The relief pool allows officers on a long-term form of leave to take on shifts if they choose to. giving them flexibly, the opportunity to earn some extra money, and stay connected with the workplace.
It is entirely up to the officer whether they participate, how many shifts they do, and when they do them.
For PACs and PDs, it helps to plug gaps in the roster at a time when workload is a major challenge, and relieves the pressure on overworked officers.
Starting as a motion at PANSW Conference, the PANSW Delegates, Industrial and Research teams have worked together to make it a reality.
It is currently being trialed in select PACs and PDs, and we are working to make it available to officers across NSW.
PANSW Police News Magazine spoke to a Commander and a Constable about how the Relief Pool is a good thing for everyone.
“For us its been a lifesaver” – Filling shifts and shortfalls
Superintendent Brendan Gorman talks with PANSW Police News Magazine about how the relief pool is working in Central West Police District.
"You could choose what worked for you and your family." - Flexibility, connection and some extra income
When asked what she enjoys most about her work, Abbie (officer’s name has been changed) has embraced the daily variety that operational policing in a regional town has to offer. She joined the NSWPF in 2020, after getting a few years of experience in the workforce under her belt in a mix of customer service-based jobs.
“It was always something that I wanted to do but I waited until I had a bit of life experience behind me before I joined.”
“We are first response to absolutely anything, be it car crashes or domestics. The scale is never ending in relation to the jobs we go to, so there is something different every day in General Duties. I really enjoy the teamwork and camaraderie that we have.”
She was introduced to the concept of the relief pool trial while she was on maternity leave. One of the roster officers at her Command reached out to let her know that she was eligible to participate in the new trial and that it was available as an option to utilise. She would get a text message with the roster of shifts that were available and was able to select the options that worked for her.
“You had that flexibility as they would say, ‘These are the shifts available… you pick what you can do.’ You could choose what worked for you and your family, so that was helpful.”
In the lead up to returning to work in January, she was able to utilise the shifts to get back on top of her training requirements.
“It was beneficial to get my training back on track before I came back to work so that I was operational right away.” During her time away, several changes occurred within the team at her station.
Being able to reintegrate back into the workplace and feel connected while managing the change in lifestyle as a first-time mother smoothed the transition back to work.
“I only did a few shifts prior to returning but it was nice to dip your toes in after spending so long off the truck.”
Like every trial, the relief pool model had its sticky points. The challenges that are regularly faced in general operational policing in relation to the work of following up on jobs are amplified. She doesn’t have an answer for what a fix would look like but was pleased that the structure of her shifts made it easier to lessen the workload burden on her colleagues.
“It is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you’re only coming in for a shift and receive a brief coming out of it, you’re either having to come in on your days off to do that work or you’re having to rely on someone else to follow up on it,” She says.
“Fortunately, I did my shifts just before coming back, so any follow up that I needed to do could be completed in a short time and I could do that myself.”
Abbie’s husband is also a police officer. He is based out of a different command an hour away from their place of residence. If the trial had been available at his Command while he was on parental leave, she was sure that he also would’ve taken it up also.