‘Gaslighting’: War of words erupts between police commissioner Grant Stevens and Police Association of SA

The Police Commissioner and the police union are embroiled in a fiery exchange over SAPOL’s controversial policing model.

The state’s top cop and the police union are embroiled in a war of words over the force’s controversial policing model, with each accusing the other of not helping frontline officers.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has told the Police Association of South Australia its actions are undermining SAPOL’s efforts to recruit and retain officers, while union president Wade Burns has accused Mr Stevens of “gaslighting” members.

The fiery exchanges began last week when Mr Stevens wrote to Mr Burns, taking the union boss to task over his criticisms of SAPOL’s District Policing Model.

“PASA’s current commentary is making the task of attracting new SAPOL recruits in a competitive and discerning labour market even harder,” he wrote.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has told the Police Association of South Australia its actions are undermining SAPOL’s efforts to recruit and retain officers. Picture: Dean Martin

“It is also not assisting with retention efforts, an issue you frequently refer to.”

PASA has long been vocal in its condemnation of the DPM – which was phased in between 2018 and 2020 – saying it has been physically and mentally detrimental to officers, and that it was causing members to leave the force in droves.

Under the model, some services were centralised to enable 24/7 coverage, and ‘response’ teams and ‘District Policing Teams’ were created.

In 2023 a police union survey revealed only seven per cent of respondents supported the model.

SA Police has acknowledged the model needs more officers for it to work effectively and it is actively trying to recruit more staff. It also says SA’s increasing population, rising demand on police services and increasingly complex taskings are causing further challenges.

In his letter, Mr Stevens said feedback from frontline officers “indicated support for the DPM”.

He also suggested that “the notion being put forward by PASA that SAPOL senior leadership doesn’t listen to the workforce is disingenuous”.

Police Association president Wade Burns at the union headquarters. Picture: Supplied

Mr Burns hit back in a letter to Mr Stevens two days later, taking exception to the Commissioner’s inference the union was deterring would-be officers from joining SAPOL, and discouraging existing members from remaining with the force.

“You seem to suggest that fault lies not with SAPOL’s inadequacies but rather the fact the Police Association highlights them,” he wrote.

“This is an analysis completely out of touch with the workforce.

“Members all over the state, in city and country stations, on response, in DPTs, in investigations and in non-operational roles, are fed up with this sort of gaslighting.”

Mr Burns went on to say the association’s commentary “is, and will only ever be, a reflection of the opinions of its members who also happen to make up your workforce”.

“To suggest that the association, as their representative union, should no longer talk about that is reprehensible,” he wrote.

“A model that can’t be fully staffed for years on end clearly has a fatal flaw and is not fit for purpose.”

An SA Police spokesperson, who stated the DPM had already been subject to a review, said SAPOL respected the right of PASA to raise issues publicly.

“But it is a reality there will be a consequential impact on individuals considering policing as a career when they constantly observe negative commentary regarding a potential workplace,” they said.

Originally published as ‘Gaslighting’: War of words erupts between police commissioner Grant Stevens and Police Association of SA