TAS:Cops lose phones, cars in Tas budget cuts

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2011
TAS:Cops lose phones, cars in Tas budget cuts

HOBART, Dec 1 AAP - Tasmanian police officers have sometimes been teased by their counterparts
across the country, but now there are two more reasons why they may face further ridicule.

The latest state government cost-cutting efforts will deprive officers of their mobile
phones - and some will even be losing their police vehicles.

Tasmania Police confirmed the planned budgetary cuts on Thursday, with 265 staff facing
the prospect of having their mobile phones taken away by January 1.

The move comes a few days after it was announced 31 cars would be removed from the police fleet.

Rank and file members are resisting the cuts, with one officer telling a Tasmanian
newspaper that the budgetary decisions were becoming ridiculous.

"People are already joking about police having to catch a taxi if there aren't any
cars available," the officer told the Mercury.

"Now we won't have a phone to call one."

Assistant Commissioner Phil Wilkinson said reducing the number of phones will save
$15,000 a month.

"The budget of the department of police and emergency management remains under considerable
pressure and all areas of expenditure are being continuously reviewed," he said in a statement.

"On-call duty is not considered a sufficient reason to be provided with a mobile telephone."

Officers ranked inspector or higher will retain their phone access, as will senior
executives and some support staff positions.

Comment was being sought from the Police Association of Tasmania but, ironically, the
union president could not be immediately reached on his mobile phone.

AAP sbl/mn/jnb

KEYWORD: POLICE TAS

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