POLICE TRAINING

In reply to the Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (22 November 2006).

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Police, Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning): The Operational Safety Training Unit of the South Australia Police is located at the Police Academy. In the program currently undertaken by police recruits, the Unit continues to provide 102 sessions to recruits that relate directly to defensive tactics and operational safety.

It is interpreted that wall climbing relates to the obstacle course at the Police Academy. The obstacle course is utilised on a number of occasions during recruit training. Recruits are exposed to the course as part of pre-entry testing and on initial entry into the Police Academy. It is further used as part of the Defensive Tactics training program.

Trainees undertake four sessions directly relating to SAPOL's Public Order Management Plan. These cover crowd dynamics, laws relating to public order, mobilisation and the plan itself. Trainees graduate from the Police Academy qualified in public order techniques to Level One. This includes mass arrest techniques, crowd management and cordon techniques. There has not been any reduction in the quantity or quality of public order training as a result of the change to the nine month program.