State government commits $40m to put more police officers back on the front line

The state government has dug into its pockets to fight crippling police attrition, and a spike in crime theft, in this year’s budget.

More cops will return to the beat as part of an almost $40m law and order spend in this year’s state budget to free up frontline police stuck dealing with admin.

The state government’s $36.8m investment to soften the blow of crippling police attrition and ongoing recruitment challenges will focus on improving SA Police’s technological capabilities to free up more frontline officers and operational staff.

Over the next four years, $19m will be spent on developing and implementing SA Police’s digital police station, which will allow South Australians to make non-urgent reports and requests online.

The digital police station’s online services will allow South Australians to lodge freedom of information requests, report minor crashes and collisions, make clamping and impounding payments and will house the public child sex offender register.

The digital police station, which is expected to be functional by 2027, is hoped to alleviate enough administrative pressure to free up the equivalent of 47 police officers and operational staff to focus on frontline policing over the next four years.

More than 100 extra police officers will hit the beat over the next four years as part of a $40m law and order state budget spend. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe

Police Minister Dan Cregan said the investment would expand on the state government’s efforts to recruit extra police in the past 12 months.

“The new measures will free up the equivalent of more than 100 police officers and staff, enabling them to get on with core police work and keep the community safe,” Mr Cregan said.

A new telephone resolution desk, originally funded from 2026, will be fast-tracked, with $8.5m allowing recruitment for the initiative to start two years earlier than planned.

The desk will allow police to contact complainants over the phone and cut attendance at non-emergency incidents and call outs, with 31 administration staff employed to take calls and free officers up to carry out necessary duties that arise from calls.

A further $9.3m will be spent on hiring up to 24 civilians in admin or corporate roles within SA Police over the next four years.

The funding announcement comes as the police union ramps up its enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations with the state government.

Police Association of South Australia president Mark Carroll on Friday wrote to members, highlighting the union’s focus on addressing retention and improving working conditions for serving officers.

Police Minister Dan Cregan said the state government’s investment would expand efforts to recruit extra police in the past 12 months. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

“The Police Association understands how important these negotiations are to you and your family, and how the issue of employee retention – in both the short and long terms – impacts on you,” he wrote.

Mr Carroll and the union’s enterprise bargaining team are pushing for new initiatives to tackle retention including country and regional allowances and a minimum 70 per cent country housing subsidy.

The union will also push for salary increases across all ranks and for the state government to increase its superannuation contribution to allow officers to contribute up to 20 per cent into their funds.

“Both the Police Association and SAPOL are acutely aware of the importance of retention,” Mr Carroll said.

“The onus will be squarely on the state government to fund these initiatives.”

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said community safety was a “top priority” for the state government.