Police welcome Ngo case
findings
17 April 2009:
Police have today welcomed the news
that the conviction of Phuong Ngo has been upheld, saying
the inquiry was flawed from the beginning.
The Police Association of NSW raised concerns about the
inquiry into the conviction of Ngo over the death of
Cabramatta MP John Newman in 1994 when it was announced in
October last year, saying it had grave concerns about the
unusual manner in which the inquiry was instituted.
A Coronial Inquest, a Committal Hearing and three Supreme
Court Trials as well as an appeal to the Court of Criminal
Appeal had already been held into the matter prior to the
latest inquiry. Ngo had
also been refused leave to appeal to the High Court.
“This inquiry put a
question mark over the credibility of the police involved as
well as the courts and the DPP.
It’s
great that this has finally been laid to rest,” Mr Remfrey
said.
“The police resources that went into this inquiry were
unbelievable.
It
was a complete waste of the public’s money and more
importantly the time of the police who should have been out
protecting the community.
“Today’s findings prove the initial ‘very difficult and
complex’ investigation was undertaken by the police
‘thoroughly and competently’.
We
knew that at the time, but today’s findings have completely
exonerated the police involved.
“Not only did this
trial place undue strain on the victim’s family, but also on
the police officers involved.
The
inquiry was a slur on the dedicated Detectives involved, but
today’s findings have completely vindicated them.
“It’s good to see that the case has finally been settled so
the family of the victim can begin to get on with their
lives and the police involved can get back to investigating
serious crime.”
<Back
Police pay
campaign critical to stop exodus from the force
More than 1,200 police have left the NSW Police
Force since the last state election, with many citing low
wages and poor conditions as the reason behind their move.
The Police Association of NSW today
launched a campaign calling on the state government to take
action ahead of police wage negotiations next year or risk
losing more of the state's front line police.
Police Association of NSW President Bob Pritchard said
unless the state government comes up with a better offer
than the current 2.5 per cent on the table, more and more
police will be forced out of the job.
"The NSW Government's 2.5 per cent pay offer is a joke and
equates to a cut in real wages for police," Mr Pritchard
said.
"With inflation running at 4.9 per cent, any less than that
is an insult to the men and women in the NSW police force.
"Since the state election in March last year, 1209 police
have left the force. The Premier, at that election, pledged
an increase of 750 officers - a promise that now appears to
be seriously at risk.
"The
heroes of the NSW Police Force are leaving because the pay
just isn't up to scratch.
"This will be a long, hard fight to get a fair deal for
police but we're ready for it and we think the NSW community
is too.
Mr Pritchard said for the first time the Police Association
will be mobilising police and the public online with mass
emails. petitions and sms and video updates to try to get
the best possible deal for police.
"The people of NSW know we've got to hang on to the police
we've got and that means paying them properly for the
dangerous and difficult work they do.
"The only ones who don't seem to understand that at the
moment are the NSW state government."
<Back
Reducing Police Protections
Just Not Acceptable
The Police
Minister's commitment to death and disability protections
for police does not go far enough, said the Police
Association of NSW today in the wake of an Auditor-General's
report attacking the scheme.
The Association is calling on the Minister to provide an
iron-clad guarantee that police and their families will have
financial security should they be killed or injured on the
job.
"The Death and Disability Scheme is a vital protection for
frontline police who put their lives on the line every day,"
said Peter Remfrey, secretary, Police Association of NSW.
Mr Remfrey said the Auditor General's report was based on
flawed methodology and misunderstood the pressures facing
front line police.
"The Auditor General has pointed out some issues with the
management of injured officers and the resultant effect on
the scheme - concerns the Association has been raising for
some time around how the scheme is being used to push
officers out of the force.
"But the threshold issue arising from the report today is
this: the Police Minister needs to clearly reassure front
line police that their death and disability protections are
safe."
Mr Remfrey said the appalling treatment of many injured
officers by NSW Police highlights the case for better
management of the scheme.
But reviewing the scheme's management cannot be achieved by
threatening death and disability protections to front line
police.
"We are more than happy to look at ways to manage the scheme
better, but only with the confidence that our protections
are safe.
"That is the question we need the Police Minister to clearly
answer today - will he protect police or will he turn his
back on them?"
<Back
Police call on
new Minister to slash red tape and resource the Force
11 Sep:
The Police Association has welcomed the
appointment of incoming Police Minister Tony Kelly, hoping
that the decision to appoint a senior, experienced
politician will give the portfolio stability after six
changes of ministers in under five years.
