MINISTER FOR POLICE
OVERVIEW
Agency
Budget
2001-02
$m
Budget
2002-03
$m
Variation
%
Ministry for Police
Total Expenses ...................................................
Asset Acquisitions ...............................................
4.4
…
5.5
1.0
23.9
n.a.
New South Wales Police Service
Total Expenses ....................................................
Asset Acquisitions ...............................................
1,541.5
66.0
1,672.8
84.9
8.5
28.8
New South Wales Crime Commission
Total Expenses ...................................................
Asset Acquisitions ...............................................
11.1
1.0
11.9
1.2
7.7
19.7
Police Integrity Commission
Total Expenses ....................................................
Asset Acquisitions ................................................
16.0
2.4
17.1
0.6
7.3
-76.4
Total, Minister for Police
Total Expenses ...................................................
Asset Acquisitions ...............................................
1,573.0
69.4
1,707.3
87.7
8.5
26.4
MINISTRY FOR POLICE
The Ministry provides the Minister for Police with independent policy advice on
issues affecting the Police portfolio and supports the Minister in the performance
of Ministerial and Parliamentary functions. The Ministry develops and assists the
passage of legislation to meet the Government’s law and order objectives for the
portfolio.
EXPENDITURE TRENDS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Ministry’s total expenses for 2002-03 are estimated to be $5.5 million.
Provision has been made for continued support for the Innocence Panel and
leasing and accommodation costs as part of the Police Portfolio Corporate
Accommodation Strategy, involving the relocation of New South Wales Police
Service corporate headquarters to Parramatta. Across the Police portfolio, the
Strategy is expected to achieve significant savings over the long term.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 1
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
The Ministry provides an important source of policy ideas for Government and the
portfolio agencies. The Ministry will continue to develop policy and legislation
and facilitate the Minister’s legislative program. Portfolio legislation is
wide-ranging covering such issues as police reform, police powers, confiscation of
proceeds of crime, firearms, the security industry and registration of child sex
offenders. The Ministry is also involved in wider policy issues arising from, or
impacting on, the criminal justice system.
Issues of resource allocation and management also continue to be a focus of
attention across the portfolio. These include recurrent and capital budget
monitoring, police strength and organisation, the use of technology, corporate
services and performance monitoring and improvement.
In 2002-03, the Ministry will continue to support the Innocence Panel established
as a Government initiative in 2001-02 to facilitate the establishment of innocence
through DNA testing of persons convicted of crimes.
2002-03 BUDGET
Total Expenses
The estimated total expenses for the Ministry for Police in 2002-03 are
$5.5 million.
Asset Acquisitions
The Ministry will spend $29,000 in 2002-03 on purchasing minor equipment and
on general office maintenance. A further $1 million has also been provided to
support accommodation costs as part of the Police Portfolio Corporate
Accommodation Strategy.
NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE SERVICE
The New South Wales Police Service protects and serves the community by
preventing, detecting and investigating crime, maintaining public order, promoting
orderly and safe road use and undertaking and coordinating emergency and rescue
functions.
15 - 2
Budget Estimates 2002-03
EXPENDITURE TRENDS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
A total of $1,758 million will be spent on the recurrent expenses and capital
acquisitions of the New South Wales Police Service in 2002-03, an increase of
$150.3 million or 9.4 percent on last year’s budget. Excluding one-off increases
for the Olympics, this represents the eighth consecutive record police budget.
Police will have an increased focus on visible front-line policing. This will be
assisted by the restructure of Police, which will see every officer from
Probationary Constable to the Commissioner perform rostered street policing.
The restructure will also reduce the number of Region Commands from eleven to
five. This will result in up to 1,000 police being redeployed to Local Area
Commands.
New infringement notices are to be introduced to cut down on paperwork and
allow police to perform more visible activities, while changes proposed in the
Bail Amendment (Repeat Offenders) Bill 2002 will also make it harder for repeat
offenders, who police believe are responsible for 80 to 90 percent of crime, to get
bail. These changes will also remove the presumption in favour of bail for those
who have previously absconded while on bail, or have been charged with further
offences while on bail or parole.
New laws have already been introduced to stop gang members fraternising with
each other or gathering at certain venues. A Gang and Organised Crime Strike
Force has been established, which will have 52 highly trained detectives.
Other significant recent developments include:
Increasing Police Numbers to Make the Streets Safer
Additional budget funding continues to be provided to meet the Government’s
commitment to increase police numbers by 1,000 over the four years to December
2003.
Funding has also been provided for the restructure of police recruit training to
make it more relevant, to make a police career more attractive and to get larger
numbers of highly skilled police on the streets.
The new arrangements include establishing a supplementary campus to cope with
the large number of recruits. A license arrangement was entered into with the
University of Western Sydney for use of the Richmond campus.
The first class under the new training structure commenced in May 2002 and up to
1,700 new recruits are expected to graduate by May 2003.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 3
Supplementary Policing
Police will be conducting a six-month trial of user pays supplementary policing.
This will enable an additional police presence to be provided at nominated
business and community centres.
Supplementary police services will be in addition to those provided under regular
shift arrangements and will be performed by officers who would not otherwise be
rostered for duty. Police will at all times be employed by New South Wales Police
and under the direction of their Local Area Commander.
The introduction of supplementary policing has significant potential benefits for
business, the New South Wales Police Service, police officers and the community
generally. It has the potential to:

