Senior Appointment to the Serious Organised Crime Unit

The Liberal Government took to the election a commitment to rebuild the police service and restore the Serious Organised Crime Capability.

I am delighted to announce that the Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) is now further resourced with the appointment of a senior Inspector to the Unit.

Detective Inspector Glenn Lathey, who has 28 years of investigation experience, has been appointed to SOCU and will also oversee the Fraud and eCrime Unit.

Detective Inspector Lathey moves to SOCU from Southern Drug Investigation Services and prior to that he spent four years as Inspector in the former Cold Case Unit.

Reinstating the Serious Organised Crime Capability was an important part of our election commitment. The former Labor-Green government cut police numbers and left Tasmania Police without the resources they needed.

In contrast, the Liberal Government will put an extra 108 police officers on our streets, rebuilding Tasmania Police to a complement of 1228 officers by the end of our first term.

Importantly, we have also reached an in-principle agreement for a 12-month pay freeze with the Police Association of Tasmania (PAT), which would ensure that frontline police are quarantined from any job cuts resulting from the remaining public service unions’ rejection of the pay freeze.

The sensible and welcome approach from PAT, if agreed to by members, will mean Tasmania Police has 108 extra police officers by the end of our first term in Government.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Police and Emergency Management