Department
of Police and Emergency Management
Disability
Action Plan
2008
– 2010
Department
of Police and Emergency Management
Disability
Action Plan
2008
– 2010
Table of Contents
1. An Overview of the Department of
Police and Emergency Management
2. Policy Statement Regarding People
with Disabilities
4.2 GOAL : People with a
disability have equity of access to employment opportunities within DPEM.
5. Providing Access to High Quality
Services
6. Increasing Safeguards and Advocacy
6.1 GOAL
: That the criminal justice system is responsive to the needs of people with a
disability.
The Tasmanian Government through its whole-of-government Disability
Framework for Action 2005 - 2010 recognises that ‘people with a disability not
only have the right to access specialist services when needed, but also have
the right to expect equitable access to mainstream Government programs,
services and facilities.
The Framework includes a comprehensive range of strategies and actions
that the Government will implement to promote the rights of Tasmanians with
disability. The sections in the
Framework are structured around achieving four priority outcomes:
1.
Fostering Human Rights
2.
Providing Access to High Quality Services
3.
Increasing Safeguards and Advocacy and
4.
Working Collaboratively.
The Department of Police and Emergency Management is committed to
meeting the Tasmanian Government’s vision for people with a disability. As an
organisation, the
Department values its people and their commitment to delivering services
equitably across the whole of our community.
The Department recognises the expertise and knowledge of
people with disabilities and their support networks and the need to draw upon
these resources to develop effective policies, procedures and services. During the development of this Disability Action
Plan the Department consulted with the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s
Disability Bureau and representatives from peak Tasmanian disability organisations.
This Disability Action
Plan demonstrates a commitment by the DPEM to removing barriers so that we can
achieve our corporate vision of providing excellent service to the whole
community and, in doing so, meeting our obligations to clients and staff in
accordance with state and federal disability and anti-discrimination
legislation.
Darren Hine
Acting Secretary, Department of Police and Emergency Management and
Acting Commissioner of Police.
The Department of Police and
Emergency Management (DPEM) consists of Tasmania Police the State Emergency
Service (SES), Forensic Science Service Tasmania (FSST), and the Tasmania Fire
Service (TFS).
The DPEM operates under the core
legislation of the Police Service Act 2003, the State Service Act
2000, the Emergency Management Act 2006, and the Fire Service Act
1979. The TFS is funded separately from the DPEM and operates with a high
degree of autonomy.
The Department (exclusive of the
TFS) employs 1,252 police officers and 495 State Service employees, and uses
the services of 590 emergency service volunteers state-wide. It is a core State Service agency, funded by
the Tasmanian Government with a budget of $170.275 million (2007-08) to deliver
policing and emergency services to the Tasmanian community.
The four key service delivery areas
of the DPEM are Community Safety, Crime, Traffic, and Community
Perceptions and Satisfaction with Our Service Delivery and are aligned with
the Tasmanian Government’s Outputs as shown below:
|
Business Plan 2007-08 Key
Service Delivery Areas |
Budget
Paper No 2 - Government Services (Outputs) |
|
Community
Safety |
Output
1 – Policing Support to the Community Output
5 – Emergency Management |
|
Crime |
Output
2 – Crime Detection and Investigation Output 4 – Protection of Primary Industry and Fisheries Resources Output
6 – Support to Judicial Services |
|
Traffic |
Output 3 – Traffic Law Enforcement and Road Safety |
|
Community
Perceptions and Satisfaction with our Service Delivery |
Output
1 – Policing Support to the Community Output 7 – Ministerial Support and Information Services |
The Department of Police and Emergency Management
(DPEM) is committed to achieving our Vision, which is ‘To be widely recognised as
In developing this Disability Action Plan the DPEM is
committed to the implementation of specific actions to
ensure the delivery of equitable service to the entire Tasmanian community. In doing so the DPEM will build upon its previous
achievements on behalf of people with a disability. Specifically, the DPEM commits, within the
scope of its responsibilities, to:
·
ensure
that people with a disability are afforded the same access to DPEM services,
facilities and information as members of the general community
·
provide people with a disability equity of access to employment
opportunities within DPEM
·
foster and encourage a positive working environment within DPEM that
values diversity, is free from discrimination and harassment and recognises the
needs of people with a disability
·
ensure that the specific needs of
people with a disability are recognised and responded to when interacting with
the Department
·
ensure that the criminal justice system is responsive to the needs of
people with a disability
·
document the way in which
the commitments specified in the Disability
Framework for Action 2005-2010 will be met.
