• Drugs and firearms targeted by detectives in regional raids
• Additional general duties and specialist police flown in as part of uplift in Operation Regional Shield
• The summer crime crackdown will increase police numbers in regional WA to enhance public safety 

Extra police officers including specialist detectives have been deployed across the Kimberley as part of a State-wide summer crime crackdown.

The boost to police resources is being delivered through Operation Regional Shield, a $23.4 million program enhancing public safety across regional Western Australia.

Detectives from the Drug and Firearm Squad have been flown in from Perth and will be targeting criminals responsible for distributing drugs including meth in the Kimberley community.

This is in addition to ongoing local policing efforts and new liquor restrictions that are dramatically driving down alcohol-fuelled offences in Broome.

WA Police Force statistics show alcohol-related offences against property dropped almost 40 per cent, alcohol-related offences against a person decreased 21 per cent and family and domestic violence went down 8 per cent from 16 August 2024 to 6 October 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

There were also around 370 fewer police call-outs across the tourist hot spot.

Operations targeting sly grogging, undercover compliance checks at licensed premises as well as issuing Banned Drinker Orders and liquor infringements are proving a success.

Over the busy holiday period Operation Regional Shield will reinforce local crime fighting efforts across country centres and see the rapid deployment of assets from general duties officers and detectives to the Canine Unit and Tactical Response Group.

Comments attributed to Police Minister Paul Papalia:

"We are putting criminals across the Kimberley on notice: detectives from the Drug and Firearm squad are in town and will be knocking on your door.

"Operation Regional Shield is delivering more boots on the ground across regional WA during the busy summer period.

"Local police will also be cracking down on retail theft, sly grogging, unlawful consumption of alcohol and antisocial behaviour.

"Broome is a beautiful tourist town and thanks to new liquor restrictions and the ongoing efforts of our hardworking police crime is decreasing."

Comments attributed to Kimberley MLA Divina D'Anna:

"Operation Regional Shield was first established in 2022 and has been instrumental in reducing offending including juvenile crime across the Kimberley.

"Drug and alcohol-fuelled violence have devastating impacts, and I welcome the crackdown on those who supply and sell illegal substances in our community.

"Our small businesses will also benefit from the increased police presence and new retail theft laws which remove the fine-only penalty and impose harsh new sentences for repeat offenders."