NSW to get an extra 1500 new police officers

Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced the biggest single increase for the NSW Police Force in more than 30 years that will also include a dedicated officer in each patrol area to combat elder abuse.

• ‘Ghost cops’ missing in action

An extra 1500 new police officers will be hired in NSW — including an extra officer for every command to monitor paedophiles, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced today.

The announcement is the biggest single increase for the NSW Police Force in more than 30 years and will also include a dedicated officer in each patrol area to combat elder abuse.

“We need to be able to make sure police have the resources to be able do their jobs day in and day out,” Ms Berejiklian said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Police Commissioner Mick Fuller announce an increase in police numbers. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

“Part of this will involve each area command will have at least one extra officer dedicated to monitoring those on the child protection register.

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“And secondly, ensuring at least an additional officer in each command to focus on elder abuse, we know that’s a big issue in the community … and there are more cases of that being reported.”

Police Minister Troy Grant said the “crime landscape is changing daily”.

An extra 1500 new police officers will be hired in NSW.

“We need to give the commissioner … the flexibility to put resources where they are needed to do the job in this changing landscape,” he said. “Not since Nick Greiner has the NSW Police had its ranks bolstered at this level.”

More than $580 million will be spent over four years on the policy.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said the State Government will begin recruiting for the positions later this year and funding for the first 300 officers will start in July next year.

“The Child Protection Register has been around a long time and this is the first time we’ll have full time dedicated positions with training to deal with such a terrible crime to monitor these criminals,” Commissioner Fuller said.

The NSW Police Association has been campaigning on beefing up policing numbers for months.

He said the problem of elder abuse was a “significant and growing” issue and NSW would be the state to have dedicated officers.

The NSW Police Association has been campaigning on beefing up policing numbers for months, arguing the numbers are inadequate to cope with population increases.

Last month they launched a hard-hitting policy document “Back the Blue” saying another 2500 officers were needed across the state.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the largest increase in police numbers in 30 years. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

President Tony King had warned children would be put “directly at risk” without more officers to properly supervise a 15 per cent annual increase in the number of paedophiles listed on the Child Protection Register who require constant monitoring.

Today Mr King said he was pleased “the government has listened”.

“It’s enough to deal with the critical gaps in resources we have here and now,” he said. “This is the largest injection of police we’ve seen in decades.

“It’s a credit to the NSW Premier that she’s listened and acted.”

But Opposition Leader Michael Daley questioned the estimated $583 million cost of hiring the extra police, saying “there’s something wrong with these numbers”.

“They don’t seem to add up,” he said.

He called on Ms Berejikilan to submit the costings to the Parliamentary Budget Office.

Mr Daley said as a former Police Minister, he had been told it cost approximately $100,000 per officer.

“I want the Premier to walk down to the Parliamentary Budget office, submit the costing for these new officers and give it to the Opposition and give it to the media in full,” he said.

“Police numbers are too important an issue to have costed on a rubbery basis.”

He said Labor would match the number of officers.

Opposition police spokesman Guy Zangari said the government had only hired an average of 125 a year officers over the past eight years and the state had fallen behind other states.