SA Police recruitment will meet target, Police Minister Tony Piccolo vows
An Opposition suggestion the South Australian Government will struggle to meet its police recruitment target has been rejected by Police Minister Tony Piccolo.
Liberal frontbencher John Gardner said a report from the Auditor-General cast doubt on a Government promise made back in 2010 to recruit 300 more officers.
This year had been set as an initial deadline to meet the target but it was then extended to 2018.
Mr Gardner said the latest Auditor-General's report showed the recruiting drive was 129 short.
"The Government couldn't meet its initial deadline, they've given themselves a new deadline, they've got a lot of work to do to catch up to it," he said.
"We wish them well but quite frankly the Auditor-General's report shows just how far away from that deadline they are.
"I think that the Labor Party has a chronic problem of over-spruiking what they can deliver before an election and under-delivering."
Mr Piccolo vowed the 2018 SAPOL (South Australia Police) recruitment deadline would be met.
"It's no secret that the process was a little bit slow to start but now we are catching up," he said.
"SAPOL have put a plan in place to recruit so many people per year and that commitment for this year is on target, so we anticipate that by 2017/18 we will have the 300 additional police officers.
"As far as I'm concerned we're on target to meet to that commitment and that promise."
