President's Column - Assaults on Police
It is obvious that the authorities’ and media’s reaction to the deaths following failure to stop incidents contributes significantly to the increased tendency for criminals to ‘have a go’ at police when confronted.
I write this following a weekend where four of us were seriously assaulted carrying out our job.
Also, we are under fire following two separate crash deaths of fleeing criminals, where police officers had attempted to prevent their offending.
I hesitate to say pursuits because that immediately implies police contributed to the deaths, which is rubbish; the fleeing driver’s attempts to avoid policewere solely responsible.
It is obvious that the authorities’ and media’s reaction to the deaths following failure to stop incidents contributes significantly to the increased tendency for criminals to ‘have a go’ at police when confronted.
Most young lawbreakers use vehicles. They are all well aware that police officers will be forced to back off if they ‘have a go’.
We get offenders complaining that police officers should have pulled out from following them as they, the offenders, were driving too fast.
It is not surprising that the same attitude is applied when they are confronted by police officers; they have a go, either verbally, or increasingly physically.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) recently criticised police for ‘instigating’ a pursuit of a speeding stolen car, which crashed, injuring a member of the public.
Notwithstanding there were some policy breaches just before the crash, publicly criticising police for even beginning the pursuit only encourages offenders to have a go.
There will be all sorts of quick fix solutions proffered to stop the assaults.
Only a combined strategy involving the Government, Police and all in the Justice sector including the IPCA and judiciary, designed to make criminals realise there are serious consequences for ‘having a go’ at police, from low level abuse upwards, will make policing safer.
Let’s face it, if the public don’t believe police can protect themselves, how can we expect them to believe we can protect them.
