Perth bikie violence: WA Police to bring in an extra 16 officers for its Gang Response Team

WA Police is escalating its war on bikies with plans to double the size of its gang response team. Assistant commissioner Brad Royce made the announcement on Tuesday in response to questions around whether bikies were “feeling the pinch” in the wake of recent drug and cash seizures. Mr Royce said he “would think so”, saying $4 million intercepted belonged to WA bikie gangs, warning the “pressure” on gangs — which began in earnest publicly after the assassination of Rebels boss Nick Martin in December — would continue. “We are doubling the size of the gang response team shortly in response to the 950 (extra officers) program the Government gave us,” he said. “And we will continue the pressure.” The West Australian can reveal at least 16 extra officers will be brought into the gang response team - or the GRT - who are essentially the gang crime squad’s “muscle”. They typically wear dark police overalls and help carry out high risk raids on bikie clubhouses and premises. The extra boost in officers will bring the GRT to around 30 officers in total. It will also mean the team will have greater coverage across the State seven days a week. Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the decision to double the GRT was made because gang crime was one of WA Police’s “key” priorities. “So as we graduate them out of the academy, we’re able to supplement areas we believe are highest priority,” he said. “That’s a decision that was made well before yesterday’s criminal (events).” Police Minister Paul Papalia said increasing the police force by 950 officers was the “single biggest increase to police numbers over a four year period, in the State’s history”. Mr Papalia said the police commissioner decided where the officers would deploy. Shadow police minister Peter Collier said he had “zero time” for bikies, saying “if there’s one word that’s not in their vocabulary it’s consequences”. Mr Collier said he would not have a problem if the extra officers were used to boost WA’s gang crime response as long as officers were not taken away from the frontline, in particular to deal with domestic violence.