SA Police denies North Tce crime crackdown sparked by parliament, says extra officers for CBD will work on their days off

SA’s acting police commissioner has denied an abrupt U-turn on CBD policing is because of MP complaints – revealing extra officers in the CBD will rely on volunteers.

Police officers will be asked to work in the CBD on their days off to quell ongoing violent crime, as the state government pledges a uniformed “surge” to address community fears. 

Dozens of CBD workers and shop owners have expressed fears for their safety since the current problem first emerged in March.

In a remarkable backflip on Thursday – after denying the extent of the problem for months – SAPOL has revealed reinforcement volunteers would patrol city streets to deter crime. 

Acting Commissioner Linda Williams said officers would not be taken from other areas of Adelaide, but instead an existing voluntary scheme would be used.

“Officers will come in from the districts, but they will come in on a voluntary basis,’’ she said.

Police Minister Joe Szakacs and SAPOL Acting Commissioner Linda Williams. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

GO HERE TO SEE THE ADELAIDE CBD CRIME STATISTICS

“We have a register of people who are willing to volunteer (and be paid) on their days off, and we have a lot of volunteers on our register.

“We use it for football matches, we use it for the cricket, we use it for Fringe.”

Police have also asked the state government to extend the West End CBD-declared public precinct area and its hours of operation to give patrols extra powers.

Throughout this year police have denied there is a crime problem in the CBD, despite constant reports in the media.

Dozens of businesses and others have complained they are unsafe in the city, and there have been multiple stabbings and other assaults.

Despite the complaints, Commissioner Grant Stevens falsely claimed crime had gone down, that the media were exaggerating the problem, and that police should not have to attend every incident reported.

But action finally came on Thursday after politicians took to the media to describe their late night fears around Parliament House, while a woman was slashed overnight at a convenience store almost directly across North Tce.

Police Minister Joe Szakacs on Thursday announced a “surge” of sweeping changes to police operations, and said he had instructed that officers “throw the book” at violent offenders.

“Anyone who comes to the CBD regardless of whether it’s day or night deserves to feel safe at all times,’’ he said.

In April a security guard was stabbed by an attacker only days after Commissioner Stevens declared the CBD “safe”.

While North Tce was the focus of Thursday’s announcement, many crime hot spots in the CBD will be the subject of new police operations.

SA Police will increase mobile and foot patrols as well as mounted operations to address anti-social behaviour and offences through a “highly visible presence”, Mr Szakacs said.

Several policing areas such as Licensing Enforcement Branch, State Operations Support Branch, Road Policing Section, Mounted Operations Unit, and Security Response Section will be mobilised as part of the strong response.

Premier Peter Malinauskas welcomed the announcement SAPOL would bolster its presence in the CBD.

“I’m very grateful that SAPOL have announced the step-up in operational resources to have a greater presence on the ground because it does make a difference,” he said.

Asked whether he understood the CBD crime rate to be going up or down, Mr Malinauskas said “anecdotally, absolutely in some pockets I think there has been an increase in antisocial behaviour”.

“And that warrants a response, a strong response and a timely one as well,” he said.

“In recent weeks I’ve had meetings with traders, particularly around North Terrace, and that has absolutely satisfied me that we need to step up in response from government services, including police but also in other areas as well.”

Police Minister Joe Szakacs and Acting Police Commissioner Linda Williams announce a North Tce crime crackdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

Supporting the police response, the Liquor Licencing Commissioner, businesses, hoteliers and other stakeholders are working together.

Despite the extensive action Acting Commissioner Williams on Thursday denied she misled parliament on Monday by claiming the threat was only a public “perception” and not reflected in crime statistics.

She told parliament: “No there’s a perception, then there’s the reality of the crime stats, which is what I’m referring to”.

But Acting Commissioner Williams denied the police operations were not an attempt to better protect politicians from violence on North Tce.

Despite police safety denials since March this year, Mr Szakacs also revealed the health department would increase the work of its Safety and Wellbeing Taskforce, helping homeless people the CBD from 7am, 7 days a week.

“There will be a highly visible presence in the city that I trust will lead to people feeling safer,’’ he said.

“I am utterly convinced that there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour.”

Announced in last week’s state budget, the state government is investing $81.8 million over four years to recruit an additional 189 sworn Police Security Officers – allowing police officers to focus on front line, core policing duties.

The investment will release 45 additional police officers to the front line.

A further $12.2 million will accelerate recruitment and training with an aim to address existing vacancies within SA Police.

Commissioner Williams said the existing Operation Paragon resources would be significantly increased with the addition of police for the CBD from other districts and other SAPOL Services.