At least six police officers each day are still being taken "off the beat" in Launceston to provide security and transport at the magistrates court.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That's according to shadow police minister Michelle O'Byrne, who claims government has "failed" on a commitment to stop using police for court security.
Her comments come a week before the deadline for police to be removed from the Burnie courts and replaced with security contractors.
The deadline came from Premier Peter Gutwein himself in February this year, pinning down a date on a promise made by the state Liberal Party at the 2017 election.
It included a temporary arrangement to use private contractors for an interim period until the new Burnie Courts Complex was available.
Full-time, permanent Tasmania Prison Service staff would then take over the role.
"What we do know is that they haven't been able to meet their contract engagements with their private contractor in Launceston," Ms O'Byrne said.
"That means that instead of being out on the beat at a time where we've got increase in gun crime , increase in concern in our community, concerns around safety on our roads ... they quite often have up to six police working in the (Launceston Magistrates Court) on a daily basis, for example.
"Police officers want to be on the job instead of babysitting in the court system."
She said the government had "doubled down" on its commitment by naming the date of July 1 as the day all police would be removed from the Burnie courts.
"That's next week," she said.
"The government made significant promises to Tasmanians around law and order and new Police Minister Jacquie Petrusma must provide an answer today about whether she intends to make the commitment around removing police from courts a reality.
"What we're hearing from the community is that they're not always sure the police can come when they need them."
A government spokesperson confirmed the Launceston Court had needed to rely on police officers recently.
"The Launceston Magistrates Court uses contract security services to provide security for all Magistrates Court sites, however the contractor has recently had difficulty supplying sufficient security officers to meet the Court's requirements," they said.
"To permit the Launceston Magistrates Court to operate the Court recently approached Tasmania Police with a request to assist, if necessary, by bringing arrested persons into Court and supervising them in the dock.
"This is a short term measure to ensure that courts continue to run, and do so safely."