WA Police Union

28/10/2026

Police officers spend their careers responding when others need help. They deserve to know that help will be there when they need it too.
10 News has put an important spotlight on PTSD and su***de among first responders, referencing WAPU’s September 2025 Police Officer Suicides in Australia report.
The research documented 530 su***des among serving and former Australian police officers, including an estimated 146 serving officers between 2000 and 2024.
It is another reminder that mental health support must go beyond responding after someone has reached crisis point.
We need prevention. We need early intervention. We need ongoing support.
Most importantly, police officers need to know they can seek help early, before they reach breaking point.
Our Members are there for the WA community through some of its most difficult moments. We must make sure the right support is there for them too.

Read our full report here: https://okt.to/PzWU9m

If you or a person you know express they need help, supports are available. Members can contact WAPU or reach out to Fortem Australia 1300 33 95 94.
Lifeline at 13 11 14. Text: 0477 13 11 14 or use the online chat via the website: lifeline.org.au/chat.

LINK TO COVERAGE: PTSD Rates Among First Responders At Record High As Advocates Demand Change | 10 News+

Rates of PTSD among first responders are at a record high, with one...

27/10/2026

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26/10/2026

Our Members face dangerous and unpredictable situations every day while protecting the WA community.
When police attempted to stop a vehicle allegedly linked to a series of burglaries in Armadale, the situation put officers in harm’s way and created a potentially serious risk to the wider public.
Reckless behaviour behind the wheel can have devastating consequences for police, other motorists, pedestrians and families going about their day.
Police officers are there to protect our community. They deserve the same right as everyone else to be safe at work and return home to their families.
Thanks 9 News Perth for including WAPU's voice in this important conversation.

https://okt.to/szokYE

Police were trying to stop the vehicle which is accused of being in...

24/10/2026

This weekend, WAPU is in Newman to honour the lives and service of four officers whose sacrifice will never be forgotten.

On 26 January 2001, Senior Constable Phil Ruland, First Class Constable Dave Dewar, Constable Gavin Capes and Senior Constable Don Everett tragically lost their lives when Polair 64 crashed near Newman Airport while returning from Kiwirrkurra.

25 years on, their legacy lives on.

Family members, colleagues, fellow first responders and community members have come together to pay tribute to the four officers, reflecting on their service, their sacrifice and the lasting impact they have had on those who knew them and the wider policing community.

Their memory also lives on through the Bloody Slow Cup, an annual rugby match that brings the community together in their honour, raising funds while ensuring their stories and sacrifice continue to be remembered by future generations.

WAPU pays its deepest respects to Phil, Dave, Gavin and Don, and stands alongside their families, friends, colleagues and the Newman community in remembering four officers who gave their lives in service to others.

Always remembered. Never forgotten.

19/10/2026

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14/10/2026

He was told he may never walk again. He proved otherwise.
Sergeant Scott Davis has faced a catastrophic workplace injury, years of rehabilitation, countless surgeries and the amputation of his right leg.
But through every setback, Scott refused to give up.
His determination to return to operational policing is an extraordinary story of resilience, family, recovery and fighting for the opportunity to keep doing the job he loves.
His message says it all:
“Fall seven, stand eight.”
👉 Read Scott’s incredible story and more in our September issue of Police News.
https://okt.to/zrwBbn

Scott joined WA Police in May 2000 seeking a meaningful and challenging career that would allow him to work in regional and remote communities. His life changed dramatically when he was involved in a serious vehicle crash while responding as backup to a fatality.

09/10/2026

"Would you apply for a position knowing you're going to be working in a sea container?"

Our Members shouldn't have to wonder when they'll have a proper workplace. The Onslow community deserves certainty, and local police deserve the infrastructure they need to keep their community safe.
🏗️ Fund the station.
📅 Provide a timeline.

Listen to the segment via the link below:
https://okt.to/OC62uT

WAPU discusses the safety and retention issues at Onslow Police Station

07/10/2026

🚔 A step in the right direction for officer and recruit safety.

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch says a security review will be carried out at the Joondalup Police Academy after WAPU raised concerns about unrestricted public access to the site.

Our members have been raising security concerns about the Academy for years. Recruits, officers and staff deserve to train and work in an environment where their safety is taken seriously.

We welcome the review and the opportunity to ensure the Academy remains a place where emerging police officers can focus on learning, developing their skills and preparing to serve the WA community safely.
Safe workplaces matter.
Secure training environments matter.
Supporting those who protect our community matters.



WA Police to review security at ‘insecure’ Joondalup academy | PerthNow

Security at the academy will be reviewed by WA Police after the site was described as the “most insecure police establishment in Australia”.

06/10/2026

The news of another police officer lost to su***de is a heartbreaking reminder of the invisible toll policing can take on those who serve our communities.
Every day, police officers are exposed to trauma, violence, grief, tragedy and situations most people will never experience. While our Members continue to show up for the community, the cumulative impact of these experiences can have devastating consequences if support is not available when it is needed most.
WAPU continues to advocate strongly for greater mental health protections, early intervention measures and easier access to support services for our Members.
We welcome that efforts of new computer-based analytical systems are being explored by the Commissioner of Police to introduce early intervention and support models.
During National Police Remembrance Day last week, leaders from across Western Australia paid tribute to officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. We now call on the Cook Labor government to demonstrate that same commitment to serving officers by investing in the wellbeing systems, mental health services and support networks our Members deserve.
Seeking help should never be viewed as a weakness. It is a sign of strength. No police officer should suffer in silence, and no family should have to face the loss of a loved one without knowing every possible support was available.

**If you are struggling, please reach out for support. Help is available.** Lifeline 13 11 14, Fortem 1300 33 9594

https://okt.to/IfMmYN

30/09/2026

I am proud to have been featured in the latest edition of the WA Police Union, Police News Magazine.

Over the past twelve months, I have become increasingly aware of the number of former and serving WA Police Officers who have been failed or abandoned by our Government and specifically the Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA).

After a serious crash which almost killed me in 2004, and having endured a brutal seven years of agonising rehabilitation, I was presented with a promise by ICWA in 2012, that I would be able to access Post Service Medical (PSM) entitlements, if I ever chose to leave the WA Police Force.

Fourteen years later, after having paid $135,000.00 for my own medical costs, I decided to make a claim only to be told I was not entitled to PSM!

Since then, I have been inundated with similar stories from those who have spent their lives serving this state. Officers who have been thrown on a trash heap, being forced to pay their own medical costs for a work related injury. Many of these officers are broken both physically and emotionally. It is heartbreaking!

Such officers and their families have been failed by successive governments who have refused to act, and failed by the current Commissioner of Police, and former Commissioners as well as the WAPOL Executive.

Many of these officers are gagged. As such, I am prepared to be their voice. My story and those of others need to be told. The community needs to hear what happens to those who are damaged by the work they do. Members of the public must understand how broken officers are being treated by the Government.

They are being abandoned and that abandonment is causing even more harm. In many instances, it is killing them!

Who will act? Reece Whitby MLA, Roger Cook Adam Hort MLA, WA Labor, Liberals WA, Pauline Hanson's Please Explain, One Nation Party??

We have 2.5 years until the next state election. This is more than enough time for me to show how deep this damage goes and exactly how it is occurring. Plenty of time to expose exactly who has been allowing this to happen!

Enough is Enough!