00:02Tasmania's police officers are overworked and dealing with increased mental health, family violence and youth crime incidents.
00:10That's the finding of an independent report.
00:13We're stressed, they're worn out, they're overwhelmed, they're overworked.
00:18Police responded to an extra 40,000 incidents in the decade to 2324.
00:24It's leaving them overwhelmed, but the union says simple changes can be made.
00:30They need to reform these horrific rosters that our members are working at the moment.
00:34Family violence and mental health incidents are significant contributors to demand, with dispatchers more than doubling in the past decade.
00:43Police say they are doing the work of other agencies.
00:47Talking about working in spaces where other agencies aren't, you know, they can't get to it, they're not funded for
00:54it or they just aren't rostered for it.
00:56The demand that the police are facing is because we don't have the investment in the community and in the
01:01organisations that are there to be really responsive earlier on.
01:05The report recommended police look at how they can approach family violence incidents differently, including rapid response video calls for
01:14mid-level family violence, which have proven successful in the UK, and having support workers attend with them.
01:21While there is often a call for more police on the ground, the report found that's not necessarily the answer.
01:28It said some stations could use more staff, but in others, better systems, different approaches and improved rostering will help.
01:36Tasmania police is considering the report's recommendations.
01:39Tasmania police can use the report's recommendations.
Comments