- In short: Tasmania Police safe staffing policy sees a surge in overtime hours, with concerns raised at recruiting shortfall and officer fatigue.
- What's next? Police Association says the policy is working, but needs to be matched with adequate recruiting and forward planning.
Tasmania Police have paid more than $1.6 million in staff overtime costs in seven months, leading to concerns of potential burnout and fatigue among the force.
Costs at 24-hour stations have more than doubled, and in some cases tripled, since the middle of last year.
The surge in officers working overtime shifts coincided with safe staffing levels being fully introduced at all seven stations from July 1.
This includes a requirement for the largest stations — such as Hobart and Launceston — to have at least two sergeants and seven constables working at all times, and for one sergeant and four constables at the smaller 24-hour stations, including Glenorchy.
In 2021-22, Tasmania Police spent more than $800,000 on overtime, but in the seven months to January, the organisation spent $1.62 million.
Station |
20-21 |
21-22 |
22-Jan-23 |
|---|---|---|---|
Bellerive |
$77,454 |
$88,245 |
$132,377 |
Bridgewater |
$59,765 |
$76,883 |
$148,911 |
Burnie |
$84,235 |
$72,623 |
$248,322 |
Devonport |
$77,189 |
$113,908 |
$164,324 |
Glenorchy |
$142,883 |
$159,834 |
$342,054 |
Hobart |
$168,714 |
$205,942 |
$443,053 |
Launceston |
$98,035 |
$119,026 |
$143,234 |
TOTAL |
$708,275 |
$836,461 |
$1,622,275 |
The biggest proportionate increase was at the Burnie station — which faces a four-fold increase in overtime — and at Hobart and Glenorchy, where the figure has tripled.
The Police Association had lobbied for safe staffing levels for about a decade.
Association acting president Sergeant Shane Tilley said the policy was improving workplace conditions for officers, but had demonstrated how police recruitment was still not keeping pace with demand.
"The overtime is not the issue, and our members are happy to take it on board, to get an additional shift here and there. But fatigue does come from that," he said.
Mr Tilley said Tasmania Police recruits to about 50 staff members short of the amount they are financed for each year.
"The funding for this overtime comes from that pool of money that they have never used for salary."
Glenorchy needs 'double the staff'
Officers typically work four-days-on, four-days-off rosters, but pick up overtime shifts in the interim when they're offered on a centralised system.
Sergeant Tilley said they had particular concerns with staffing levels at the Glenorchy station, which covers a broad area of Hobart's north, including lower socio-economic suburbs.
"Glenorchy only has the one sergeant, four constables set minimum. But they're as busy as Hobart and are hugely undermanned," he said.
"Tasmania Police says that level is appropriate for Glenorchy, but our membership says they need to double that.
"We're very happy with the fact [former police commissioner] Darren Hine introduced safe staffing levels. We just don't think the levels they came up with are enough."
Staffing providing 'greater flexibility'
The numbers of officers with workers compensation claims and long-term sick leave — in addition to seven officers leaving the force per month — is also placing pressure on staffing.
There were 73 officers off work on workers compensation on March 31. The number of open claims was believed to be close to 150.
This proportion is significantly higher than most other states and territories.
Tasmania Police pointed out that several incidents — including the search for a missing four-year-old girl on the Tasman Peninsula, and the search for a man who shot at police in New Norfolk — had also resulted in significant overtime.
Assistant Commissioner Adrian Bodnar said the safe staffing policy had given greater flexibility, and ensured there were officers on hand to respond to incidents statewide.
"Policing is dynamic and is responsive to community and social needs, and rostering must be agile to meet these needs," he said.
"As with all industries, there can be short-term matters that arise that occasionally impact upcoming rosters, such as sick leave and incidents in the community that require significant police resources."
Tasmania Police has had 140 recruits come from its academy this year, with current numbers at 1,418 full-time equivalent, including 81 undergoing training.
Assistant Commissioner Bodnar said the organisation was looking into different recruitment and training strategies, and had seen an increase in applications so far this year.
Accounting and advisory firm Wise, Lord and Ferguson is evaluating the safe staffing policy, on behalf of Tasmania Police, and will provide a report to Commissioner Donna Adams.
Labor slams poor planning
Labor police, fire and emergency spokesperson Michelle O'Byrne has criticised the government over the overtime blowout.
She said there should have been greater planning and funding ahead of the safe staffing policy rolling out.
"The government has previously claimed the policy was funded and therefore it should not have been resourced from the overtime budget," Ms O'Byrne said.
"Police staffing levels are routinely not met and relying on overtime is not a solution when officers come to work and deal with high demands and traumatic events on a daily basis."
