The WA Police Force has allocated $8.5 million to equip 550 vehicles and 129 regional police stations with Starlink technology and internet services. 

This strategic initiative comes on the heels of a successful three-month technology trial involving officers stationed in remote areas, including Water Police.

The rollout is poised to significantly enhance the efficiency of day-to-day patrols and empower specialised units like the Regional Operations Group, Tactical Response Group, and Regional Enforcement Unit, the government says.

One of the advantages of this initiative is the ability for officers operating in areas lacking cellular or radio coverage to access mission-critical information, automatic number plate recognition data, and real-time emergency alerts. 

Furthermore, officers will have the capability to livestream footage from body-worn and vehicle dashboard cameras to the State Operations Command Centre in Perth, as well as access aircraft and security camera feeds. 

This real-time connectivity promises to bolster situational awareness and support rapid decision-making during emergencies.

To integrate Starlink connectivity, the project will integrate with the existing communication network of the Western Australian Police Force. 

This agency-wide endeavour has been hailed as a “world-first” by the WA Police, providing regional officers with metropolitan-level quality-of-service.

Paul Papalia, the Police Minister, says the Western Australian Police Force operates in one of the world's largest geographical police districts, but this initiative promises to deliver high-speed internet access to officers, regardless of their location within the state.