A TEENAGE girl “nearly died” because two police officers could not leave their station under the WA government’s 24/7 front counter policy, the union claims.
WA Police Union president George Tilbury said the girl was in a life-threatening situation but nearby officers in Perth’s southeast, who wanted to respond, “were effectively chained to the front counter”.
“A car from Belmont had to travel more than 60km to assist the girl because all cars aligned to the Armadale district were tied up with other jobs,” Mr Tilbury said in a statement on Friday.
Police Minister Minister Michelle Roberts said 24/7 stations provided the community with certainty and ensured those needing a safe haven could access police any time.
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“It doesn’t seem to make any sense that in a life threatening situation, police would not respond, and so I will seek further advice from the WA Police Force,” Ms Roberts said.
She said areas such as Joondalup, Fremantle, Cannington and Midland have had 24-hour police stations for decades so the policy was about giving fast-growing suburbs like Ellenbrook and Armadale the same service.