increase visible front-line policing;

reduce crime and anti-social behaviour;

increase community and business confidence;

strengthen relationships between police, Local Area Commands and the
communities they serve; and

offer additional employment opportunities to police officers.
Drugs Legislation
A series of operational, legal and treatment initiatives were introduced in 2001 to
provide police with the ability to target drug dealers and the drug market.
The Police Powers (Drug Premises) Act 2001 enables police to combat drug
houses and other drug gang areas and to move on or arrest people loitering to sell
or buy drugs.
To March 2002, police used the drug house legislation on 106 occasions
state-wide, resulting in a total of 228 drug house charges, while 2,918 directions to
move on were given to suspected drug dealers or people loitering to buy drugs in
Cabramatta alone.
The new Police Drug Bail Scheme in Cabramatta also allows police to refer
addicts to health assessment and treatment services and to release minor offenders
on bail on the condition they do not return to the area. Between July 2001 and
March 2002 police referred 33 people for assessment or treatment and 393 people
charged with minor offences received bail.
15 - 4
Budget Estimates 2002-03
The Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) program in Cabramatta
has resulted in 70 referrals to treatment from court, with New South Wales Health
advising that 28 people were on the MERIT program at 28 February 2002.
Firearms Legislation
New South Wales continues to enforce the toughest firearms legislation in
Australia. This commitment was strengthened by the introduction of the
Firearms Amendment (Trafficking) Act 2001, which introduced new powers to
target the trade in illegal firearms.
From July 2001 to March 2002, there were 532 charges issued under the new
legislation.
The firearm amnesty, which ran from June to November 2001, resulted in the
surrender of 5,772 firearms and 72,381 registration applications.
Police and Community Youth Clubs
Police and Community Youth Clubs (PCYCs) are undergoing a major
revitalisation program, including an increased focus on young people who are at
risk of future involvement in crime. A greater focus will be placed on homework,
computer and literacy programs.
Funding has been provided to trial civilian managers in a number of clubs to help
police at the PCYCs to play a more effective role in developing relationships with
young people.
An amount of $5 million has also been provided to improve PCYC facilities and
to support a high-tech mobile PCYC service for remote country areas.
Rural Crime Package
A rural crime package is being implemented at all 32 non-metropolitan Local
Area Commands.
The package will see Rural Crime Investigators in each of those Commands
trained in specialist techniques to better investigate the theft of livestock,
machinery, pesticides and fuels. They will also be trained to provide safety and
security advice to businesses and families in regional communities.
Legislation will also be introduced to enable police to issue on-the-spot fines for
minor unauthorised hunting and trespass on private land.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 5
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
The New South Wales Police Service aims to achieve:

