Delivery of policing services to the community will be enhanced with the allocation of 30 extra frontline police officers throughout the State.

The Acting Commissioner of Police, Scott Tilyard, said the allocation was based on a review of current resource distribution and an analysis of future needs – including demographics and crime and offence trends – designed to provide the most benefit to the Tasmanian community.

“This analysis enabled us to determine demands across the four geographical districts and provided information to determine where the additional police resources should be placed so they maximise benefits in delivering quality policing services,” Mr Tilyard said.

The announcement of where the 30 extra police officers would be deployed has been welcomed by the Minister for Police and Emergency Management, Lin Thorp.

“This Government has a proud record in working to keep Tasmanians safe, and it’s great to see the allocation of these 30 officers as promised in the leadup to the March State Election,” she said.

“The decision of how these additional resources will be deployed is an operational matter for Tasmania Police, however I’m confident this allocation will help to ensure Tasmania remains the safest state in the nation.”

Based of the evidence for current demands for police resources identified within the review, the new positions will be filled within the following areas:

• Operations Support:
  Establishment of a new Fraud and E-Crime unit – 4
• Northern District:
  Launceston Division – 4
  Northern Criminal Investigation Branch – 1
• Eastern District:
  Sorell Division – 1 (Dunalley)
  Bridgewater Division – 5
• Southern District:
  Hobart Division – 5
  Glenorchy Division – 5
  Kingston Division – 5 (to include 1 at Cygnet)

“These options provide several service delivery benefits, including a specialist capability to better respond to computer related fraud and e-crime,” Mr Tilyard said.

“It strengthens the policing presence in the Glenorchy, Hobart, Bridgewater and Launceston Divisions which have the highest demand for policing services across the State, and enhances country policing in the Cygnet and Dunalley sub-divisions, as well as increased policing coverage for the New Norfolk and Derwent Valley areas.

“Additional resources at the Kingston Division enhance rostering provisions that provide additional coverage on weekends and afternoons.

“The Western District has not been allocated additional resources at this time, as the analysis showed it currently has the highest ratio of police officers per head of population and a significantly lower level of offences than other districts.”

30 extra personnel were recruited and included as part of a course of 50 recruits.  This course (2/2010) commenced on 26 July 2010 and will graduate on 25 March 2011, increasing the current level of operational strength from 1,198 to 1,228.

Tasmania Police Media
(03) 6230 2867