Cadet course delays fuels police manpower crisis fears

Senior police have delayed three cadet intake courses because of a severe shortage of applicants, sparking fears an already severe shortage will now increase.

A chronic downturn in new police recruits has forced senior officers to delay three cadet courses – a move that will worsen an existing severe shortage of frontline officers.

The decision means almost 80 fewer police officers will be available in the short term, prompting the police union to urge the government to intervene to avert a full-blown manpower crisis.

Police Association president Mark Carroll has asked Police Minister Joe Szakacs to permanently fund the 168 protective security officers temporarily hired last July to help police with Covid-19 duties – a move that would allow up to 50 police officers to be transferred to frontline duties immediately.

Police Association of SA president Mark Carroll. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The security officers could be used in roles including cell and hospital guards, crime scene guards, stolen vehicle recovery, guardianship child conveyance and other security functions that are currently carried out by sworn officers.

“Our members are experiencing severe staff shortages across many, many areas,’’ Mr Carroll said. “The worst of the shortages are on frontline response patrols and district policing teams.

“We are now at the stage where police simply cannot meet community demand when people call for assistance. There are just not enough police to cope with the daily workloads.

“The new government knows this is a very live issue – just as the previous government did.’’ However, Mr Carroll said permanently funding the 168 protective security officers would only help solve the resourcing problem – highlighted in a recent union advertising campaign – in the short term.

“The lack of recruits that has caused the delaying of the three courses is another looming problem because the numbers will not be flowing through to even counter attrition, let alone alleviate the shortages and the need for even more police numbers,’’ he said.

Attrition is running at 3.5 per cent annually, meaning that 165 officers need to be recruited just to maintain the existing workforce of 4713 sworn officers.

In June last year, the former Liberal government gave Police Commissioner Grant Stevens an extra $23m in funding to hire an extra 114 protective security officers and retain the 54 already hired temporarily.

That funding commitment followed a call by the police union to hire an extra 200 protective security officers to alleviate police manpower shortages at the height of the pandemic.

The SA Police Graduation at Adelaide Oval in 2020. Picture: Tom Huntley

Although the bulk of officers assigned to pandemic related duties have returned to normal duties, there are still significant manpower shortages because of Covid-19 related absences, delayed annual and long service leave and numerous ongoing operations. SA Police human resources executive director Kim Summers said the downturn in recruits and subsequent delaying of three courses would result in 80 fewer recruits by the end of the financial year.

The downturn, which had accelerated over the past year, was likely because of factors including low unemployment levels generally, competition with other businesses and other policing jurisdictions that were facing similar issues.

“We are coming out of Covid-19 which we know has had its challenges. All police jurisdictions have had to divert their resources to deal with the pandemic and we feel that has had an adverse impact on the attraction,’’ she said.

“But what we do know is all jurisdictions are struggling in this space … not just something for SA Police.’’

In response to the lack of applicants, police have launched a major recruiting campaign dubbed “Calling All’’ targeting individuals who identify with seven different profiles to entice them to join. A new online application process has also been introduced.

In 2005, a severe shortage of local recruits and a desire to hire experienced and mature aged recruits led SA Police to embark on a program to recruit British police. Over a seven-year period, almost 600 were hired.

Ms Summers declined to rule out a similar move when asked if this was being considered because of the shortage of local recruits, stating “we are very open minded as to all opportunities”.

Mr Szakacs said he had been having in-depth discussions with the police union and senior police over “present and future’’ resourcing requirements.

“The matter of funding PSO’s as we come out of Covid is one of a suite of resourcing considerations we have to make,’’ Mr Szakacs said.

“But I intend to make every effort to help police officers return to core duties.’’

Police Cadet Ali Khan and Probationary Policewomen Emily King. Picture: David Mariuz

Meet our new recruits

Emily King and Ali Khan share a common goal – to one day become investigators in SAPOL’s Major Crime Investigation Branch.

Probationary Constable King, 24, and police cadet Khan, 21, are among the latest crop of eager young police recruits keen to further their policing careers in the demanding field.

Having worked alongside detectives with other non-sworn officers in SAPOL’s intelligence area for the past year, PC King said she is more determined than ever to become a Detective.

“I have seen the opportunities there are and I want to be a Detective, ideally in major crime, but the intelligence area also interests me,’’ she said.

Police cadet Khan, who has been studying at the University of Adelaide for the past two years, said he was attracted to a career in policing because of the role police play in the community.

“It is a leadership role, that was my motivation. I like to give my brain a challenge and solve problems, so becoming a Detective in major crime or a CIB unit is something I am looking forward to,’’ he said.