The Association has called on him to slash red tape and
tackle recruitment and retention issues head on.
The Association says the two problems are inextricably
linked with police leaving the force and deciding not to
join up due to frustrations with excessive red tape.
‘The biggest challenge facing the new Police Minister is the
retention of experienced police and recruitment of new
officers,’ association president Bob Pritchard said in a
statement.
‘That means improving wages and
conditions so that police can afford to work and live in
their communities.
‘It also means cutting through the red tape that has put
police tied up at their desks, rather than out on the
streets and preventing crime.’
‘To fulfil its election promise of boosting total police
number or authorised strength by 750, NSW Police will need
to recruit over 4,300 new officers in the next five years.
‘The incoming minister will have to hit the ground running —
police will settle for nothing less.’
The Association says a proactive approach to policing
challenges is key to keeping crime rates down.
‘Police keep our streets safe, look after our communities
and put their own lives on the line to help others,’ said Mr
Pritchard.
‘Right now the thin blue line is tied up in red tape and
that’s something the incoming minister cannot afford to
ignore.’
Incident in
Western Sydney
6 September 2008: The incident that occurred in
Western Sydney today is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts
and sympathies go out to the families of the victims.
This accident was caused by a dangerous driver, who was
clocked at speeds above 170 km before police intervened. It
is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of such
reckless behaviour on our roads.
The police officers involved acted responsibly and were
following pursuit guidelines when they pulled back from
their initial chase due to unsafe road conditions. The
Association is confident that the independent critical
incident investigation will confirm this.
Special thanks must go out to all those emergency services
men and women who responded immediately to try to save the
two innocent victims of this horrific crash.
Bob Pritchard
President
Police stunned by budget
under-funding
3 June, 2008:
Police are extremely disappointed
with today’s state budget that threatens to cut real wages,
falls short on any long-term commitment to Tasers and
provides no funding for vital research to reduce
psychological injury on the job.
“Police are stunned by
the inadequacies in today’s budget — particularly the
outrageous and insulting wages policy that will cut take
home pay for police,” said Bob Pritchard, President Police
Association of NSW.
“Frontline police have
unanimously rejected the government’s inadequate offer of
2.5% — it’s bloody ridiculous when inflation is running at
more than 4%.
“Police are already
being forced out of metropolitan Sydney because they can’t
afford the cost of housing.
“NSW Police are going
to be hard-pressed to meet its recruitment targets for 2011
with wages on the way down.”
Mr Pritchard says wages
are not the only shortcomings in today’s budget.
“The failure to fund
any additional Tasers is a significant blow for police
officers and sends a message that this government isn’t
serious when it comes to arming police with the best
equipment and technology available.
“Front line Police need
these devices to save lives and keep our communities safe,
those are the simple facts about Tasers.
“The other glaring
omission in today’s budget means that ground-breaking
research into the impacts of stress and psychological
injuries in policing will be further delayed.
“A scoping study
conducted by the University of South Australia with funding
from our association has found 12% of police are currently
suffering from moderate to very high levels of psychological
injury.
“Funding support is
needed at the state government level to allow this essential
research to progress to the second stage – this is a huge
blow for police struggling to cope with work related stress
and trauma.”
Oversight Body for
NSW Crime
Commission
The Police Association calls on
the NSW Government to establish a standing oversight body for the
state’s Crime Commission. Police are entrusted with special powers
to enable us to do the job of protecting the community. With that
comes proper oversight in the form of the Police Integrity
Commission (as well as the Ombudsman) so the community can have
faith that those powers are used properly.
The Crime Commission have been
granted extraordinary powers which are critical to their role in
investigating organised crime. These powers go far beyond those
entrusted to police and accordingly it is even more critical that
the Crime Commission should, as a matter of public policy, be
subject to a standing oversight body to ensure those powers are not
abused and they too are held accountable for their actions.
Peter Remfrey
Secretary
<Back
Association president responds to comments from Dr Wodak
Letter
to the editor:
This week Dr Alex Wodak from St Vincent’s
Hospital asserted that corrupt police are running around profiting
from illegal cannabis trade in Australia – what a load of rubbish.
He also suggested that cannabis should instead by dispensed via post
offices – again, what a load of rubbish.
The 15,000 hardworking police this Association represents deserves
better than cheap shots and unfounded accusations. No one in our
communities does more to protect people from exposure to illicit
drugs than the men and women in the NSW Police force.
