The continued increase in crime statistics across the Perth metropolitan area were a direct result of police being under resourced and stretched to the limit according to WA police union (WAPU) president George Tilbury.
The WAPU has called for $4 million for overtime funding to get the situation under control but WA police have denied there was a problem and said statistics were not complete.
Mr Tilbury made the comments in response to increases in offences against people and property over the winter period when compared to last year’s statistics.
In August police started operation sweep across the city to combat rising offences in the usually quiet winter period.
Despite the operation crime figures still increased in August and September compared to last year.
In the metropolitan area offences against the person rose from 2085 to 2496 and 1908 to 2338 in August and September respectively.
Offences against property experienced a rise from 10,122 to 11,962 and 10,175 to 11,398 in August and September respectively.
The south east district also experienced big jumps with September offences against the person rising from 479 in 2014 to 611 in 2015.
Offences against property also increased from 2656 to 3311 and 2596 to 3211 in August and September respectively.
Mr Tilbury said detective and policing team members had been told to drop all non-urgent crime files and get out on the road as part of operation sweep.
“Yet again we have double digit crime statistics, which is another example of why WA police needs additional funding from the state government to reduce crime,” he said.
“WAPU has called for an immediate injection of $4 million to fund a dedicated operation sweep overtime budget. Something needs to be done immediately to get the alarming crime statistics under control and make inroads into volume crime, without it affecting officers’ day-to-day operations and outstanding crime files.”
WA police assistant commissioner for metropolitan region Kellie Properjohn said police were sufficiently resourced but it was too early to formally assess the statistics.
“Operation sweep concluded over the weekend but much of the activity initiated continues to play out across the metropolitan region,” she said.
“Verified statistics for the three months covering the operation will not be compiled until later this month, so it is premature to give a formal assessment at this stage.
On the data available to date we are heading in the right direction in addressing the unseasonal trend in crime figures that signalled the commencement of the operation.
“WA police has sufficient funds in its existing budget to accommodate any overtime costs associated with operation sweep.”
Ms Properjohn said police would examine the 106 action plans conducted to determine which had the best results.
“This information will inform the strategies we will adopt to see us through the summer months when we experience our traditional peak period for crime,” she said.
Police Minister Liza Harvey played down concerns the police were under resourced.
“I had a conversation with the commissioner about this and also the executive director, they still have capacity in their overtime budget should they require it,” she said.
“They don’t need additional funds at present, they know they can come to us as a government if they need funds. We’ve got a very good record of providing funds when police require it.”
