WA Police are desperately trying to bolster recruitment efforts after more than 60 officers quit in June — almost twice the normal monthly rate.
The departures continue at an alarming pace with more resignations in the first five months of this year, as in the entirety of 2021.
It comes as the police officers who remain in the job seek mental health support in ever-increasing numbers, due to the stress and trauma of the role.
And The West Australian can reveal that on top of the 64 officers that resigned in June, another five police auxiliary officers and three recruits called it quits.
The monthly average resignation rate for sworn officers is 33. In the past six months it has risen to about 44.
There are now fears amongst rank and file officers that the level of resignations is outstripping recruit numbers, as officers seek jobs with higher pay and less stress elsewhere — including in the resources industry.
“We are going to be in a world of pain at this rate,” one officer said on Friday.
In a statement to The West, WA Police said it was confident of attracting more WA-based recruits via its current Let’s Join Forces recruitment campaign, but that other strategies — including an overseas hiring drive — were among options it was now considering.
“Western Australia Police Force has already acknowledged there are recruitment challenges in the current competitive job market,” the statement said.
“Given the current circumstances, WA Police is canvassing a range of options to attract future recruits.
“This includes possible interstate and overseas recruitment campaigns, however, decisions are yet to be made in relation to any proposed extension of the current recruitment campaign.”
There’s plenty of officers overseas who are very well qualified and we are in a situation now where we have no other option but to look elsewhere for additional officers.Mick Kelly
It can be revealed that the WA Police Union wrote to Police Commissioner Chris Dawson several months ago urging him to consider a recruitment campaign that will attract experienced officers from other jurisdictions, particularly overseas.
Union boss Mick Kelly said he had also spoken to Police Minister Paul Papalia as recently as last week about an overseas recruitment strategy.
“Our attrition rate is pretty dire at the moment,” Mr Kelly said.
“There’s plenty of officers overseas who are very well qualified and we are in a situation now where we have no other option but to look elsewhere for additional officers.”
The dire need to fill roles comes as WA Police officers who sought mental health support more than trebled in the past two years.
In a Budget estimates hearing held on June 22, WA Police confirmed 777 police employees accessed mental health programs in 2019, which more than doubled to 1659 in 2020 and rose further to 2619 last year.
Estimates were also told there had been 236 resignations from the force between January and May this year, almost as many as in the whole of 2021 (243).
There were 149 resignations in 2020 and just 108 in 2019.
Mr Dawson, who will leave the top job in a matter of weeks, told the hearing the resignation rate for this year was “proportionately above … the average” but blamed the strong labour market and job opportunities, in some cases with higher pay, elsewhere.
A State Government spokesman told The West that the McGowan Government and WA Police were in the middle of a “record recruitment drive”.
They said 570 people had already joined the force under the government’s commitment to recruit 950 new officers.
“Currently, the campaign is aimed at recruiting West Australians,” the spokesman added.
Premier Mark McGowan has recently returned from Europe as part of an effort to recruit more skilled workers to WA.
He flew out on the first non-stop flight from Perth to Rome, before heading to London, Dublin, and Doha.