ethical cost effective crime reduction;

improved public safety; and

continuing improvement in cultural and workplace reform.
The creation of a corruption resistant police force has been a priority in recent
years. Structures have been put in place to find and weed out corruption.
The focus now is on returning police to the frontline.
To achieve this, stage two of the restructure of Police will commence on
1 July 2002, giving local communities increased and more visible street policing.
To better meet community expectations, all Local Area Commanders will also be
required to work with the community to identify crime "hot spots" and other
problem areas and develop local solutions to local problems.
The New South Wales Police Service’s key priority is public satisfaction and
police responsiveness.
Policing services will continue to be delivered through the following four budget
programs:

Community Support;

Criminal Investigation;

Traffic; and

Judicial Support.
This program structure provides a comprehensive and meaningful grouping of
policing services that is aimed at improved community outcomes, providing value
for money and ensuring efficient resource allocation.
15 - 6
Budget Estimates 2002-03
2002-03 BUDGET
Total Expenses
Total expenses are expected to increase by $131.3 million to $1,673 million in
2002-03, an increase of 8.5 percent compared to last year’s allocation.
The 2002-03 Budget provides funding for additional police in line with the
Government’s commitment to increase the number of police by 1,000 over the
four years to December 2003.
The civilianisation program also continues into its final stage to release a total of
350 sworn police to the front line in 2002-03, bringing total government funding
for this program to $12.1 million.
Additional funding has been provided for a number of other initiatives within
Police’s 2002-03 budget including:

$150,000 to continue the Cabramatta Anti-Drug Strategy commenced in
2001-02;

$2 million to promote police recruitment;

$6.6 million to provide for the improved Diploma of Policing Practice;

$443,000 for the trial of a new management structure for Police and
Community Youth Clubs; and

$6.3 million for DNA testing and ongoing maintenance and operational
support for the Livescan (fingerprints) and IBIS (ballistics) forensic systems.
Asset Acquisitions
The New South Wales Police Service’s capital program aims to:

provide functional and cost effective police accommodation where it is
needed;

improve the safety of operational police;

equip police to enable them to perform their role effectively; and

advance the efficient processing and use of operational and administrative
data.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 7
The 2002-03 Budget allows for expenditure of $84.9 million on asset acquisitions,
compared with the allocation of $66 million last year.
Major New Works
The capital program provides for the commencement of major new works with a
total estimated cost of $28.8 million, of which $22.5 million is allocated in
2002-03.
The building program includes $17.5 million to meet costs associated with the
relocation of Police Headquarters to Parramatta, while $2.8 million has been
allocated towards the replacement of a number of police stations, including
Griffith, Thirroul and Muswellbrook.
In addition, an amount of $5 million ($2.3 million in 2002-03) has been provided
for the PhotoTrac project. This computer application will extend the capability of
the New South Wales Police Service to manage digital images of offenders and
assist in the identification of suspects.
Works-in-Progress
A total of $46.4 million has been provided in 2002-03 for works-in-progress.
This amount includes:

$2.6 million for the completion of the Cell Improvement Program, which was
commenced in 1996 to maximise the safety and security of people in custody;

$8.7 million to complete the construction of a new police station at
Cabramatta;

$4.5 million to complete the upgrade of the Infringement Processing Bureau’s
computer systems and meet other costs associated with its relocation to
Maitland;

$6 million for continued improvements to the Police Country Radio
Communications Network; and

$1.9 million towards the relocation of the Sydney Water Police to Balmain.
15 - 8
Budget Estimates 2002-03
In addition, a total of $19 million has been provided for ongoing technology
developments to improve operational and organisational efficiency. These include
$4.7 million for enhancements to the Computerised Operational Policing System
(COPS), $4.2 million to improve the management of enforcement notices,
$2.7 million for the roll-out of Livescan fingerprint equipment across the State,
$1.6 million to complete the development of the Police Complaints Case
Management System and $4.1 million for the completion of a feasibility study into
the replacement of COPS.
Minor Works
The minor works allocation of $16 million will be used to improve police
accommodation, for site acquisitions and for the acquisition of minor new
facilities. It includes:

