Budget cuts forcing Tasmanian police officers to use public transport: union (ABC)

ABC Police have had to take public transport after a training course because of a lack of police cars.

Revelations Tasmanian police officers were forced to catch public transport in the course of their work has the Police Association of Tasmania concerned about the impact of budget cuts.

Photos have emerged showing officers using a bus after being unable to reserve a police car to take them from training at the Rokeby academy back to Bellerive for patrol.

It comes as the new State Government's first budget demands the already depleted police force find additional $42 million in savings.

The Police Association's Pat Allen said police had also had to use their own cars to get to training.

"They've been stuck trying to get to training days, it's been happening for a while; people can't get there, they're using their own cars to do work, basically, and it's not good enough, it's a ridiculous situation," he said.

"It only occurred since the budget cuts of the previous government and obviously it's going to continue along that line."

In the 2011 state budget, the then Labor government required the Police Department to find $18 million in savings over four years.

"I mean they've got to make savings somewhere, I'm not blaming the police service for this," Mr Allen said.

"I have a bit of a sense of humour about watching all those police get on a bus it's not a good look, it's not a good thing- the bus rides are free but I don't know if it's going to save the police purse that much money."

Police Commissioner Darren Hine said he was not aware of the bus incident.

He said the police fleet was under review but that should not affect the number of cars.

Budget cuts threaten future of police stations

After the opening of a new police station at Glenorchy, the Commissioner Hine said he could not guarantee the future of other stations as the forces struggles to find budget savings.

The Glenorchy station was officially opened by Police Minister Rene Hidding yesterday.

The station, to serve as headquarters for both the Glenorchy division and Marine and Rescue police, was five times bigger than the one it replaced.

When the police budget was slashed under Labor, stations at Lilydale and Avoca were shut to cut costs.

But as the new station was opened, the Police Commissioner, Darren Hine, admitted he could not rule out more closures.

"You can never say never," he said.

Mr Hidding focussed on the extra 108 officers the Government had promised, and said it was likely that more police would mean more stations.

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