Police Commissioner Grant Stevens reveals the major challenges within the organisation – and his plan to combat them in 2025

The South Australian Police Commissioner has revealed his plan to combat issues in 2025, ‘streamlining’ work for officers and cutting unnecessary call-outs.

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SA Police officers are frustrated at having to attend an increasing number of jobs, many of them complex, with no extra resources, Commissioner Grant Stevens has conceded.

Mr Stevens said the organisation, plagued by disorderly behaviour resulting in mass arrests in the heart of Adelaide this week, is 175 officers short of its mandated staff target.

In a sit-down interview with The Advertiser, Mr Stevens revealed his plans to “streamline” work processes to free up officers by continuing cutting unnecessary police tasks, including welfare checks.

“A real theme for us moving forward into the future, particularly 2025, is focusing on what is important for community safety, what police should be doing, and looking for efficiencies,” he said.

South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens speaks about challenges for frontline officers. Picture: Tom Huntley

MANAGING DEMAND

Mr Stevens said a major frustration for frontline police was managing both the increasing number and complexity of call-outs, despite available resources having remained the same since 2018.

“We are seeing a continual growth in the demand for police services; and … we’re dealing with that increasing demand with the same resources that we’ve had for quite some time,” he said.

“When you add to that, the fact that not only are we going to more jobs – those jobs are taking longer because of the added complexity – that’s another compounding factor.

“We’re still meeting (community) expectation but it gets harder and harder and that comes at a cost of us being able to do some of those proactive things (such as detecting and preventing crime) that we might like to do.”

The double whammy of frequent retail theft during the day followed by increased night-time violence puts a strain on police resources in the CBD.

On Sunday night, police arrested 12 people, ranging in age from 14 to 49, some of whom allegedly possessed knives after a string of anti-social behaviour.

“The disorderly behaviour, the anti-social behaviour activities that we see in the CBD, that’s more of a frustration,” Mr Stevens said. “It becomes a frustration for police because we’re always responding to it, trying to quell that.”

He said retail theft remained “a continuing challenge”.

“We don’t forget shop theft because we’ve had an increase in disorderly behaviour incidents in the city,” he said. “We’re trying to do all those things at once and that becomes a challenge.”

Mr Stevens said part of the streamline process he was working on was ensuring frontline officers were not tied up on incidents that were the responsibility of other government agencies.

Police presence on a Friday night in Adelaide. Picture: Advertiser/ Morgan Sette.

RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT

Mr Stevens, who said challenges around retention and recruiting were ongoing, revealed SA Police was about 175 positions short of its “funded establishment” target staffing level of 4674 full-time employees.

“We’ve seen growth in our community, growth in (SAPOL) responsibilities, which means our funded establishment probably doesn’t align to what the community needs,” Mr Stevens said.

“We’re still meeting critical benchmarks but it does come at a cost; and that cost is probably in our people being more fatigued … they don’t get the same sort of respite from some of the jobs that they have to go to day in and day out.”

Mr Stevens estimated more than 50 per cent of SA Police were leaving through resignation. This figure has historically sat near 30 per cent, with the remaining 70 per cent retiring.

But he said morale within the organisation was strong and a $12.2m State Government recruitment plan from the 2023-24 State Budget aimed to restore the force to a full contingent of frontline officers by the middle of the year.

Mr Stevens admitted this would “be a challenge”, as it relied on applications, but he had faith in an international recruit program which would have boosted numbers by 49 by the end of February.

SAPOL has also sent offers of employment to another 100 potential overseas and interstate.

“Our target is up to 200 international and interstate recruits who have minimum three years policing experience so that adds to that experience based on the frontline,” he said.

Recruitment parameters have also changed to allow 17-year-olds to apply to join SAPOL. Successful applications can then start training once they turn 18.

POLICE ASSAULTS

Mr Stevens said the police work included an element of danger, but that did not mean people have the right to harm officers.

The number of assaults on police officers has risen from a total of 404 in 2021 to 597 in the 10 months to November last year.

Mr Stevens the consequences of an assault lasted for “much longer after the night it happens” for the officers.

He has spoken with Police Minister Dan Cregan about reviewing penalties for offenders found guilty of assaulting emergency workers.

“I know the minister is acutely aware of the impact that police officers being assaulted has on our retention and our ability to recruit people,” he said. “He’s very supportive and receptive to our circumstances.”

The Department of Public Prosecutions in December appealed a suspended sentence handed down to Raina Jane Cruise, who was found guilty of intentionally causing harm to Constable Anthea Beck – who was pregnant – by scalping and kicking her in 2021.

Raina Jane Cruise appears at Adelaide court for her assault upon a pregnant police officer. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Injuries sustained by SA Police Constable Anthea Beck, allegedly inflicted by Raina Jane Cruise. Picture: District Court registry

WRAP UP

Mr Stevens is contracted to be the state’s Police Commissioner until mid-2028 and he said he had no intention of leaving early.

“I feel I have an ability to contribute more at this point in time and I think there is work to be done,” he said. “I’d sum that up as making sure that police officers are properly supported (and) that we have the resources that are appropriate to our growing obligations.”