Operation Regional Shield – A crack down on Kimberley youth crime

Work on final section of Albany Ring Road underway

Work on the final six-kilometre section of the Albany Ring Road project, between South Coast Highway and Princess Royal Drive, is officially underway.

The Australian Government has committed $140 million toward the $175 million Albany Ring Road upgrade, with the Western Australian Government providing $35 million.

When complete, the project will establish an 11-kilometre, free-flowing connection between Albany Highway and Princess Royal Drive, improving freight efficiency and reducing congestion on

Operation Regional Shield to crack down on Kimberley youth crime

More police officers and operational police assets have been deployed to the Kimberley as part of a massive crackdown on juvenile crime.

Police Minister Paul Papalia today joined Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch in Broome to detail the new measures aimed at tackling high risk offending by juvenile offenders.

The Department of Education is supporting the operation with a dedicated regionally-based attendance officer as a key point of contact for police to help transition students back into schools.

The police operation is one part of a comprehensive, cross-Government response being rolled out in the region over coming weeks and will include

The police operation is on a scale not previously seen in regional Western Australia, targeting the ringleaders of violent crime to suppress and disrupt further juvenile offending

Code-named Operation Regional Shield, a police strike team made up of specialist officers from the Regional Operations Group and Regional Investigations Unit will be based in Broome and dispatched to Kimberley locations as required.

The operation also includes support from the Police Air Wing, Canine Section and State Intelligence Portfolio.

Police have identified a disturbing social media trend known as the TikTok Challenge which encourages groups of juveniles to 'better' one another by increasing the volume and seriousness of criminal offending.

The police operation is on a scale not previously seen in regional Western Australia, targeting the ringleaders of violent crime to suppress and disrupt further juvenile offending. further initiatives from the Department of Justice and Department of Communities to support at-risk youth.

Police Minister Paul Papalia said, "This operation will not only significantly increase the visible police presence but it will provide tactical support to disrupt this very disturbing social media challenge. "It will be supported by other Government agencies, including the Department of Education and Department of Communities as part of a multi-pronged Government response to juvenile crime across the Kimberley, Pilbara and other regions. "Importantly for now, this police response will provide the community much needed respite from criminal offending by some of these hardcore repeat offenders." existing routes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said we are focused on getting the job done for Western Australians through our record $110 billion infrastructure investment plan". "The Albany Ring Road will improve connections between major freight infrastructure, including airports and commercial and industrial areas, which will help industries grow and support more jobs. "This will drive new and expanded economic opportunities in the local area and beyond."

Western Australian Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said this was the biggest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the Great Southern region. "When complete, the Albany Ring Road will take heavy vehicles away from the town centre, better support local businesses and improve commute times through the city," she said. "It will provide certainty for Albany Port users and open up new economic opportunities to the north and west of the city, while also taking heavy vehicles out of residential areas and away from the centre of town. "We anticipate the first stage of the project will be open in April."

Federal Member for O'Connor Rick Wilson said the project complements other commitments being delivered in the local region. "The Australian Government has committed more than $17.7 billion for transport infrastructure funding across Western Australia since 2013," Mr Wilson said. "We've already delivered a new heavy vehicle bay at the rest stop on the Albany Highway near Cranbrook, with the Australian Government contributing $242,500 under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. "We're also delivering $630,914 toward the Chillinup Road upgrade in Gnowellen, which is currently under construction.

Construction of the first grade-separated interchange in the Great Southern Region - at Menang Drive and Albany Highway - is making good progress, with the bridge and road ramps anticipated to open in April.

Vehicles heading north from the Menang Drive intersection will cross over the new bridge and utilise a new loop ramp to access Albany Highway.