Three recruit classes providing the ACT with 60 trained new officers could have been conducted with the $3.5 million wasted in responding to ongoing actions in the territory by anti-vaccine, sovereign rights and so-called "freedom" protesters.
The head of the federal police association, who has lobbied consistently for more police numbers in the ACT, believes "enough is enough" and these groups have outstayed their welcome in the territory. He is also concerned for the health and welfare of his members who have been constantly exposed to abuse and vilification from the protesters.
The ACT has the lowest number of police officers per 100,000 people in Australia.
Alex Caruana, president of the association which represents the vast majority of the 7173 sworn and unsworn members of the Australian Federal Police, said the accumulated 40,500 workforce hours racked up by ACT officers has led to a backlog of work for members who have been diverted from their customary duties to police the protesters.
"Members who have been diverted to protest activities have had to pause their local investigations - how is this fair to the [police] members and the community?" Mr Caruana said.
The association also expressed its concern about who will foot the $3.5 million bill for this activity which sits outside the policing arrangement and the purchase agreement between the AFP and the ACT government.
Under the agreement, the AFP is paid $181 million a year by the government to conduct a wide range of policing activities including road policing, criminal investigations, and general patrol duties.
No decisions have been made on how the protest bill would be funded, although it is almost certain to fall to the ACT taxpayer. In other jurisdictions, such as Canada's national capital Ottawa where similar protests have been held, the federal government agreed to fund the multi-million dollar policing response.
"ACT Policing and its members have done an excellent job on policing this group of protestors," Mr Caruana said.
"Ultimately, the protesters are protesting against the federal government, yet ACT Policing may be required to foot the bill.
"The AFPA supports peaceful and lawful protest activity, and it is time for these protesters to leave the ACT.
"They've been given the opportunity to have their say and the ACT community has put up with their behaviour for some time now - enough is enough."
Evictions and hundreds of local protests incidents have required a police response and over 42 protest-related arrests have been made since February for a range of offences including breaches of the peace, assault/obstruct police and trespass.
