Transit Police

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I have a supplementary question. Given the minister claims that the FOI that the opposition received was only police transit officers on that day (of 73.8), how many transit police officers are there when taking into consideration those who are on maternity leave, holidays or not at work on that particular day? What is the exact number of FTEs who are paid and employed by SAPOL as transit police officers?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:21): I am advised that approximately 100 people are employed within the transit police section. It would not always be 100 on any given day, but it is a number in the order of 100. I am advised also that it is not just the transit police who are monitoring what is occurring within the public transport system. Police officers within existing LSAs obviously also have the capacity to be able to attend incidents that occur on public transport. It is not just people who are on public transport who can attend to these matters. Any person from a patrol base or anyone within an LSA has the capacity and, indeed, does respond to incidents as they arise and are alerted to SAPOL through the usual means.