Police brain drain fear

ALMOST a quarter of South Australian police officers have been in the job fewer than four years, raising concerns about a brain drain within the force. Documents obtained by The Advertiser show 920 of the force's 4170 officers had less than four years' service. This does not include the 118 cadets now being trained at the police academy.

Police Association president Peter Alexander said the force had a lack of experienced officers on the beat as well as in specialist areas, such as CIBs. "The issue of experience is a concern in this police force and other police forces in Australia at the moment," he said yesterday. "It's one of those occupations where it does take a number of years."