,Jail threat halves assaults

Mandatory sentencing laws have seen assaults on Kimberley public officers halved over the past five years, according to latest figures.

Statistics released by the WA Police Department show the number of assaults on public officers in the Kimberley district had reduced from 121 in 2012 to 53 so far this year.

Assaults on public officers in the Broome district have also decreased over the past five years, from 63 in 2012 to 28 so far in 2016.

Figures also revealed the number of incidents involving the obstruction of Kimberley public officers had dropped from 223 incidents in 2012 to 52 recorded so far this year.

In Broome, the numbers had more than halved since 2012, from 131 to 24 this year.

Public officers include police officers, ambulance officers, Shire rangers and bus drivers.

Kimberley district Superintendent Allan Adams said mandatory imprisonment of a serious assault against police introduced in 2009 had played a role in the decrease of incidents.

“Historically, the offences have been committed against frontline personnel, so to see the numbers drop so significantly indicates a number of factors are having a positive impact,” he said.

“Legislation increasing the seriousness of this type of offending has contributed and also at a police end we have been putting a lot of effort into fine-tuning our approach to higher-risk incidents where conflict is involved.

“Whilst police will always hold offenders to account when the law is broken, work is continuing with the community to ensure the police role is better understood and respected in this regard and this would appear to be paying dividends.”

The State Government passed laws in 2009 which meant offenders faced a minimum jail term of 12 months for grievous bodily harm to police and other public officers; nine months for bodily harm (in circumstances of aggravation); and six months for assault causing bodily harm.