Labor plan for custody officers at police station cells panned

USING private security to manage police station cell prisoners worked earlier this year but the Coalition says it is no long-term solution.

Man behind bars. Jail. Prison. Prisoner. Hands. Generic image.

POLICE Minister Kim Wells has criticised a Labor Party proposal to replace police officers with custody officers at police station cells, despite authorities hailing a similar measure in Ringwood as a success.

Overflowing cells at Ringwood police station prompted authorities earlier this year to use cells at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court for prisoners awaiting their appearance in court.

The change, managed by private security firm G4S, resulted in a “significant reduction” in the number of prisoners missing their court appearance, according to the magistrates’ court.

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But Mr Wells last week criticised a similar proposal put forward by the Opposition.

In a statement, Mr Wells described Labor’s proposal, which would see custody officers take over prisoner supervision at police cells, as a “hollow promise” and said the suggestion that police cells were in crisis was “an outright lie”.

Mr Wells did not outline whether he supported the new measures at Ringwood.

“Operational decisions are a matter for the Chief Commissioner,” he said.

Labor police spokesman Wade Noonan said his party’s proposal had the backing of police.

Mr Noonan said he was “not surprised” that new measures had been instituted to alleviate pressure on the system.

“I’m staggered that the Government’s response is to ridicule and talk down the issue,” he said.

Police sources told Maroondah Leader last year that the overflowing cells had caused extra work and made prisoners more prone to aggression.