Dr Wodak: produce evidence of these claims now or withdraw your
attacks immediately. And show a bit of respect, thanks, mate.
Bob Pritchard
President
Police Association of NSW
NSW Police urge doctor
to present evidence
6 May 2008:
NSW Police have
called on the Director of Alcohol and Drug Services at
St Vincent’s Hospital Doctor Alex Wodak to provide any
information he has concerning corrupt police who might be working
with criminals in the illegal trade of marijuana.
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said Dr Wodak, as a respected
and responsible physician, had an obligation to bring any knowledge
he had of this activity to the relevant authorities.
“I am deeply concerned Dr Wodak’s comments have unfairly smeared all
police who work hard to uphold the law. That is not right,” said Mr
Scipione.
“Police have an obligation to crack down on illegal drugs, which is
evidenced by the recent Bureau of Crime Research and Statistics
report showing in 2007 there were
12,250 charges of possessing or using cannabis, 441 charges
of dealing or trafficking in cannabis and 1,082 charges of
cultivating cannabis,” said Mr Scipione.
“As Commissioner of Police I am determined to tackle head-on any
suggestion of police corruption that might exist in this area.
“I have directed the NSWPF Professional Standards Command to contact
the doctor and follow up the allegations he has made. I look forward
to his on-going support in this most important area,” said Mr
Scipione.
The Director General of Health, Professor Debora Picone has
discussed the matter with the Police Commissioner. Professor Picone
has also urged Dr Wodak to assist police and come forward with any
evidence he may have.
Anyone who has knowledge of police corruption, especially in the
area of supplying or selling drugs is urged to bring it to the
attention of the Commissioner of Police or the Police Integrity
Commission as a matter of urgency.
<Back
ASSOCIATION
RESPONDS
TO HERALD ATTACK ON FLEXIBLE ROSTERING
The editorial of the
Sydney Morning Herald of 11
February contained another ill-informed attack on the Police Association
and its support for the flexible rostering system. The following letter
was forwarded to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Your editorial on Mon Feb 11 (May
the Force Be With Us) takes your newspapers obsession with police
rostering to an offensive place by forming some bizarre link to the
allegations of corruption in the Victorian police union.
The NSW Police Association has
consistently attempted to correct your papers errors in reporting this
issue for more than 12 months. The facts are that flexible rostering is
regarded as the best way of managing police resources by the vast
majority of commanders, officers and experts in the filed.
The latest salvo implies that
flexible rostering is a rort akin to corruption. The recent NSW
AuditorGenerals report reached no such conclusion, and in fact cited a
flexible roster system at Brisbane Waters Local Area Command, consisting
predominantly of 12-hour shifts, as an example of best practice.
It is worth noting at a time of
looming shortages of officers that flexible rostering is also an
important retention tool nearly a third of our officers would consider
leaving the force if the system was scrapped.
Contrary to your editorial, the
Association has led reform on a wide range of issues including fatigue
management, return to work outcomes for injured officers and management
of domestic violence incidents.
As for the link to corruption, I
call on you to repudiate the comments that are an insult to every police
officer in this state.
It is about time your newspaper
began dealing with the facts rather than trotting out discredited
arguments to put the boot into the hard-working police officers of New
South Wales.
Bob Pritchard
President
Back
Police Association
calls for review of PIC conduct
The NSW Police Association
will lodge a formal complaint with the Inspector of the Police
Integrity Commission regarding its conduct during investigations
into Operations Mallard and Rani.
"A number of covertly recorded telephone
conversations were played during open hearings in the Commission's
investigation into Operation Mallard.
"Transcripts and electronic recordings of these
conversations were subsequently released to the media.
"These recorded conversations had little or no
relevance to the inquiry and we believe they should not have been
released publicly.
"As stated in our formal complaint, the playing of
these conversations served no other purposed than to administer to the
lasciviousness of the public."
The Police Association is also calling for more
timely resolution to matters brought before the PIC, particularly with
regards to the investigation into Operation Rani.
"Operation Rani first commenced public hearings at
Orange Court House on 10 June 2006 and its taken over 18 months for the
PIC to publish its report in this matter.
"Our members are severely disadvantaged by having
had their reputations besmirched in public hearings with formal findings
subject to unacceptable delays."
The Police Association will also call on the
inspector to examine legislative amendments that would ensure innocent
police officers are not branded guilty by association in the public eye.
