Police Investment never better than under a Liberal Government

The Tasmanian Rockliff Liberal Government continues to do what matters for all Tasmanians by keeping Tasmanians safe.

The Rockliff Liberal Government has invested over $730 million in additional funding in Tasmania Police to rebuild our police service and support our officers.

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Felix Ellis, said that as a result, there are more police in Tasmania than there have ever been before.

“In New Norfolk we have grown police numbers by 5 additional police, taking the total number of police to 14 officers, and built a new $5 million station. We have also doubled the number of police at Bridgewater Police Station since 2014, which now has 50 officers and will benefit from a new $12.5 million new station,” Minister Ellis said.

With more police officers, the Tasmanian Liberal Government has delivered:

• A new Crime and Intelligence Command, to crack down on organised crime including drug trafficking;

• A new Family and Sexual Violence Command, to support victim-survivors of family and sexual violence and hold perpetrators to account;

• A Road Policing Unit with Tasmania now having one of the highest ratios of road policing in the country; and

• The re-establishment of a full time Special Operations Group supported by more than $4.6 million into this working unit’s infrastructure and tools.

“Our Government has invested significantly in our police infrastructure and have opened new state-of-the-art police stations at New Norfolk, Longford and Sorell. We have upgraded the Launceston Station, and will deliver new stations in Bridgewater, St Helens, and Rosebery.

“We have invested $22.9 million to upgrade police houses across Tasmania to support our regional police officers and have introduced the Country Relief Policy so that we have more police in our regions.”

In comparison, Labor’s track record when it comes to policing is atrocious:

• They sacked 1 in 10 police officers and 25 per cent of the supporting departmental staff;

• Police recruitment courses were axed;

• The cold case unit was closed;

• The road safety unit was merged, and police had to do more work off the side of their desk with less;

• Police stations and police houses were left to rot; and

• There was no investment made in our regions.

When it comes to keeping our community safe, Labor cannot be trusted and their record speaks for itself.