Staggering number of cops off the beat called to do paramedics work

Victorian police spent more than 20,000 hours off the beat in the last year, forced to help alleviate pressure on exhausted paramedics.

Victorian police spent more than 20,000 hours off the beat in the last year, instead being forced to transfer mental health patients to help alleviate pressure on exhausted paramedics.

New data obtained by the Herald Sun from budget estimates has revealed there has been a 150 per cent increase – or an extra 7485 cases – in the number of times police have been called in over paramedics to deal with people needing mental support over the last five years.

Last year alone, police were taken off the streets to transfer patients to hospital on 20,248 occasions – up from 16,995 in 2019.

In 2017, it occurred just 12,763 times, representing a 15 per cent increase year on year from 2017 to 2020.

The Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said the transfers are having a “sizeable impact” on the force’s ability to respond to general duties.

“This is something our members would love to not have to devote so much of their time to, but it’s a reality they cannot escape,” Mr Gatt said.

Ambulance Ques

“There is presently not enough police allocated in police stations to keep up with regular police work. Hospital transfer times simply compound this problem.

“If they are waiting at hospitals, they can’t be elsewhere where they are needed or called to.

“According to our members, this issue, combined with the complexity of family violence responses, places the greatest burden on their time. It’s an inescapable reality.”

Labor Minister Jaala Pulford said the government doesn’t have “any particular concern” over the number of cops being used to transfer mental health patients to hospital.

“There are provisions under our Mental Health Act around ensuring the safety of people who are needing particular support at particular points in time,” Ms Pulford said.

Jaala Pulford said the government doesn’t have “any particular concern” over the number of cops being used to transfer mental health patients to hospital. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“Those arrangements have been in place for a long time.

“We don’t have any particular concern about the way in which those arrangements have worked historically.”

Ms Pulford said the police force was “well resourced” to deal with the increased load.

“Matters of police resourcing are a matter for police command and they’re well resourced to be able to undertake the tasks that are required of them from time to time in keeping our community safe,” she said.

“(And in) dealing with keeping people safe when they may be experiencing a particularly acute health episode.”

Opposition police and emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said the increased load on cops was “not sustainable” because it “creates extra pressure on police resources”.

“If police attend these incidents for just one hour as an average, and this is very conservative, that means 2665 van shifts – or 5330 police officers – are off line each and every year for their entire shift,” Mr Battin said.

“That is 2665 shifts where a van is not available for the community to respond to home invasions, armed hold ups or a domestic violence call.”

A Police presences is seen at Flinders Street Station. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Mr Battin said people with mental illness who call for help often won’t know if a police divisional van or an ambulance will turn up.

“Divvy vans are not ambulances, they are not appropriate for transporting nonviolent patients due to the Andrews Labor government’s failure to invest in health and ambulance services, it is offensive,” he said.

“The health crisis in Victoria is turning in to a police crisis.”

But a government spokeswoman said it was a legislative requirement under the Mental Health Act for police to play a “critical role” in mental health circumstances to “protect the safety of the individual, our paramedics and the entire Victorian community”.

“While now showing signs of stablising, mental health incidents involving our emergency services have increased in recent years – Victoria Police will continue to work closely with all emergency services agencies and respond to emergency call outs with Ambulance Victoria when they are needed, as they have always done,” she said.

“We’re acting on all recommendations from the Mental Health Royal Commission - including transforming the emergency response to ensure it is health-led.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the force responded to more mental health related calls for assistance last year than the previous year.

However, she said this is “not dissimilar to year on year increases over the previous five years”.

“Victoria Police will continue to support the community responding to mental health,” she said.