$600,000 for the commencement of preliminary design work and the
purchase of a suitable site for a new police station at Armidale;

$240,000 for an upgrade of facilities at Deniliquin police station;

$228,000 for the relocation of Grafton Radio Communications to improved
accommodation; and

$216,000 for improvements to Cronulla police station.
The allocation also provides for the purchase of smaller items of operational plant
and equipment, the replacement of road safety equipment and minor computer
projects.
NEW SOUTH WALES CRIME COMMISSION
The New South Wales Crime Commission’s objective is to combat illegal drug
trafficking and organised crime in New South Wales.
Activities to achieve this objective include targeting high level drug traffickers and
persons involved in organised crime. This involves obtaining evidence for
prosecution of those persons and/or the Civil forfeiture of their assets; furnishing
reports relating to illegal drug trafficking and organised crime and disseminating
investigatory, technological and analytical expertise.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 9
EXPENDITURE TRENDS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Commission underwent extensive restructuring over the last five years which
has enabled it to have greater control over the direction it takes and to better
deploy resources. This has produced substantial results, including realising in
excess of $43 million through confiscation action.
The Commission’s
investigations have also resulted in a number of major arrests.
The restructure was followed by an increase in staff numbers and an improved
application of technology.
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
Specific attention is paid to changes in technology and the impact this has on the
operations of the Commission. In recent years, the Commission has extensively
developed its use of technology in the interception of telecommunications.
Enhancements are currently being undertaken to increase the system’s storage
capacity.
The Commission is constantly reviewing its procedures and practices to ensure
they are providing the most efficient and effective means to achieve its objectives.
2002-03 BUDGET
Total Expenses
The Commission estimates total expenses of $11.9 million in 2002-03.
This represents an increase of 7.7 percent on last year’s budget allocation.
This increase is primarily related to the expansion of telecommunications
interception.
Asset Acquisitions
The Commission has undertaken a significant program to better utilise technology
to combat drug trafficking and organised crime over recent years. Significant
asset acquisitions were made in 2001-02.
The allocation of $1.2 million in 2002-03 will allow the Commission to keep
abreast of ever changing technologies in the field in which it operates.
These funds will enable the Commission to continue to update its substantial
telephone interception system.
15 - 10
Budget Estimates 2002-03
POLICE INTEGRITY COMMISSION
The Police Integrity Commission is responsible for preventing, detecting and
investigating serious police misconduct and managing and overseeing other
agencies in the detection and investigation of police misconduct.
EXPENDITURE TRENDS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
As a result of legislative changes to the New South Wales Police Service
promotions system, the Commission now has an increased responsibility to
undertake police integrity checks. The Government has also established a
Response Unit, which is responsible for this function, on a permanent basis.
The new Commissioner recently undertook a review of the Commission’s
operational structure, which was completed in February 2002. Changes have been
effected to assist in meeting the Commission’s functional responsibilities.
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
The Commission will continue to develop and apply innovative investigation and
prevention strategies aimed at combating serious police misconduct. This year
will mark the completion of the Commission’s role of overseeing the Qualitative
and Strategic Audit of the Reform Process of the New South Wales Police Service.
The Commission will complete and implement the Police Oversight Development
System, a sub-component of the Police Complaints Case Management System,
and provide necessary support to the Ombudsman’s Office and the New South
Wales Police Service.
2002-03 BUDGET
Total Expenses
In 2002-03, estimated total expenses of the Commission will amount to
$17.1 million. This represents an increase of $1.1 million on last year’s budget.
An additional $516,000 in funding will provide resources to enable the
Commission to carry out integrity checks, assist in confiscation proceedings and
respond to matters arising from investigations carried out by the Royal
Commission into the New South Wales Police Service.
Asset Acquisitions
The Commission will spend $560,000 on the continued use and development of its
electronic surveillance technology capabilities to support complex investigations.
Budget Estimates 2002-03
15 - 11