Responsibility: Australian, state and territory governments
Joint response: Accept in principle
Status: In progress
What has been achieved to date
All governments support ongoing work to improve police responses to people with disability. Work is underway in jurisdictions to improve police responses, including through state disability plans, inclusion action strategies and specialised training for officers responding to vulnerable people, including persons with disability to ensure an empathetic and appropriate approach is taken. In some jurisdictions this has included establishment of a Disability Liaison Officer role to provide support to people with disability interacting with police and to progress organisational and systemic changes to improve accessibility for, and responses to, people with disability.
What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report
The Australian Government and state and territory governments and police services should collaborate with people with disability in the co-design, implementation and evaluation of strategies to improve police responses to people with disability.
All police services should introduce adequate numbers of dedicated disability liaison officers.
The Australian Government and state and territory governments should introduce an alternative reporting pathway for people with disability to report crimes to police.
Joint Government response July 2024
The Australian Government and state and territory governments are committed to improving police responses to people with disability and recognise the essential role of law enforcement in promoting and maintaining fundamental human rights.
All governments are committed to ensuring that police services are adequately equipped to engage with people with disability according to their needs. This can be achieved in multiple ways, including through the introduction of disability liaison officers or broader workforce capability uplift noting implementation must have regard to the unique needs and circumstances of each jurisdiction.
All governments acknowledge the benefits of working with people with disability to design, implement and evaluate strategies to improve police responses to people with disability in respective jurisdictions.
More recommendations
View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.