Top cop's stay out of strife pact

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan wants to start a trial that would allow police officers to hold off prosecuting minor offenders if they sign a contract agreeing to stay out of trouble.

Speaking at a Public Health Association of Australia conference yesterday, he said it would be modelled on the British program Turning Point and would offer people rehabilitation or counselling to stop them reoffending.

He wants to test the approach in a region such as Fitzroy Crossing where there are vulnerable people affected by substance abuse who get into trouble and spend time in courts and jail.

Under the plan, offenders would make an agreement with police that could include getting help for substance abuse or anger management for an agreed time.

If they stayed out of trouble, police would tear up the prosecution notice. If not, the charge would go ahead.

"What police in the UK realised is that there is no compulsion on you to prosecute anyone - we're not talking about more serious crimes but lower-level offences driven by anger or substance abuse," Mr O'Callaghan said.

"They have to keep to the contract or we'll prosecute them. But it keeps them out of the court system. It's an idea that could change the way we administer justice for types of social- connected offences in WA."

Mr O'Callaghan said the beauty of the scheme was that it did not need new laws. Police already used their discretion for minor traffic offences by not always charging people.

"Traditionally, we have not been geared to the preventative side of things, for us it's a complete change of business," he said. "We just have to think about exactly how the policy applies but I'm very keen to try it in WA in a limited basis. Watch this space in the next six months or so."

Mr O'Callaghan said instead of just responding to crisis calls, police needed to help sort out chronic issues in the community to stop the cycle of offending.

He said there were some families in Perth police visited 300 times a year.

Mr O'Callaghan also told the conference that he was sick of police resources being spent on the fallout from alcohol abuse, describing officers as street sweepers who had to clean up the mess from people drinking too much.

Mr O'Callaghan said restrictions on alcohol sales in Fitzroy Crossing, in place because of Aboriginal campaigners such as June Oscar, had already had a big effect on crime rates and emergency department attendances.

Ms Oscar told the conference she was concerned at the Federal Government cutting $534 million from indigenous programs over five years.