WA Police will get two new breath and drug buses to enable the
significant expansion of alcohol and drug enforcement operations in metropolitan
and regional Western Australia.
The funding is contained in a $1.18billion budget for WA Police for
2011-12 - a 9.7 per cent or $104.2million increase from last year’s State
Budget.
Police and Road Safety Minister Rob Johnson said the allocation of
$2.1million to buy the buses, as well as $3.3million in the next four years to
cover recurrent costs, fulfilled an election promise by the State
Government.
Mr Johnson said the funding, with the decision to quarantine 100 per cent
of speed and red light camera revenue to the Road Trauma Trust Fund (RTTF) by
July 2012, highlighted the State Government’s push to target spending to provide
improved road safety for all West Australians.
“This Budget clearly reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the 12-year
Towards Zero road safety strategy,” he said.
“Alcohol is one of the main causes of road trauma and drivers with a
blood alcohol level of 0.08 or above are seven times more likely to be involved
in a crash.
“The two new drug buses will allow WA Police to expand their current
roadside testing from predominately alcohol testing to alcohol and drug
testing.
“It means greater traffic enforcement in regional WA, with police able to
carry out large-scale alcohol and drug enforcement operations in country areas.
This is not currently available with the older booze buses in the police
fleet.”
The Minister said the State Government had already flagged $50million in
a five-year period towards the enhanced speed enforcement program in the 2010-11
Mid-Year Review to maintain the efficiency of WA Police’s speed enforcement and
traffic infringement system.
“Along with alcohol, speed is the other biggest factor in road trauma and
it is essential that police have the most advanced systems to ensure motorists
abide by the speed limit to save lives and reduce serious injuries on our
roads,” he said.
Mr Johnson said the State Government would provide $4million in 2011-12
to cover costs associated with the hoon and unlicensed driver
legislation.
“About 20 per cent of unlicensed drivers are involved in serious crashes
in WA, posing a serious threat to themselves and other road users,” he said.
“These motorists and hoon drivers put lives at risk and do not deserve to
be on our roads.”
The Minister said the State Government had allocated considerable funds
to improve WA Police’s information technology (IT) systems which were
inadequately funded by the previous Labor government.
Mr Johnson said $68.4million would help maintain the WA Police’s
information and communications technology infrastructure during the next four
years, in addition to recurrent funding of $10million in the same
period.
“This funding will maintain reliable IT services, allowing officers to
access critical and timely information while on patrol,” he
said
“It will also allow for the adoption of new digital evidence capture
technologies, such as cameras within police vehicles, with a view to protecting
frontline staff and the public.”
The Minister said $53.6million in three years, as well as additional
recurrent funding of $12million in the same period, would help improve WAPOL’s
core business systems.
“This funding will allow WA Police to implement a modern investigative
case management system to support recently introduced investigative practice
doctrine and provide a greater degree of quality control, supervision and search
capacity,” he said.
Through the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program, an
allocation of $26.2million in recurrent funding during the next five years would
help establish the new community safety network and replace the ageing police
regional radio network.
This is in addition to the $80.3million in capital funding already
provided through State Government’s Royalties for Regions for the project. The
new network will also be used by FESA and Corrective
Services.
Other highlights in the 2011-12 Budget include:
· $25.6million for the new Western Suburbs Police
Hub
· $10million for a major upgrade to Curtin House in the
CBD
· $8million for a new police station in
Mundijong
· $40.8million towards the security operation for the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting.
Minister's office - 9222 9211
