A much-vaunted Labor election pledge to keep three more police stations open 24/7 to give the public better access has been labelled a “waste of resources”, with hardly anyone using the service.

A WA Police internal briefing note obtained by The West Australian under Freedom of Information laws revealed that on most nights no one went to the new 24-hour facilities at Armadale, Cockburn and Ellenbrook after midnight.

The analysis showed that few people were taking advantage of the extended front-counter opening hours at three other stations — which were now open until 7pm instead of 4pm.

“On most afternoons the extended trading hours at Forrestfield, Belmont and Canning Vale had attendees, however the average across the three stations over five days is five (attendees),” the briefing note said.

WA Police Union president George Tilbury described the election commitment as a “waste of resources”, particularly with looming budget cuts.

But Commissioner Chris Dawson said he had no plans to change the arrangement because the State Government was providing the funding to operate the 24/7 front-counter services at Armadale, Cockburn and Ellenbrook.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts said the Government had allocated $6.5 million over the next four years to help fulfil the pledge, which included recruiting 13 additional officers.

When Deputy Commissioner Stephen Brown revealed in April last year that at least 35 officers would be needed to deliver on the election commitment, he conceded it would mean fewer officers and cars on the road.

Mrs Roberts said at the time that she had been assuredthere would be no adverse impact and the Government saw it as a “significant enhancement of public safety” in those suburbs.

The 24/7 counter service at Armadale, Cockburn and Ellenbrook started on July 24 last year,although the Government funding does not start until this July.

The three stations add to around-the-clock coverage provided at Joondalup, Mirrabooka, Fremantle, Perth, Midland, Mandurah and Cannington stations.

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Mr Tilbury said yesterday the union did not believe the move had improved public safety and that those officers would be better used on the frontline.

“As evidenced by these early evaluations, taking police officers off the street to man 24/7 police station counters has been a waste of resources,” he said. “The demand for extended opening hours at these locations is not there.

“The community will see much more benefit by having these officers out on the streets locking up criminals and ready to respond to calls for assistance.”

Mrs Roberts said the Government’s commitment was a response to public demand for greater access to policing services and she believed the extended hours had been “very much welcomed by the community”.

“Having 24/7 stations provides the community with certainty and ensures those needing a safe haven, those feeling threatened or in danger for whatever reason, can access police at any time of the day or night,” she said.

Camera Icon Armadale is one of the stations open 24 hours a day. Credit: Mogens Johansen

The police briefing note, written in October, revealed no internal assessment was done before WA Police made the changes and those stations were selected because of the Government’s pledge.

To evaluate demand for the expanded services, police initially reviewed public attendances at all metropolitan stations over two one-week blocks in August and September.

Another review was supposed to be done at the end of November but WA Police said a final report had not been completed.

The briefing note does not detail why people had attended those stations or the seriousness of the matters.

Mr Tilbury said he wanted to see further evaluations because the union believed attendance rates at those stations was still extremely low and resources could be better used elsewhere.

Former police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan, who preferred to have officers on the road rather than manning desks, yesterday described the policy as a “political extravagance”.

“If you’re in trouble, you generally call police and they come to you, you don’t go to a police station,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“Once or twice people have run into a police station for sanctuary but it happens so rarely that ... it’s an extravagance that the Government and the police force cannot afford.”

Mr Dawson said officers rostered for front counter duties could keep busy with important administrative tasks such as prosecution briefs, court preparations, property management and case files.

WA Police had axed the regional operations group’s central division - a frontline unit - to free up 23 officers for the commitment.

Mr Dawson announced last week that he had moved officers from other metropolitan areas to re-form the unit because of the need for extra frontline resources in entertainment districts, at out-of-control suburban parties and for critical incidents.