LABOR has honoured its election promise to extend opening hours at the Forrestfield Police Station until 7pm.
Police Minister Michelle Roberts said the move would ensure the community had greater access to police services in person.
“By expanding the opening hours of the Forrestfield Police Station, we are providing more options to those people who need to access the police station after work, something the original 8am to 4pm opening hours simply didn’t allow for,” she said.
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Prior to the state election then Liberal Police Minister Liza Harvey said WA Labor’s promise to extend opening hours at police stations in Forrestfield and Ellenbrook would be a ‘win’ for criminals, taking officers off the beat and putting them behind desks.
“This means less police officers will be responding to calls for assistance in Forrestfield. To keep the front counter open at these police stations means taking police off patrols,” she said.
“This is a win for criminals in these suburbs.”
However, Forrestfield MLA Stephen Price said Labor had listened to the community.
“The people of Forrestfield made it clear to me they wanted better access to police services, and the Labor Government promised to make that happen and we are delivering on that promise,” he said.
“Local residents will now have greater access to speak to a police officer in-person, something which is still an important part of community policing and something that the Forrestfield community said they needed.”
Forrestfield Police Station’s extended hours begins today.