Anecdotal evidence is that police jurisdictions across Australia are suffering a collective shortfall of about 15,000 recruits.  With the volume and complexity of demand continuing to rise, current members are increasingly required to operate well above and beyond practical, and sustainable, capacity.

Widely accepted within business circles is that customer retention is critically important.  It reduces the amount of effort needed to continually reach new customers; and a loyal customer base demonstrates delivery of an optimal customer service experience.

Exchange the word “customer” for “cop”.

Recruitment is important, but critically important is the need, the organizational obligation, to deliver optimal internal support systems, policies and service entitlements that provide compelling incentive for police officers to stay within policing.

The 2022-23 Defence annual report noted that a fundamental barrier for retention of defence staff, especially in regional locations, was a lack of support for the “family unit”.  It is essential for SAPOL to place significant emphasis on ensuring that families receive as much support as do employees.

Agencies, including SAPOL, must recognize that community diversity necessitates changes in practice and requires greater workplace flexibility.  Community values and expectations are changing and, as a reflection and representation of our community, so too are the values of our members.

SAPOL policies must be progressive and adapt to the changing desires of today’s workforce.  SAPOL’s administration of the special leave without pay (SLWOP) policy is a prime example.  Why lose a member for good by rejecting his or her SLWOP application when, after 12 or so months, that member might return to SAPOL with a greater breadth of experience and reinvigorated for an ongoing police career?

Scrutiny on policing is, without question, at an all-time high.  And there’s no doubt that it takes its toll on police.  The onus is on leaders and politicians to do more to counter negative publicity about police and the incredible work they do, day in and day out.

I recently attended the National Recruitment and Retention Summit.  What it made clear is the need for inter-jurisdictional co-operation, communication and collaboration to ensure a robust, unified police voice to both state and federal governments.

Police jurisdictions across Australia, led by their respective commissioners, must unite and collectively advocate for key, tangible outcomes.

Outcomes that can make a real difference to the lives of police and their family members, include:

  • The lowering of the preservation age of superannuation for police to provide greater financial flexibility, enabling police officers to plan for their futures and retirement.
  • Amendments to the fringe benefits tax to enable police officers to salary sacrifice their mortgages to offset cost-of-living pressures.
  • The establishment of a police blue card (similar to the Defence white and gold cards) for eligible serving and retired members (this would include greater access to health-care services, pharmaceutical benefits and expanded concessional travel).
  • A government-funded national marketing campaign to raise awareness of the role and responsibilities of police officers and position police agencies as employers of choice.
  • A commitment toward greater flexibility for lateral transfers between jurisdictions.
  • The trialling of new initiatives to support the health and well-being of police officers.

The healthier, happier and more satisfied the workforce, the greater the inclination to remain in the job.  Good health is good business.

In a Police Journal opinion piece last year (Health professionals for cops in the workplace, April issue), I indicated that:

“… human connection is more important than ever.  Imagine top-quality resident health professionals as part of police workplaces in metro and regional locations, providing regular conversation and support to police.  Imagine such trusted professionals as members of their local police communities, on hand to chat, listen without prejudice, and educate and support members.”

SAPOL Human Resources Service executive director Kim-Sherie Summers responded swiftly with a strongly worded letter to the Police Association, published also on the SAPOL intranet.

She insisted that my words required “a direct response” and, while she had not up until then felt the need to respond to Police Journal articles, wrote that she was “… extremely disappointed by an article which I believe has a very narrow focus on such an important issue…”

But credit where credit is due.

I was overwhelmingly pleased that, since my Police Journal article and suggestion, SAPOL is now trialling the metropolitan outreach programme within both Western District and Southern District, respectively.

Professionally trained social workers, working within the districts, currently for one day per week, are providing support to members at the intersection of their professional and personal lives, assisting them to manage a range of matters which impact on not only their own well-being, but also that of their families and colleagues.

I commend this initiative, and from what members tell me, engagement levels have been very high and feedback overwhelmingly positive.

The reality is that police work is both challenging and rewarding.  It’s a great job.

And now is the time to work together, both at a state and national level, unions and agencies alike.

It’s imperative that current members receive the contemporary entitlements and recompense they so very much deserve, and to entice quality recruits into a vocation which, arguably, can be one of the very best jobs in the world.