South Australia Police

In reply to the Hon. K.L. VINCENT (7 July 2016).

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety): I am advised:

The South Australia Police (SAPOL) Cadet Training Course which comprises of 51 hours of specific domestic violence training covers the following topics:

Conversation Management including interviewing suspects

Stalking

Domestic Abuse

Anti-Social Behaviour

Nature of Domestic Violence

Intervening in Domestics

SAPOL Domestic Abuse Strategy

Case study 1—Domestic Abuse

Domestic Abuse Legislation

Domestic Abuse Framework

Domestic Abuse Risk Assessments

Responding to Domestic Abuse

Intervention Orders

Police Interim Intervention Orders

Intervention Orders (court)

Case study 2—Domestic Abuse

Breaches of Intervention Orders

Domestic Abuse Investigation Management

Family Violence Investigation Sections

Domestic Violence Services

Warrant application files

Cadets participate in a discussion forum with people affected by domestic violence and learn about community issues surrounding domestic violence during full day visits to the Central Domestic Violence Service office and crisis accommodation units (shelter). This training includes:

Examining Myths

The Cycle of Violence

Gender Inequality

False Allegations

Emotional Abuse

Post Separation Abuse

Family Court

Intervention Orders

The Domestic Violence Investigators Course commenced in May 2016, for specialist Domestic Violence Investigators. This course is a five-day course and covers the following topics:

Values, Beliefs and Attitudes

Dynamics of Abuse

Impact of Domestic Abuse on the community

Policing Domestic Abuse in SAPOL

Commence an Investigation (including immediate victim safety and risk assessments)

Advanced Investigation Techniques

Intervention Orders

Victim Management (including longer term victim safety)

Suspect Management (including interviewing of suspects)

Domestic Abuse Sector Services

Vulnerable Victims

Cultural considerations (including ATSI relationships)

Resilience

To date 63 Specialist Investigators have completed the new course with a further 67 scheduled to complete the course by the end of 2016.

All sworn members, client service officers and call centre staff were required to complete the Policing Domestic Violence corporate training package created in 2015 which was a two-hour course.

The Investigation and Intelligence Techniques Course, Detective Training Course and Prosecution Course all have Domestic Violence components designed to improve understanding in all facets of domestic violence investigations.

SAPOL also conducts ongoing corporate training regarding domestic violence in order to keep the workforce up to date on changes to legislation, policy or procedure as required.