Investing in Greater Safety for Police Officers

The Liberal Government is committed to rebuilding Tasmania Police to improve the safety of the community and that of the officers themselves.

We understand that policing can be a dangerous occupation, with police officers potentially exposed to volatile situations in the course of a normal working day.

That’s why the Government is restoring police numbers by the 108 that were cut by the previous Labor-Green government, despite their promise at the 2010 election to increase numbers.

As the Police Association said earlier this year: “There is no substitute for adequate police numbers.”

We will restore police numbers to 1228 over the term of government, because we know that there is safety in numbers – for police on the beat, and for the Tasmanian people – on our roads and in our communities.

It’s also why we are investing in the roll out of multi-use integrated protection vests (MIPVs) to all police officers to be worn whenever an officer is on duty, whether in uniform or plain clothes.

These contemporary vests will ensure Tasmania Police officers have the best protection available in their role of keeping our community safe.

Not only will this initiative make our hard-working police officers safer, but we hope it will give added peace of mind for their families and friends.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Police and Emergency Management