Sworn Police Security Officers (PSOs) will have a greater suite of responsibilities from this year – as hopeful officers can apply for close to 200 new permanent positions.
The Malinauskas Government has announced funding of $7 million in 2023-24 increasing to $24.6 million per annum (indexed) from 2024-25 for the recruitment of an additional 189 sworn PSOs.
It will be the first funding increase to permanent sworn staff since 2018.
The additional sworn Police Security Officers, formerly known as Protective Security Officers, will perform some of the many roles currently undertaken by sworn police officers.
The new funding will allow SAPOL to deploy additional sworn PSOs across metropolitan custody facilities and to various security based roles across the greater Adelaide metropolitan area. PSOs role expansion will allow police officers to focus on front line, core policing duties.
Specifically, establishment of the District Support Section within Police Security Services Branch allows SAPOL to deploy sworn PSOs across the four metropolitan custodial facilities, releasing 45 police officers to other duties.
In the first phase of the rollout taking effect this month, sworn PSOs are currently being deployed across the greater Adelaide metropolitan area to support front line police officers by undertaking a range of support duties including:
- Conveying and guarding prisoners
- Conveying people detained by police officers under the Mental Health Act to hospital for assessment
- Police custodial cell guard duties
- Where children under the guardianship of the Chief Executive are reported missing, conveying those children back to their place of care.
The second phase will expand into security of places and property including:
- Conveying and guarding exhibit property
- Guarding crime scenes
- Providing traffic cordons at serious incidents
- Providing police security services at major events
- Supporting the recovery of stolen vehicles
- Supporting check on welfare events for vulnerable persons.
Like sworn police officers, sworn PSOs possess legislated authorities, carry firearms and other safety equipment, and have training in police operational safety.
Tasks current performed by sworn PSOs include providing security patrols and alarm response to South Australian government agencies, assisting with static security services at key government buildings and delivering CCTV support in the CBD and on public transport. These functions will continue to be performed alongside the extended duties.
More recently, sworn PSOs have played a key role in COVID-19 medi-hotel and border checkpoint safety.
Introducing new roles and responsibilities for sworn PSOs will optimise SAPOL’s goal to balance and optimise its workforce, in line with current national policing strategies and contemporary community expectations.
Quotes
Attributable to Stephen Mullighan
The State Government is committed to ensuring we bolster policing resources and provide as many opportunities to make a fulfilling career within SAPOL as possible.
This significant investment of creating the opportunity to recruit nearly 200 new sworn PSOs to SAPOL’s ranks will assist in sharing responsibilities with front-line police to have wider coverage across the State.
Attributable to Joe Szakacs
A career as a sworn PSO is incredibly rewarding and we’re pleased to offer not only 189 new positions, but a host of new responsibilities and challenges.
There has never been a greater time to join SA Police.
This substantial resourcing boost to permanent PSO numbers is the first increase to sworn staff since 2018.
This significant funding will allow sworn PSOs to develop key skills in a range of areas and assist in freeing up capability for SAPOL sworn police officers to respond to frontline tasks.
Attributable to SAPOL Commissioner Grant Stevens
The hiring of additional sworn Police Security Officers and the expansion of their duties provides SAPOL with greater flexibility to respond appropriately to community needs.
It enables us to deploy appropriately trained and supported people into roles that best utilise their skills, knowledge and training. PSO’s are well equipped to support front line policing and SAPOL looks forward to implementing the expanded PSO model.
