Investing in our Police

Investing in
our Police

Police are our front line against crime and, in the last two years, they have also been our front line against COVID-19. We have significantly increased funding for our police - enhancing community safety and protecting those who protect us.

What we said we'd do

Re-instate the police station opening hours that Labor cut, fund a trial of light armoured vests for police and give SAPOL better counter terrorism training and powers.

What we've done

The Marshall Liberal Government has delivered on our promises – re-instating police station opening hours, funding a roll out of light armoured vests and improving SAPOL’s ability to prevent and respond to terrorism.

We have invested more than $290 million in additional funding for SAPOL, crime rates have reduced significantly and we have the second highest number of police staff per capita in the nation.

While Labor closed stations and slashed the opening hours of others, we believe the community deserves a strong police presence which includes a physical shop front. That’s why we re-instated longer police station opening hours at Norwood, Henley Beach and Glenelg while also investing in a new staffing model that enables more officers to be on patrol.

Those who protect us deserve our protection which is why we have provided 3,000 light armoured vests to frontline police and security officers, safeguarding them against gun and knife attacks.

We’ve also funded Crime Stoppers for the next four years - the first time this important organisation has been directly funded by the government.

Importantly, we provided our police with more than $120 million in additional funding to help protect the community from the threat of COVID-19. This enabled them to run border patrols, medi-hotel security, cross border travel processes and more while still ensuring our streets, suburbs and neighbourhoods were kept safe.

What it means for you

  • Our neighbourhoods are safer with longer police station opening hours and more police on the beat
  • Our police are better equipped and protected while they are protecting us
  • South Australians were kept as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic

Policy snapshot

  • We have delivered on our promises – re-instating police station opening hours, funding light armoured vests for frontline police and improving SAPOL’s ability to prevent and respond to terrorism.
  • We have delivered historic funding to Crime Stoppers.
  • We delivered the funding and resources needed to help SAPOL protect the community from the threat of COVID-19.
Download full policy (PDF)
Police are our front line against crime and, in the last two years, they have also been our front line against COVID-19. We have significantly increased funding for our police - enhancing community safety and protecting those who protect us.

Police are our front line against crime and, in the last two years, they have also been our front line against COVID-19. We have significantly increased funding for our police - enhancing community safety and protecting those who protect us.