Deputy police commissioner Col Blanch said Western Australia would remain in a state of emergency for some time and urged the community’s most vulnerable to continue wearing masks.

“It’s still in the community, people who have other diseases are really susceptible to serious illness, and need to take precautions,” he told Gareth Parker in his regular Wednesday slot on 6PR Breakfast.

Deputy Commissioner Blanch said the easing of WA’s COVID-19 restrictions to baseline settings from Friday meant officers charged with enforcing the state’s strict mandates could return to more traditional policing.

“We had an important job to do for two years … I bring everyone back to 15 March 2020, I think the community was pretty scared at that time about what COVID was and what it meant for them,” he said.

“Two years later very different circumstances, I think police are happy to get back to policing, definitely.”

Press PLAY below to hear Deputy Commissioner Blanch’s full interview on 6PR Breakfast