Nats pledge$15m for community police officers

The Nationals WA have announced a commitment to address antisocial behaviour and safety through a Pilbara community policing initiative.

Candidate for the Pilbara Brendon Grylls has announced a commitment to provide $15 million over four years to employ 15 community police officers in Port Hedland, Newman and Karratha to address antisocial behaviour and safety if the Nationals are elected in the State election.

Mr Grylls said he believed community safety was paramount and he wanted to make the Pilbara a safer place for all residents.

“Community values are important and the rate of criminal behaviour in Pilbara communities needs to be addressed,” he said.

“Community concern over antisocial behaviour is at an all-time high. Providing additional police officers who specialise in community policing is a vital step in addressing these problems.”

The policy commits funding to WA Police for extra community police officers where the additional resources will allow early response to antisocial behaviour, as well as police resources to work with local communities on measures to prevent local crime, according to Mr Grylls.

The latest policy announcement builds on the commitment to address juvenile crime in a Statewide policy that includes the establishment of regional managed youth behavioural facilities and working with at-risk families on keeping children in education, and parenting support programs, drug and alcohol education programs and support for families battling with domestic violence or mental health concerns.

The policy comes after significant statistics came to light showing the number of police call-outs in Port Hedland and South Hedland collectively were more than six times higher than in metropolitan WA. Mr Grylls has been on a campaign launch over the past week in Karratha, Newman and Port Hedland, where he has announced various policies including the much-scrutinised $5 mining tax increase and payroll tax exemptions for residential mining employees.