Annual report 2019-20 - From the Chief Executive

From the Chief Executive

The financial year 2019-20 has been a very different year for police, in responding to major bushfires over the summer period, followed by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

Late November saw major bushfires in the Lower Yorke Peninsula, followed by devastating fires in the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island in December and then January. The State Emergency Centre was activated in November 2019, December 2019 and again on 2 January 2020. Lives were lost, homes were destroyed and so many businesses were forced to the brink. The community of South Australia (SA) were rallying to support affected communities as the world started talking about a novel coronavirus.

SAPOL readied for the impact of a pandemic as COVID-19 spread across the globe. Operational capability and business planning measures were implemented within SAPOL to ensure we could continue to meet the existing and changing demands of the community.

The first cases in this State emerged in February 2020 and in response, SA Health and Wellbeing as the Control Agency for a pandemic under the Emergency Management Act 2004, began what would become a close collaboration with SAPOL. The first major step in the State response was a declaration of a Public Health Emergency on 15 March 2020 and the activation of the Police Operations Centre on 16 March 2020, to coordinate the SAPOL response.

Given the significance of what we were facing, as the State Coordinator under the Emergency Management Act 2004, I declared a Major Emergency on 22 March 2020. At that time we had no way of knowing that unlike all past declarations, this one would go on to be extended by the Governor numerous times till the end of the reporting period and beyond.

Hundreds of police officers and staff have been committed to 24/7 operations across the State dedicated to the support of the Control Agency, centrally managed from the Police Operations Centre. Their duties have included quarantine compliance; business, public activities compliance; cross border travel approvals for persons entering the State; and border controls. In addition, dozens of SAPOL employees are committed to coordinating and supporting the frontline effort.

This has been a highly challenging time for everyone involved, some working in extremely demanding conditions. I am extremely proud of all their efforts in serving the people of SA to ensure our community is resilient and safe.

While 2020 has been defined by the pandemic, SAPOL continued to respond to all other aspects of community safety traditionally met by police. Specific details on crime and road safety results are contained on pages 14-16, but I make particular mention of the following highlights.

Bushfires and the pandemic have seen an unprecedented level of collaboration between South Australia’s emergency services and the Australian Defence Force, working side by side to support the community.

Cybercrime remains a critical issue for police and the community, and so to support the implementation of SAPOL’s Cybercrime Strategy 2018-2020, the new Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch commenced on 3 July 2019. The aim of the Branch is to provide a highly specialised and professional investigation service for complex, organised financial, cybercrime and digital forensic services beyond the resource capabilities or expertise of other areas of SAPOL.

SAPOL continued its focus on solving historic ‘unsolved’ murders dating back to 1960. During this reporting period, SAPOL’s unique and holistic homicide strategy ‘Operation Persist’ was recognised at the Premier’s Excellence Awards 2019. The results of this operation have seen people brought to justice and closure for victim’s families. This included the arrest of a Victorian man in September 2019 in connection with the 1993 murder of Suzanne Poll and an arrest in November 2019, in relation to the 2011 murder of Stephen Hugh Newton.

With the ceasing of operations of the Motor Accident Commission in June 2019, SAPOL took on the responsibility to provide road safety mass and digital media messaging. SAPOL’s Media Road Safety Unit became operational on 1 July 2019 and their role is to produce media campaigns across multiple platforms to encourage positive behaviours and influence decision making by South Australian road users. These initiatives directly support police who work tirelessly around the state to reduce road deaths and serious injury crashes. The 103 lives lost on South Australian roads in 2019-20 continue to represent an incalculable loss to the community, friends and families.

My personal commitment to building a healthy and resilient workforce in support of SAPOL’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2020, resulted in the launch of the new ‘My health, my wellbeing’ website on SAPOL’s intranet, and the new reconditioning program, both in 2020. My aim is to ensure all SAPOL staff are empowered with the knowledge and skills to take better care of their own health and wellbeing, through instructional videos, brochures and other material, as well as connecting staff with relevant health professionals.

I am also pleased to again report progress in improving gender balance in police recruiting in 2019-20, with 64 females and 66 males graduating from the Police Academy.

SAPOL continued to actively use social media as part of its communication with the community, reaching more than 137 000 South Australians through targeted Police and Community (PACE) forums, with over 12 million hits on our internet site. In addition SAPOL had 706 986 combined Facebook, Twitter and Instagram followers in 2019-20.

Overall the year 2019-20 presented unique policing challenges that we have risen to and met extremely well. While 2020-21 will have its own challenges including a likely continuation of the pandemic, it is a matter of great pride to me that throughout this year, working together we have successfully retained the confidence and trust of the SA community throughout these uncertain times.

Signature 

Grant Stevens APM LEM
Commissioner of Police 
South Australia Police

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