Brock Downing

Perth Watch House

1. How long have you been with WA Police and tell us about your current role?

I have been an Auxiliary Officer at the Perth Watch House for two years now. My role is to assist Frontline Officers by providing custodial services to their arrested detainees so that they can continue to be out on the road. At the Watch House we process detainees by performing searches on them, taking their Identifying Particulars, and ensuring they are in good health for Custody. We are also constantly responding to difficult situations with both non-compliant and aggressive detainees, and detainees who are in crisis and are attempting to seriously hurt themselves. We can be looking after these detainees for up to 12 hours a day.

2. Our union is fighting for our PAOs to be awarded their three rest days in line with Clause 31 of the Police Agreement. Why is having these rest days crucial to officers’ health and wellbeing?

Working at the Watch House, while it can be a rewarding experience, because you know you are helping protect the community from people who are dangerous and have a high risk of re-offending, it can also be a very physically and mentally draining role. Our current roster is working two 12 hour day shifts, followed by two 12 hour night shifts and then four days off. This means we can be dealing with highly volatile, and aggressive people for a constantly 12 hours. This, coupled with the steady stream of new detainees coming in throughout the shift can cause a physical toll on Auxiliary Officers at the Watch House. We are also repeatedly faced with detainees who are trying to kill themselves, by either hitting their heads on doors or walls, or wrapping items around their neck. This can take a toll on people’s mental health, watching people actively attempt to physically hurt themselves, and having to stop them and try and talk them down. These additional three Rest Days allow Auxiliary Officers an opportunity to take time for themselves to assist them recharge and reset when they are feeling drained, this in turn will help assist morale and the physical and mental health of Auxiliary Officers.

3. If you could speak directly to our Premier, Mark McGowan what would you like him to understand about the role that you do?

Auxiliary Officers see and experience things the “average Joe” would struggle to believe occur. We are constantly the first group people call for assistance, but the last group to actually get assistance. Our log of claims does not request things that are exorbitant, but rather are requests we actually need to ensure Auxiliary Officers can continue to perform the role they do, while being appropriately looked after and remunerated for the unique and sometimes challenging role that we perform. ▷

David Robertson

Parliamentary Protection Unit

1. How long have you been with WA Police and tell us about your current role?

I have been working with WA Police for nearly six years as a Protective Service Officer with the Parliamentary Protection Unit. This is a PAO band 2 position. Our main role is as an armed response for the Parliamentary Precinct.

2. Our union is fighting for an introduction of a Protective Services Officer Specialist Allowance. How will this address current concerns for you and colleagues?

Unlike other PAOs, Protective Service Officers work in an uncontrolled environment, we have the power of arrest and we carry firearms, a lethal force option.

We receive extra ongoing training to deal with active armed offenders and if such a situation were to occur in the Parliamentary Precinct we are the first responders who would have to deal with the threat.

We have also been trained in hostile reconnaissance detection.

A specialist allowance would reflect the extra responsibility of having a lethal force option and the specialised training that we do to ensure safety within the Parliamentary Precinct.

3. If you could speak directly to our Premier, Mark McGowan what would you like him to understand about the role that you do?

The Premier regularly sees Protective Service Officers within the Parliamentary Precinct and I would like him to understand the importance of our role and the responsibility that goes with it. Even though we are not always dealing with offenders our physical presence is a deterrent that can’t be measured. ■

Wapu School Holiday Ballot Application

APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ON THIS FORM, It can be emailed or posted to the Union office. Complete and return by Friday 21 April 2023 to: WA Police Union

639 Murray Street, West Perth WA 6005 Email: admin@wapu.org.au

Results to be advised by Friday 28 April 2023

Name (Please Print):

PD No:

Address (Home): Post Code:

Work (Unit/Section):

Email (Home):

Phone no. (Work):

(Mobile):

Only mark the holiday periods and locations you are prepared to accept in numerical order of preference. Note: Bookings are available from Saturday (2pm) to Saturday (10am) only.

DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024

ALBANY

BUSSELTON VILLA 4

BUSSELTON VILLA 11

BUSSELTON VILLA 15

BUSSELTON VILLA 23

ESPERANCE

EXMOUTH

PORT DENISON

YALLINGUP

KEVIN McDONALD Field Officer