Big test facing police chief

Calls for police help have grown from less than a million a few years back to an expected 1.5 million next year. At the same time police are facing more complex social and family problems.

Part of the new response is to reduce the number of districts and, as successfully tested in the new south-east metropolitan region, form response groups to respond quickly to calls for help.

The six-month trial in the south-east decreased crime and increased prosecutions. The public satisfaction rate went up by 13 per cent, with people believing they were listened to through response teams, local policing and social media.

The big test for Mr O’Callaghan, one he freely admitted was controversial, will be the implementation of the ‘workforce optimisation project’, which will look at the management of non-operational workers, fitness for duty, injury management, medical retirements, different tiers of employment and a mandatory retirement age.