# Minister for Police (Western Australia)

Minister for Police is a position in the government of Western Australia, currently held by Paul Papalia of the Labor Party. The position was first created in 1919, in the first ministry formed by James Mitchell, and has existed in almost every government since. The current minister is primarily responsible for the Western Australia Police, although past ministers held responsibilities now assigned to the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Road Safety.
Between 2003 and 2008 (in the Labor governments of Geoff Gallop and Alan Carpenter) there was a separate minister titled Minister for Community Safety. Since 2008, the minister for police has also been the minister for road safety.

## List of police ministers
### Titles

* 25 June 1919 – 5 June 1975: Minister for Police
* 5 June 1975 – 25 January 1982: Minister for Police and Traffic
* 25 January 1982 – 25 February 1983: Minister for Police
* 25 February 1983 – 19 February 1990: Minister for Police and Emergency Services
* 19 February 1990 – 1 July 2001: Minister for Police
* 1 July 2001 – 23 September 2008: Minister for Police and Emergency Services
* 23 September 2008 – present: Minister for Police
| Term start | Term end | Minister | Party |
| 25 June 1919 | 22 March 1924 | John Scaddan | Country |
| 16 April 1924 | 25 June 1928 | John Willcock | Labor |
| 25 June 1928 | 23 April 1930 | Harold Millington | Labor |
| 24 April 1930 | 24 April 1933 | John Scaddan (again) | Nationalist |
| 24 April 1933 | 15 July 1936 | Harold Millington (again) | Labor |
| 15 July 1936 | 24 March 1937 | Frank Wise | Labor |
| 24 March 1937 | 18 April 1939 | William Kitson | Labor |
| 1939–1943: no minister – responsibility for police held by the Chief Secretary |||||
| 9 December 1943 | 1 April 1947 | William Kitson (again) | Labor |
| 1 April 1947 | 5 January 1948 | Ross McDonald | Liberal |
| 5 January 1948 | 6 April 1950 | Hubert Parker | Liberal |
| 6 April 1950 | 23 February 1953 | Arthur Abbott | Liberal |
| 23 February 1953 | 14 April 1956 | Herbert Styants | Labor |
| 20 April 1956 | 2 April 1959 | John Brady | Labor |
| 2 April 1959 | 7 November 1961 | Charles Perkins | Country |
| 16 November 1961 | 11 April 1962 | George Cornell | Country |
| 12 April 1962 | 3 March 1971 | James Craig | Country |
| 3 March 1971 | 30 May 1973 | Jerry Dolan | Labor |
| 30 May 1973 | 8 April 1974 | Ronald Thompson | Labor |
| 8 April 1974 | 10 March 1977 | Ray O'Connor | Liberal |
| 10 March 1977 | 5 March 1980 | Des O'Neil | Liberal |
| 5 March 1980 | 30 December 1982 | Bill Hassell | Liberal |
| 30 December 1982 | 25 February 1983 | Ian Medcalf | Liberal |
| 25 February 1983 | 25 February 1986 | Jeff Carr | Labor |
| 25 February 1986 | 12 May 1986 | Arthur Tonkin | Labor |
| 12 May 1986 | 25 February 1988 | Gordon Hill | Labor |
| 25 February 1988 | 19 February 1990 | Ian Taylor | Labor |
| 19 February 1990 | 16 February 1993 | Graham Edwards | Labor |
| 16 February 1993 | 9 January 1997 | Bob Wiese | National |
| 9 January 1997 | 28 July 1998 | John Day | Liberal |
| 28 July 1998 | 16 February 2001 | Kevin Prince | Liberal |
| 16 February 2001 | 25 January 2006 | Michelle Roberts | Labor |
| 3 February 2006 | 8 May 2006 | John D'Orazio | Labor |
| 8 May 2006 | 23 September 2008 | John Kobelke | Labor |
| 23 September 2008 | 29 June 2012 | Rob Johnson | Liberal |
| 29 June 2012 | 17 March 2017 | Liza Harvey | Liberal |
| 17 March 2017 | 19 March 2021 | Michelle Roberts (again) | Labor |
| 19 March 2021 | present | Paul Papalia | Labor |

## List of community safety ministers

| Term start | Term end | Minister | Party |
| 27 June 2003 | 25 January 2006 | Michelle Roberts | Labor |
| 3 February 2006 | 8 May 2006 | John D'Orazio | Labor |
| 8 May 2006 | 23 September 2008 | John Kobelke | Labor |