The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to rebuilding Tasmania Police to help create a safer community.
We are making strong progress on delivering on our commitment of an additional 113 officers – restoring the 108 cut under the previous Labor-Green government and adding an extra five officers as part of our family violence action plan.
More police in communities across the State will help better protect all Tasmanians, including those on the frontline.
Today, I am pleased to announce a significant step forward in another initiative aimed at enhancing the safety of Tasmania Police officers.
Tasmania Police and the Police Association of Tasmania have reached an historic agreement on a new model for the appropriate dispatch of officers to incidents to ensure the safest possible operational environment.
Safety of police officers and the community is the priority of this Government
Under the new Response Model for Radio Dispatch Services (RDS), when a call comes through for police assistance an assessment will be made using all the available information. If that assessment requires more than one officer to attend, that’s what will happen.
The Response Model has been developed after broad consultation, and will assist with providing the appropriate resources across all policing incidents.
This breakthrough on officer safety would not have been possible without the Government employing an extra 113 police officers.
Police RDS will use the new Response Model to assist with identifying the risk factors at an incident and determining whether it is appropriate to send an officer working alone or whether a multimember response is needed.
Our fine Tasmanian Police officers deserve the same Workplace Health and Safety protections as any other employee – and this new agreement will deliver an historic change in policing work practices – utilising the Liberal Government’s extra 113 police officers that are being delivered over this term.
The new model will improve the safety of members of the public and of our Tasmania Police officers.
Rene Hidding, Minister for Police and Emergency Management
