Page 514 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 February 2012
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particular, but indeed throughout the week, across the ACT, not just in Civic, providing an additional operational capacity to deal with alcohol-related offences and to provide additional capacity to crack down on antisocial and violent behaviour before it gets out of hand. That is a very important protection to police and we are seeing that it is working. For example, alcohol-related arrests decreased by 17.16 per cent between 1 November 2010 and 30 November 2011, so there has been a very significant decrease in the number of alcohol-related offences. That is a very important protection for police, obviously—less crime, less violence, less risk to our police—and that is the investment that this government is making.
Of course, the government has also supported the decision of police to roll out conducted energy weapons, or tasers, to front-line sergeants. This is particularly important for the city beat in providing an additional capability to deal with events in that location.
MR SESELJA: Do you support legislation aimed at increasing deterrents for assaults against police?
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes?
Mr Hargreaves: Is that legislation on the books for debate? If so, it is anticipating debate.
MR SPEAKER: Let me just seek some advice. Mr Hargreaves, you are showing the wisdom of your years here. We did have that standing order but it no longer is in the standing orders. So I am afraid that Mr Seselja’s question stands. Minister, you have the floor.
MR CORBELL: Mr Seselja may be asking me to announce the government’s policy in relation to that bill, but I think I can answer the question nevertheless. The question for the government—and, the government believes, for this Assembly—is to be convinced that measures will act as a deterrent to reducing violence against police officers, and that will be the matter that we will be giving consideration to in relation to such matters.
Conducted energy weapons
MS BRESNAN: What steps will the ACT government take to review the expanded deployment of conducted energy weapons, as was announced in August last year?
MR CORBELL: As ACT Policing have indicated and as the Chief Police Officer indicated when the decision was made in August last year to roll out conducted energy weapons or tasers to 15 sergeant positions across the ACT, there would be a review of that rollout, of the first six months of use by front-line sergeants. That review is expected to be completed in March this year and I look forward to the results of that review.
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