Police school cuts put LNP pledge at risk
by: Robyn Ironside, Alison Sandy
From: The Courier-Mail
August 04, 2012
AN LNP election promise to deliver 1100 new officers in four years could be thwarted by Queensland Police Academy budget cuts.
The Queensland Police Union has lashed out at changes which halve the number of trainers and reduce shifts by an hour.
QPU president Ian Leavers said police hierarchy was "asleep at the wheel" when it came to the LNP's commitments.
"This is false economy and will lead to police being sworn in who are undertrained, under-prepared and will not be able to effectively enforce the law," he said.
"We are flat out delivering the current number of police recruits and now with these arbitrary changes, there is no way we can deliver on the LNP's election commitments."
The changes come as the Newman Government targets civilian workers in the police service and Department of Community Safety for further "efficiencies".
Figures being discussed include 25 per cent of police corporate services and 240 employees from DCS including corrective services, ambulance, and fire and rescue.
The workforce reduction is expected to take place over the next two years.
Alex Scott from Together Queensland, which represents unsworn officers, said any move to cut civilians would be disastrous.
"As a result of last year's pay rise for police, 500 civilian workers were targeted," he said.
"That had a considerable toll on the ability of police to safely perform their duties and any further reduction would seriously undermine the police service."
A spokesman for Police and Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey confirmed the role of corporate service staff in the police service was under review.
"We have asked each department to review back-of-house corporate management," he said.
"Any further information will be finalised in due course."
Premier Campbell Newman refused to assure Justice staff about plans to axe at least six courthouses and the State Reporting Bureau where 200 people work.
"They'll find out in the Budget," he said.
Queensland Law Society president John de Groot said courthouses were "vital pieces of infrastructure, particularly in remote and rural communities".
"I accept there is some imperative with cost savings but I would urge the Government to be very careful," he said.
Mr Newman denied the Government was unfair to those concerned by keeping them in the dark.
"We will be dealing with this before the end of September," he said.
"The previous government put us on to this pathway."
Additional reporting Brooke Baskin