Budget rise frees officers for beat

THE police force's annual budget is to rise by more than $120 million, allowing hundreds more officers to go on the beat.

The money is on top of expenditure on new facilities and capital investment.

The money will come from savings identified by a series of manpower studies conducted by the police in the past 18 months. More than 2,000 recommendations were made in the reports.

The dissolution of the Special Branch will save nearly $50 million in the 1994-95 financial year and $70 million the following year.

The implementation of information technology will save a further $20 million.

The amalgamation of the Field Patrol Detachment and the Frontier District will save $9 million and redeployment of drugs police another $7 million.