Tasmania Police has today announced the completion of the Organisational Restructure Project, designed to create an organisational structure for the future.

The Project, which began in July, was driven by the need to operate within budget, with the aim of delivering an organisational structure making more effective and efficient use of our resources.

“Over the past months the Project Team has consulted widely both within Tasmania Police and with external stakeholders about the way forward,” said the Commissioner of Police, Darren Hine.

The Project has examined geographical boundaries, support commands and specialist units to design an operating structure for a workforce of 1,120 police officers.

The changes include closing two police stations, allocating additional police to areas of need and combining work units to improve flexibility of deployment in response to community needs.

“The outcome is a structure that provides optimal use of our resources, the flexibility to respond to community needs and minimises the impact on frontline policing.

“I am confident the new structure provides a positive way forward for Tasmania Police and the community we serve.  It will bring also bring certainty to our employees in what has been an unsettling period.

The new structure will be implemented by 1 July 2013.

NEW ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

Statewide Model

The restructure includes the creation of 3 new service delivery units for each District that will create a critical mass of officers with the skills to be deployed flexibly as required

• Road and Public Order Services (RPOS) unit; consisting of Traffic, Crash Investigation Services, Road Safety Taskforce personnel, Public Order Response Teams and Licencing. 
• Community Support Services (CSS); consisting of Victim Safety Response Teams, Early Intervention and Youth Action Units, Community Policing and PCYCs.
• Crime and Drug Investigation; combining CIB, Drug Investigation and Crime Management Units.

In addition, new models will be introduced in each District to reflect the reductions in personnel already announced.

Southern District

• Reduction of the Commander, Eastern District, position
• Close Risdon Vale Police Station and re-allocate the position to Bellerive
• Merge Sorell and Bellerive Divisions to create the South-East Division, abolish the Inspector’s position at Sorell
• Designate Oatlands a ‘Country Station’, reduce by one Constable and clustered with Bothwell, Kempton and Liawenee to provide flexibility for officers to work their shifts according to local needs and demands
• The reduction of further Inspector positions (East District Support Division & CIB), 2 Sergeant positions and 2 Constable positions
• 3 RPOS Constable positions and 1 Sergeant RPOS position will be re-allocated to Kingston, and one Constable each to New Norfolk and Sorell.  One CSS position will be re-allocated to Dunalley.

Northern District

• Merge George Town and St Helens Divisions to create the North-East Division, abolish the St Helens Inspector position
• Expand Deloraine Division to include the West Tamar area (Exeter and Beaconsfield)
• Close the Lilydale Police Station
• The further reduction of 2 Sergeant positions, 5 Constable positions
• A RPOS Sergeant will be re-allocated to District Support.

Western District

• Create a Central West Division.  Move the Inspector position to Ulverstone
• Designate Strahan, Rosebery and Zeehan as ‘Country Stations’ to allow greater flexibility of rostering in response to local demands
• Move Waratah to the new Central West Division to form part of a West Coast cluster arrangement with Strahan, Rosebery and Zeehan
• The reduction of the District Support Inspector position, one RPOS Sergeant position, 8 Constable positions (one each from Rosebery, Strahan, Western Marine, Forensic, Western CMU and 3 from RPOS)

Support Commands (changes include)

• Combine Marine and Search & Rescue Services to allow flexibility in deployment of personnel;
• Reduction of one Inspector position Investigative Support Services;
• Reduction of four Constable positions (two Forensic Services, State Community Services and one SIS);
• Reduction of one Inspector position, 2 Sergeant and one Constable positions from the Special Response and Counter-terrorism Unit.