"The damage to the reputations of innocent
officers referred for consideration of prosecution but later found to be
innocent is irreparable."
Bob Pritchard
Back
Police to campaign for review of plea bargaining,
DPP
17 Dec:
NSW police officers will today launch a state-wide campaign for a full
review of the states plea bargaining laws by the NSW State Government.
The campaign comes as anger grows around a series of plea bargains that
have drastically reduced the penalties against perpetrators of attacks
on police officers.
In the most recent case, John and Motekai Taufehema were sentenced to
just seven years
over the killing of Glen McEnallay
under a backroom deal between lawyers that saw a reduced plea of
manslaughter accepted by the DPP. This
was after juries had found them guilty of murder and the convictions
were overturned on a technicality.
In other cases:
-
Constable Matthew Harrington nearly died after being violently
assaulted whilst off duty but a plea bargain saw the offender walk
away with weekend detention.
-
In the Illawarra another plea bargain in the case of a violent
assault against Constables Otero and Poort, who
were
seriously injured, resulted only in a bond.
NSW police officers are demanding a full review of the plea bargaining
system with a view to fundamental reform to end the culture of backroom
deals between lawyers at the expense of victims and their families, NSW
Police Association president Bob Pritchard said today.
It is not just the treatment of those who attacked or killed police
officers that concerns us.
It is that hundreds of hours of preparation and investigative work by
officers in a range of other cases that is being traded away in sleazy
backroom deals.
Police around the state will,
from Monday,
be asked to convene workplace meetings to discuss the issue; lobby their
local MPs and fly a blue ribbon from their police vehicle.
Other action being considered includes police prosecutors refusing
to assist the DPP in mention matters and prosecuting more cases in the
local court themselves, rather than referring them to the DPP.
Back
Auditor General Supports Flexible Rosters
December 5, 2007: The
Auditor Generals report released today supports the continuation of the
flexible rostering system, said the Police Association today.
The Auditor Generals report tabled in parliament today
finds no fundamental problems with twelve-hour shifts or flexible
rostering, said Peter Remfrey, secretary of the Police Association of
NSW.
On the contrary the report praises the 12 hour rosters at the
Brisbane Waters Command as an example of good rostering practice.
This well managed roster meets the needs of the local community
and the work life balance of frontline police.
The report does however point out examples of poor roster
management in isolated commands. The Auditor
General has visited four Local Area Commands out of 80 and found
examples of best and worst practice.
The challenge for management and the state government is to extend the
models used in well-managed commands across the state and review the
guidelines to reflect good management practices.
The Auditor General recognises flexible rostering is popular with
NSW Police it gives police valuable down
time
to recover from the
intensity of the job and spend time with family.
Independent research conducted in April found that the removal of
flexible rostering would see one third of all police officers consider
leaving the force.
Retaining experienced Police and attracting the best possible
recruits to the NSW Police is a serious challenge in a tight labour
market.
In light of this, Police Commissioner Scipiones endorsement of
the flexible rostering system is welcomed and will help ensure NSW
Police remains an employer of choice.
The report supports our view that local communities are best
served by well managed Flexible Rosters combined with First Response
Policing Agreements designed to ensure that police can provide a timely
response to calls for service from the public, said Mr Remfrey.
Back
2008
Election results
Following the finalisation of the election for the vacant position of
Executive Member Hunter Region and the PFA Council Members the elections
for Executive members are now complete.
Your new Executive is as follows:
President
Bob Pritchard (PFA Councillor)
Vice President Scott
Weber (PFA Councillor)
Treasurer
Kel
Graham (PFACouncillor)
Region Executive Members
Endeavour
Prue
Burgun (PFACouncillor)
Western
Robert
Dunn (PFA Councillor)
Northern Metro
Anthony Bear
Southern Rivers Michael Connor
South Eastern Melissa
Cooper
City East
Duncan Gray
Hunter
Colin McCarthy
Northern
Tony King
Great Hume
Mark Ward (PFA
Councillor)
Macquarie
Jenny Hilder
Non LAC
Richard Long
Non LAC
Stephen McDonald
Georges River
Mick Aalders
Commissioned
Mick Plotecki (PFA Councillor)
Officers
In accordance
with regulation 141(4) of the Workplace Relations (RAO) Regulations a
copy of the post election reports by
the Australian Electoral Commission are available upon request. Please
contact your Association office via email info.centre@pansw.org.au
to obtain a copy
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