Page 994 - Week 03 - Thursday, 30 March 2006
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Policing—officers
(Question No 960)
Mr Pratt asked the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, upon notice, on 16 February 2006:
(1) What is the correct figure for sworn and unsworn police officers in the ACT given that Productivity Commission figures state that there were 802 sworn and unsworn police officers in the ACT during 2004-05 however the ACT Policing annual report states there were 791.5;
(2) Was it stated in the police estimates hearings of 26 May 2005 that the Productivity Commission report on Government Services for 2002-03 listed the number of Police officers in the ACT at 809; if so, why has this number decreased by 7 officers, to its current level of 802 in the 2004-05 report;
(3) Was it stated in the police estimates hearings of 26 May 2005 that the Productivity Commission report is not a pure full time equivalent (FTE) count; if so, how can the Minister claim the Productivity Commission figures are accurate when they are not a true FTE count that is used in the ACT Policing annual report;
(4) How many police officers were on long service leave when that figure of 802 police officers listed in the Productivity Commission report was calculated.
Mr Hargreaves: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) Both figures are technically correct as they represent differing measures of ACT Policing staff. The Productivity Commission measurement consists of the average of the opening and closing staff balances for the financial year. Annual report figures represent the number of AFP staff dedicated to ACT Service provision as at a point in time (30 June 2005). ACT Policing's staffing profile peaks and dips depending on the operational tempo. In 2004/05, ACT Policing were funded to provide an annualised 796 FTE officers.
(2) Variations in staffing levels as measured by the Productivity Commission between financial years are to be expected due to their reliance on only two points of reference. Given the dynamic and complex nature of the policing operations and the fact that recruit intakes do not follow identical patterns across financial years, minor variations in staffing levels, as measured by the Productivity Commission are to be expected. Any reported variation is simply a result of differing actual staffing levels as measured on 1 July and 30 June of each financial year.
(3) Productivity Commission staffing figures represent the average (Full Time Equivalent) FTE using two points of reference being the start and end of financial year. While both Productivity Commission and ACT Policing Annual report figures do not represent the actual average FTE achieved across the entire financial year, Productivity Commission figures are the only ones that have been prepared using a consist methodology across all police jurisdictions. As such Productivity Commission figures are the only figures that can be used for comparison purposes across policing jurisdictions.
(4) There were 3.36 FTE police officers on long service leave when the figure of 802 police officers listed in the Productivity Commission report was calculated.
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