23/11/06
Northbridge is to be home to one of the most advanced police and court facilities in Western Australia with the construction of an $80million complex in the heart of the busy nightspot.
"This is frontline policing at its best," Police Minister John Kobelke said today.
"We are building a state-of-the-art complex with a Magistrates Court, holding cells and a police station which will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"The modern facilities will replace the antiquated East Perth lock-up and Magistrates Court and is the single biggest construction project for the WA Police."
Construction of the complex, which would be built on the corner of Roe and Lake Streets, was expected to begin in mid-2008 and be completed by early 2010.
"The jewel in the crown of the complex will be the Perth Police Centre, which will bring together almost 440 police officers and administration staff from police headquarters and Curtin House," Mr Kobelke said.
"The officers will patrol Northbridge, the Central Business District and more widely into the western suburbs.
"Importantly, the new facility will give greater flexibility, because officers who are on lock-up duty can be moved quickly on to frontline policing duties if the need arises.
"I would also think that the presence in the heart of Northbridge of several hundred police officers would be a major deterrent for anyone thinking about anti-social behaviour."
Officers will have access to modern forensic facilities, including DNA collecting facilities, evidence analysis laboratories and modern interview facilities both public and on video.
The new Magistrates Court will ensure people will be processed efficiently and properly.
The justice facility will contain 27 modern holding cells.
The Carpenter Government is in the process of buying the land to build the justice complex on, but if that is unsuccessful, it has the power to resume the land.
"The new centrally located facilities will allow officers to process offenders more quickly and enable them to get back to the frontline, where they are needed most," Acting Assistant Commissioner (North Metropolitan Region) Kevin Looby said.
The Minister said the State Government's crime fighting record since taking office had been outstanding.
"Compared with when the Coalition were in power, non-aggravated robbery is down 43.6 per cent, home burglaries are down 33.5 per cent, non-residential burglaries have fallen 31.1 per cent, and motor vehicle theft has dropped an impressive 44.1 per cent," he said.
"I have no doubt this new justice complex will help bring those figures even lower."
Minister's Office - 9222 9211
