respond to its general duties, investigative and inquiry functions.”

Mr Hargreaves said this increase represents a continuation of the investment of the Stanhope Government in increasing policing strength, with approximately $6 million allocated over 4 years in the 2002-03 Budget, $7.7 million allocated over 4 years in the 2004-05 Budget and now $3.3 million over four years.

“Funding these policing initiatives reflects this Government’s ongoing commitment to make Canberra a safer place and continue our effort to build a safe, cohesive community in which to live,” Mr Hargreaves said.

“As from 1 July 2005 this Government has also committed recurrent funding of $100,000 to assist in the establishment of an ACT register to track child sex offenders. The ACT register will be part of a national register of sex offenders.  

“Under the register anyone convicted of sexual or other serious offences against children will be legally obliged to notify police of their address, places they frequent, car registration and other personal details.

“Monitoring the movements and activities of convicted child sex offenders is an important measure for this Government to guarantee the safety of our children.
“Additionally, as part of the Government’s new capital works program, an extra $500,000 has been provided to further progress construction of the Woden Police Station – this is on top of the $7.3 million already committed to the new Station.

“ACT Policing will also commence work into scoping and siting a new Belconnen Police Station with $200,000 made available in this Budget for a feasibility study. The feasibility study will be used as a basis for a 2006-07 capital works proposal for construction of a new station.

“Canberra is one of Australia’s safest cities but crime strikes at the heart of our community by diminishing family and neighbourhood feelings of safety and well-being.  For this reason, this Government is committed to making Canberrans feel safe in their homes and communities through additional funding to ACT policing.”
Statement ends