POLICE EMPLOYEES

In reply to Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (28 October 2008).

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing): As at 30 June 2008, SAPOL's systems indicate that the remuneration of 938 SAPOL employees exceeded $100,000 for the year 2007-08. This compares to 440 employees in 2006-07 and 251 in 2005-06.

Until a few years ago, SAPOL employees in the $100,000+ salary bracket were primarily senior management level Officers and Executives. The large increase in recent years is not reflective of any significant increase in the numbers of Officers and Executives but comprises middle management Police Act positions where base salaries have been incrementally increased pursuant to EB agreements. The increase in base salaries also increases the amounts paid as overtime, penalties and allowances, because these payments are calculated as a percentage of base salaries.

For 2007-08, 12 of the 938 employees occupied Executive positions—Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, seven Assistant Commissioners and three SA Executive Service employees. The decrease from 13 Executive level employees receiving over $100,000 in 2006-07 to 12 in 2007-08 is due to the retirement of the former Deputy Commissioner.

The remaining 926 non Executive level employees comprise 916 sworn police employees covered by the SAPOL Enterprise Bargaining Agreement 2007 and 10 unsworn employees. Of those 916 sworn employees, 150 were attached to or relieving in positions classified at Inspector and above, 75 were relative to Senior Sergeant First Class positions, 106 relative to Senior Sergeant positions, 339 relative to Sergeant positions and 246 are other ranks.