Police Union in South Australia Loses Confidence in Top Leaders

Topic: Police

On June 23, 2026, at 7:09 pm

The president of the police union, Wade Burns, said that the union's members do not trust the police commissioner, Grant Stevens, and his deputy, Linda Williams, to lead the police force.

In short:

The police union in South Australia has voted that it does not trust the police commissioner and his deputy.

The police commissioner said he was disappointed by the union's decision and that the police force has more resources than ever before.

What's next?

The police commissioner said that changes to the way the police work are happening now.

The police union in South Australia has voted that it does not trust the police commissioner and his deputy, even though the commissioner said this vote does not reflect what officers tell him.

The police union met to talk about problems with staffing and how officers are feeling.

The union's president, Wade Burns, said that 92% of the members voted that they do not trust the police commissioner and his deputy to lead the police force and make it better.

Wade Burns said that the vote did not mean the police commissioner and his deputy have to quit their jobs.

Today's vote is about the police commissioner and his deputy being responsible for their actions.

What happens next is up to the government and the police leaders.

The union also voted that it does not trust the deputy police commissioner, Linda Williams.

The police commissioner talked to the premier of South Australia, who supports him and the deputy commissioner.

The police commissioner said he is disappointed by the union's vote because it does not reflect what officers tell him when he meets them.

Problems with the police workforce

Wade Burns said the vote shows that officers are worried about their working conditions, how the police force is organized, and how they feel about their jobs.

A review found that the way the police are organized is not working and officers are still working under this system.

Officers' working conditions have gotten worse, and many are quitting to find other jobs.

But the police commissioner said that he knows it is hard to get officers to work in rural areas, and he has gotten more resources to hire 750 new officers.

The government has promised to give the police force more money to hire more officers.

The police commissioner said that changes to the way the police work are happening now.

Last week, the police commissioner announced changes to the policing model to address officers' concerns.

The police commissioner is working to reduce the pressure on officers and make meaningful changes.

On June 23, 2026, at 7:09 pm