In his speech to Conference, PANSW President Kevin Morton drove home to the Premier, Opposition Leader and other dignitaries:
- We need more police on the road, faster.
- We need stronger retention strategies that value experience and reward commitment.
- We need mental health reforms that stop police becoming the default response for every crisis.
- We need less blue tape and more time for real policing.
- We need technology that protects our members instead of systems that slow them down.
- We need legislative reform that reflects the realities of frontline work, not theories written far away from it.
Watch President Morton’s Speech – click here
Read the transcript – click here
Premier Chris Minns announced a commitment to an additional Academy Class every year, increasing new police recruits by 30% each year.
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane committed to the Coalition taking a plan to use technology to reduce police workload and administrative burden an import part of her upcoming election strategy.
The momentum is shifting: Commissioner Mal Lanyon shared that there were more police joining the NSWPF than leaving it and that the number of officers on long term sick leave has halved in the last year.
IN THE MEDIA
In a preview of his upcoming Conference speech, PANSW President Kevin Morton called for changes to the court system to reflect the 24-hour nature of modern policing.
RIGHT CARE RIGHT PERSON
Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson highlighted that a blue uniform attending a mental health call out was not the intended or best approach. While there is always a role for police when there is a threat of violence of a risk to life, the primary response is getting the patient the assistance they need from the outset, from the appropriate health professional.
Police should not be required to take on the role of mental health clinicians and a cross-agency response is required to ensure that long-required change occurs.
Superintendent Kristy Hales outlined the methodology behind the health-led approach which borrows from the Right Care Right Person model adopted in the UK.
Implementation from the NSWPF perspective will be focused on the legal care of duty, changes that are needed to mental health legislation and powers, 000 triaging processes, training implications (applying the model easily and effectively), partner agency involvement along with the establishment of an MOU between involved agencies.
Deputy Commissioner Hudson acknowledged that it has taken a long time to work through this with the NSW Government and NSW Health, but expects progress to speed up as we near a new MoU.
BLUE TAPE
A/C Stacey Maloney and A/C Jason Weinstein presented to Delegates on the work being done to reduce police workload, through improvements to systems, removal of inefficiencies, and new technology.
The NSWPF currently has siloed programs and workflows with a number of programs. The Technology Command is working on a new CAD system, and a Core Policing Solution.
It is aimed at bringing fragmented systems into one product experience.
Delegates viewed demonstrations of some of the improvements, including a new way to create statements with improving technology. Notable changes are the ability to do voice to text to create the statement, e-signatures and instant creation of a pdf of the statement, pre-populating information based on fields.
Delegates then participated in Focus Groups to put forward their feedback on Blue Tape projects, identify improvements, and submit new ideas for police processes or technology that will reduce your workload.
A/C Maloney and A/C Weinstein made it clear: Blue Tape is not top down, it will always be about hearing your feedback and implement new technology or procedures to help you do your job.
PRISONER TRANSPORT
Delegates then received an update from Acting A/C Andrew Koutsoufis and Superintendent Duane Carey regarding Custody Corrections and Bail Division.
The PANSW and NSWPF are pushing for extension of court hours, for a reinforcement of Corrective Services’ responsibilities, and improvements in Bail Determination paper work.
WORDS FROM A PANSW LEGEND
Today, Life Member Bob Morgan received formal recognition from Conference for his years of service as a Field Organiser with the PANSW.
Bob has helped countless police officers around NSW, at all times of the day, night or year, and his safety disputes in particular are legendary.
Bob address Conference today, and had some wise words for all of us to remember about the value of being in the Blue Family:
“I miss the job, I miss the Police Association. Enjoy it while you can, stay united.”