The
development of this Disability Action Plan enables the DPEM to build upon its
achievements. Training is currently provided
for police officers in relation to managing people with disabilities. This training is delivered to police trainees
through a training module called “Contemporary Social Issues and Policing”, that
contains dedicated sessions from persons who have various disabilities. The needs of people with a disability are
also recognised through the Guidelines for Interacting with People with
Disabilities and relevant
policy in the Tasmania Police Manual, both of which are available to police officers via the Departmental intranet.
As the
first step in in its commitment to ensuring that all Tasmania Police stations
are accessible to people with a disability the DPEM commissioned an Access Action Plan in 2003. As part of its annual global budget allocation,
the DPEM continues to address issues of accessibility. During 2007-08 disability access has been
addressed in the preparation of plans for the proposed renovations of
Devonport, Bellerive and
In relation to employment, the DPEM continues to implement
the State Service fixed-term employment program using employment brokers that
specialise in the case management of people with disabilities seeking employment. During the last twelve months two people with
disabilities have been employed on the State Service fixed-term employment
program. One of these employees has
recently had their fixed-term contract converted to permanency.
The DPEM commits to the specific actions in order
to achieve its goal within the context of the four priority outcomes of the Tasmanian
Government’s Disability Framework for Action.
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve this
goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
4.1.1
Include a report on disability access issues in all systems
inspections conducted at police stations and DPEM buildings |
Commander, Executive Support |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Mar 2009 |
|
4.1.2
Establish priorities to upgrade access to DPEM buildings |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Jun 2009 |
Dec 2009 |
|
4.1.3
Include disability access requirements in the specifications for new
and refurbished offices |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
4.1.4
Conduct an audit of current DPEM information resources (including websites)
to evaluate current accessibility |
Commander, Executive Support |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Jun 2009 |
Sep 2009 |
|
4.1.5
Develop and implement procedures for making information resources
accessible to people with a disability |
Commander, Executive Support |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2009 |
Mar 2010 |
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve
this goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
4.2.1
Conduct a review of DPEM employment practices and processes with a
view to improving the potential for people with disability to obtain
employment |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Mar 2009 |
Jun 2009 |
|
4.2.2
Provide training to DPEM
managers in relation to recruiting and managing people with a disability |
Director, |
Approx. $200 per person to be absorbed within District budgets |
Dec 2009 |
Mar 2010 |
|
4.2.3
Continue to implement the
Tasmanian Government fixed-term employment program using employment brokers
that specialise in the case management of people with disabilities seeking employment |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve
this goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
4.3.1
Provide all employees with equity and diversity training that includes
awareness of the needs of people with a disability |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Jun 2009 |
Annually thereafter |
|
4.3.2
Provide information to all new employees, during the induction
process, in relation to the rights of people with disabilities |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Jun 2009 |
Annually thereafter |
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve
this goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
5.1.1
Consult with relevant disability peak bodies to
ensure that policy planning is responsive to the needs of people with a disability |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
5.1.2
Provide training to all police trainees in relation to dealing with people
with a disability |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
5.1.3
Update the Register of
Disability Service Providers maintained in Radio Dispatch Services to
ensure continued relevance |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve
this goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
6.1.1
Review the DPEM grievance and complaints procedures to ensure that
they are accessible to people with disabilities |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Jun 2009 |
Dec 2009 |
|
6.1.2
Promote within DPEM the right of people with disabilities to an advocate |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2009 |
Mar 2010 |
|
6.1.3
Review the Guidelines
for Interacting with People with Disabilities and relevant policy in the
Tasmania Police Manual to ensure that the needs of people with a disability
are addressed |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2009 |
Mar 2010 |
|
6.1.4
Participate in relevant projects aimed at improving outcomes for
people with disabilities engaged in the criminal justice system |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
The table below identifies the actions DPEM will initiate to achieve
this goal.
|
Action |
Lead |
Resources/Cost |
Target
Date |
Monitoring
Date/s |
|
7.1.1
Ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are reflected in
business and strategic planning, including the formulation of contemporary
policy and guidelines |
Commander, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
7.1.2
Develop positive working relationships with liaison groups representing
people with disabilities |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
7.1.3
Consult with disability groups in the development and ongoing review
of the DPEM Disability Action Plan |
Director, |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter |
|
7.1.4
Report to Government in relation to progress of implementation of the
DPEM Disability Action Plan |
Commander, Executive Support |
Any additional costs will be absorbed |
Dec 2008 |
Annually thereafter in DPEM Annual Report |