Western Australia's top cop wants changes to meth charges

Western Australia's top cop says it's time to start diverting first and small-time meth users away from the state's courts and into education programs.

The policy change would see those caught with small amounts of methamphetamine escape criminal charges.

In an exclusive interview with 9News Perth, WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the current strategies in the war on drugs were not working and it was easier to buy meth on Perth streets now than 10 years ago.

Western Australia's top cop says it's time to start diverting first and small-time meth users away from the state's courts and into education programs.

"Chalking up a criminal conviction for a user has not been proven to be demonstrable," Mr Dawson said.

"I use the example of cannabis; if it's under the prescribed amount and they are a first or second-time user depending on their age they can get diverted off."

WA Police officers can currently choose to divert users found with less than 10 grams of marijuana on them away from court and into Cannabis Intervention Sessions.

"Simply accumulating possession-type offending and putting them back before the courts without education and rehabilitation, I don't think is the complete answer," Commissioner Dawson said.

The Commissioner stopped short of calling it decriminalisation but Professor Steve Allsop from the National Drug Institute said that's what it was, and supported the policy change.

"This is an important step to take; the evidence tells us we will see an increase in the number of people going into treatment and an increase in successful treatment outcomes," he said.

Police have been working with the Health Department for more than 12 months on how to make the changes.

The policy change would not need to pass through parliament.

Opposition Leader Liza Harvey said the change equated to police 'giving up'.

"Everyone knows we've all seen them; meth addicts are unpredictable, I don't think they are appropriate candidates for diversion," she said.

Ms Harvey says she will use the issue in her bid to become premier, declaring a Liberal government would repeal a program where users aren't criminally charged. 

"We will be campaigning on these issues because we know the community doesn't feel safe," the WA Opposition Leader said.