APY Lands Community Constables

In reply to the Hon. C. BONAROS (4 April 2019).

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing): The Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services has been advised:

1. Over 10 years.

2. The SAPOL Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employee Coordinator regularly attends the APY lands to promote and progress employment applications.

Local police on the APY lands, and local communities, also engage prospective applicants in an effort to generate interest and identify suitable people for employment as community constables.

The police aboriginal liaison officers (PALO) role was introduced due to the evolving difficulty to recruit community constables. PALOs do not wear uniform and have no police powers or regular hours of employment. The primary PALO role is to assist police, who are conducting remote area patrols, with information and advice on the local community. The PALO model was modified over time as a pathway to employment as a community constable. There are two PALOs currently employed across the APY Lands (one at Amata and one at Fregon).

SAPOL is currently developing a new Indigenous policing model for operation across the APY lands. The aim is to multiskill employees to undertake policing functions, and other community safety portfolio activities. This model links directly into the philosophy of 'empowered communities', increasing employment opportunities within local communities and the provision of meaningful work across a number of disciplines.

3. This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police. I am advised that there are no recommendations currently before the commissioner to alter the recruit selection criteria.

4. SAPOL has 20 FTE sworn police positions based on the APY lands within the communities of Amata, Ernabella, Mimili, Murputja and Umuwa.

Five FTE sworn police positions are based at Marla to provide policing services to the APY communities of Indulkana and Mintabie.

A further three FTE sworn police positions are based on the APY Lands at Umuwa to provide additional temporary investigative ability to address child sexual abuse matters.

5. SAPOL intends to conduct a community constable training course in June 2019. It is proposed the course will include two Indigenous members to be placed into metropolitan community constable positions and two Indigenous members into regional locations.