An independent review has found Tasmania Police officers are under growing pressure from tasks that are not core police work, warning this trend could affect their ability to fulfil their primary role in the long term. The report, released today by Police Commissioner Donna Adams, was conducted by the Australian New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA).
Tasmania Police said the review aimed to find ways to strengthen frontline policing and ensure it is safe and sustainable for the future. According to the report, the annual number of operational dispatch incidents has risen by 40,000 over the last decade, reaching 138,756 in the 2024-25 period.
The review found that much of this increased demand comes from complex social issues. Tasmania Police reported that incidents related to mental health and family violence have more than doubled in the past ten years. Specifically, the number of family violence incidents grew by 250% over the decade, from 1,582 to 5,856.
Commissioner Adams said in a statement that the review confirmed the nature of policing has changed significantly. “Demand on frontline officers has increased, particularly in relation to mental health incidents, family violence and complex vulnerability matters,” she said. The report noted that officers can spend up to four hours in hospitals for a single mental health-related incident.
The review incorporated feedback from around 200 officers and policing partners through surveys and interviews conducted in 2025. An article by Pulse Tasmania noted that officers told the review they felt “overwhelmed” by complex systems and slow processes, rather than simply being understaffed.
The report identified that police are often responding to ambulance jobs, child safety matters, and youth offending that may be more appropriately handled by other agencies. “Much of this work, while important to community safety, does not always sit neatly within traditional measures of police performance, or within the core responsibilities of policing,” Commissioner Adams stated.
The Police Association of Tasmania supported the review’s findings, stating it confirmed what officers experience daily. “Police are increasingly being used as the safety net when other agencies are not resourced, available or willing to respond to matters that sit within their own portfolios,” the association said, as reported by Pulse Tasmania.
Tasmania Police will now examine the report’s 39 recommendations to prioritise actions, taking budget considerations into account. The full report is available via the Tasmania Police website.