A multi-million dollar campaign is underway to fill gaps in South Australia's police force. They'll be expanding the search for new recruits overseas while urging locals to sign up as well.
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00:00 After struggling to return recruitment to pre-pandemic levels,
00:05 Sapol is getting creative with its search for new officers.
00:09 We will be going out to other jurisdictions,
00:12 including the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand,
00:15 to attract the best, the keenest and most capable police.
00:20 The goal is to bring in an extra 300 recruits
00:23 and 90 security guards this financial year alone,
00:26 and it's already working through visa restrictions to make it happen,
00:30 but it'll have to compete with WA and Queensland,
00:34 who are already hunting overseas.
00:36 We're all in a very similar situation
00:38 where we've seen a downturn in interest from local applicants,
00:42 and each of the jurisdictions are taking steps
00:44 to try and recover that recruiting shortfall.
00:47 At the same time, it's calling for South Australians
00:50 to envision a career in the uniform
00:52 while looking at how pay and conditions
00:54 could be improved in future negotiations.
00:57 We've got a lot of suggestions that we'll be putting on the table
01:00 through that process that would relate directly
01:01 to the people who are currently with us
01:03 and potentially create more incentives
01:05 for people to think about policing as a career.
01:06 The ad campaign is part of a $12 million investment
01:10 from the state government to fix the problem
01:12 and features graduates who would encourage others to make the move.
01:16 Go for it. 100%. Yeah.
01:19 Guinness isn't as good here.
01:20 It's not on tap, but you'll get used to it.
01:23 I'm really enjoying my job, and it's quite easy,
01:27 and I thought it was going to be a tough time,
01:29 but it's really easy, and the team around the Seypol, it's very good.
01:32 Police have also doubled the number of recruit courses at their academy.
01:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]