Question - ACT Policing

1. Is there a specific amount of police officers that are supposed to be dedicated to the patrolling of the Belconnen town centre at any one time; if so, what is that number.
2. Does this number change at specific times of the day (i.e. fewer police officers assigned at night).
3. Is this number ever not met; if so, how many times in the last two years has this number not been met.

It is important to note that ACT Policing continues to operate on priority response basis. All reports to police are prioritised in accordance with dispatch protocols meaning those where people are in danger are prioritised higher, with a faster response time in those matters. 

ACT Policing does not allocate specific resources dedicated to proactively patrolling town centres at any single time. ACT Policing Officers in Charge of all stations regularly encourage their members to proactively patrol town centres where possible on their shifts, to establish relationships with shop keepers and the community. 

ACT Policing also has a strong working relationship with local shopping centre managers and shop keepers as part of its commitment to ensuring the community feels safe and to ensure retailers feel confident to alert police when there is a genuine safety concern or to respond to a crime being committed.

ACT Policing’s Territory Targeting Teams continue to target key town centre areas in response to shop lifting and anti-social behaviour with the most recent activity occurring on Wednesday 1 May 2024.

ACT Policing has a flexible workforce and can rapidly redirect resources to priority matters as required. An example of this is that part of its response to a recent increase in community expectation for security measures along with a heightened awareness for personal safety, ACT Policing has ensured an increase in its visible presence at shopping centres and town precincts.

ACT Policing has also been steadily increasing its community engagement activities. In 2023, ACT Policing officers attended and hosted numerous events in local Canberra shopping centres and cafes, engaging face-to-face and continuing ACT Policing’s strong relationships with the Canberra community. Coffee with a Cop and Cop Pop Up events were held in Woden, Tuggeranong, Belconnen, Gungahlin and City town centres. 

These initiatives enable community members and police officers to come together in an informal and relaxed space and have that important in-person interaction. Topics usually covered at these events include but are not limited to policing in the area, community safety, crime prevention, careers within ACT Policing and policing in general. 

Alongside these initiatives, ACT Policing received more than 117 requests in 2023 to attend community events in a public engagement capacity. ACT Policing continues to facilitate officer attendance at these events as operational priorities allow, further demonstrating its commitment to strengthening relationships with the community.