FIREARMS — SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP

924. Hon ALISON XAMON to the minister representing the Minister for Corrective Services:

I refer to The Sunday Times article of 18 August 2019 about a special operations group assault rifle left in a vehicle outside Hakea Prison for a weekend.

(1)  How many breaches of firearm security by the special operations group occurred in —

(a)  2017–18, and in which months; and

(b)  2018–19, and in which months?

(2)  What steps were taken by the department to address the circumstances of those breaches and to prevent future breaches by the special operations group?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1)      (a) Nil.

(b) There was one breach, in July 2018. This is an isolated incident. There have been no security incidents involving firearms for over 20 years. No rounds or magazines were transported with this firearm.

(2)  Following an immediate review, procedures regarding the storage, issue and transfer of firearms were reinforced. The officer responsible for the oversight was counselled and issued with a formal written warning. The matter was referred to Corrective Services’ investigation services branch.

 

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