The Premier has ruled out any top-up funds for the South Australian police budget.
Police and Finance Minister Michael O'Brien earlier told reporters police were likely to struggle to meet their $150 million savings target.
He spoke of possibly approaching Treasury for budget relief if the force was to meet a Government pledge to recruit hundreds of extra officers.
Mr Weatherill, who is also Treasurer, said he would not be providing police with a budget top-up.
"We'll be insisting on the savings targets, but the position I made the other day is very clear, that we'll also be pursuing the increase in police numbers that we're committed to," he said.
Mr Weatherill conceded recruitment might be slowed and said the Government's target was set to be achieved by 2016.
Mr O'Brien appears to have back-tracked on his earlier comment that a budget shortfall for police might see him ask Treasury for more money.
He now said he had been misunderstood and police could be entitled to 'modest' new funding if they put a proposal to the Government aimed at creating safer neighbourhoods.
It could well be that within that context, which is very, very specific, SAPOL come to us with a spending proposal that aligns with the safer neighbourhood proposition," he said.
"But, as for meeting their savings objectives, we are determined that all agencies will do what is required of them."
Shortfall
Police Commissioner Gary Burns said the budget savings target would have to be significantly reduced to guarantee police numbers.
Mr Burns said $60 million of the $150 million target still needed to be found.
He said it was putting in doubt 184 promised police positions, on top of 116 filled so far.
"The savings that we're expected to get can only come from removing police positions, particularly in the numbers to do with the increased numbers of 184 through R300 (recruitment target of 300)," he said.
The Police Association has urged the Government reduce its police savings target by $50 million, a sum it added to the original $100 million target last December.
Union official Mark Carroll said some small country police stations might be in the firing line.
"We'd want to make sure that if any police stations did close that there would be proper community consultation in relation to it," he said.
"[We hope] we wouldn't lose the resource and that may be relocated to a neighbouring station to increase the size of that station, as opposed to losing that resource in the country."
Police and Finance Minister Michael O'Brien earlier told reporters police were likely to struggle to meet their $150 million savings target.
He spoke of possibly approaching Treasury for budget relief if the force was to meet a Government pledge to recruit hundreds of extra officers.
Mr Weatherill, who is also Treasurer, said he would not be providing police with a budget top-up.
"We'll be insisting on the savings targets, but the position I made the other day is very clear, that we'll also be pursuing the increase in police numbers that we're committed to," he said.
Mr Weatherill conceded recruitment might be slowed and said the Government's target was set to be achieved by 2016.
Mr O'Brien appears to have back-tracked on his earlier comment that a budget shortfall for police might see him ask Treasury for more money.
He now said he had been misunderstood and police could be entitled to 'modest' new funding if they put a proposal to the Government aimed at creating safer neighbourhoods.
It could well be that within that context, which is very, very specific, SAPOL come to us with a spending proposal that aligns with the safer neighbourhood proposition," he said.
"But, as for meeting their savings objectives, we are determined that all agencies will do what is required of them."
Shortfall
Police Commissioner Gary Burns said the budget savings target would have to be significantly reduced to guarantee police numbers.
Mr Burns said $60 million of the $150 million target still needed to be found.
He said it was putting in doubt 184 promised police positions, on top of 116 filled so far.
"The savings that we're expected to get can only come from removing police positions, particularly in the numbers to do with the increased numbers of 184 through R300 (recruitment target of 300)," he said.
The Police Association has urged the Government reduce its police savings target by $50 million, a sum it added to the original $100 million target last December.
Union official Mark Carroll said some small country police stations might be in the firing line.
"We'd want to make sure that if any police stations did close that there would be proper community consultation in relation to it," he said.
"[We hope] we wouldn't lose the resource and that may be relocated to a neighbouring station to increase the size of that station, as opposed to losing that resource in the country."
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