The WA Government has announced it will invest $24.2 million to continue Operation Regional Shield for a further two years after the program was initially created in 2022 to combat youth crime in the Kimberley.
Since its inception, Operation Regional Shield has grown the WA Police Force’s capabilities to respond and disrupt crime across the State, supporting thousands of staff deployed to 20 locations across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Mid West-Gascoyne, Wheatbelt and Goldfields-Esperance districts.
The operation provides additional police resources to the regions through rotational deployments to support local policing operations and targeted enforcement activity, and when deployed, the purpose of the additional resources is to enhance the capability to respond to, and deter, criminal activity and antisocial behaviour.
“Regional Shield delivers results by reducing crime and protecting the regional communities by putting additional police where they’re needed most,” said WA Police Minister, Reece Whitby.
“Increasing police officers in regional areas through this successful operation is supporting police to run targeted operations to disrupt any local crime and antisocial behaviour.
“No matter where we live – in our suburbs, towns, regional centres and remote communities – the Cook Labor Government is committed for all Western Australians to have access to the policing and services we need to stay safe.”
