Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When I was in the WA Police Force, I remember arriving early for my 12-hour shift. I would kit-up, complete the handover and hit the road straight. I would run from job to job, never knowing what would be coming next—domestic violence, assault, traffic crash or sudden death. Police officers must be observant and fully on high alert. We must make decisions, sometimes in a split second. It is so full on, and, when the shift was completed, we were mentally and physically exhausted. Like many police officers, I didn't get enough sleep, because different shifts mean a different sleeping pattern. I remember how difficult it was to switch my brain off from work. Many police officers are burnt out. The recent news of a WA police officer's death deeply saddened me. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family, to his brothers and sisters in the WA Police Force and to all who knew him.

Later this month is National Police Remembrance Day, a day to honour our police officers who lost their lives performing their duties and through illnesses or other circumstances. Our police officers give our community so much, and they deserve our care, compassion and support.