In this section
Policelink. 70% of Police work to be handled by civilians? Courier Mail 27.08.08
Victoria Police release official crime figures - 18.08.08
Guard's quick shot killed thief - Fairfax Digital 21.08.08
Crime hot spots named. Herald Sun 29.07.08
Police want more troops. Herald Sun 02.06.08
Chubb unable to provide the contracted security service: 29.02.08
New Orleans - Police officer slayed - various reports 03.02.08
Victoria's thinning blue line III - Our news. Melbourne West Monday night shift 28.01.08
Victoria's thin blue line II- Herald Sun 01.02.08
US Police makes his 1000th DUI (Driving Under Influence) arrest - 28.01.08
Victoria's thinning blue line. Herald Sun 04.05.07
Two US Police Offices gunned down from behind. 01.04.07
Car theft stats & general info of interest- 29.03.07
Crimestoppers. Wanted. 28.03.07
Security Guard's accused killer in court. Herald Sun 14.03.07
Emergency Preparation: CFA has the 6th most visited site world wide. 09.03.07
Unexpected benefits of CCTV - A clients recent experience. 08.03.07
Revisiting the PWC Global Economic Crime Survey of 2005
Another one for Aegis !!! - 24.11.06
Slayings on the rise in Broward County (USA) - Sun-Sentinel.com 12.11.06
Ex-boxing champ surprises muggers - BBC 10.11.06
Victoria Police - stats and budget - 06.11.06
Less Lethal - Still Deadly. Chicago Tribune 04.11.06
Accused murderer lauches court tirade. The Age 04.10.06
Streets unsafe, says ex-officer - Herald Sun 03.10.06
Aegis 1 - Burglars 0 - 24.09.06
Battle against crime goes online. 14.07.06 - Herald Sun
Aegis Security wins the Melbourne International College contract - 26.06.06
ABS details on victims of crime - 25 May 2006
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Queensland police to use civilians to handle 70% of cases
Article from:  Robyn Ironside
CIVILIANS could be involved in handling about 70 per cent of the state's crimes in a radical overhaul of the Queensland police call-out system. Drastic call-out cuts will be achieved through a new "Policelink" call centre due to open in March 2010, which will be staffed by civilians. It is expected to slash the police workload by about 300,000 jobs a year, freeing up officers to attend more serious offences. But Policelink has already sparked concerns it will eventually replace the local police station. About 350 civilians will staff the centre at Zillmere in north Brisbane. Premier Anna Bligh said the state had committed $15 million to the centre over four years. Deputy project manager Inspector Michael Volk yesterday said it represented a significant change. " For 160 years we've had a physical response to every issue. This will give members of the public the option of making a complaint over the phone without a crew being deployed," Insp Volk said. Policelink would handle crimes such as minor property offences that made up about 70 per cent of the 800,000 crimes in Queensland each year.
"Things like vandalising a letterbox, stealing items from cars. There are many hundreds of thousands of jobs that could be handled over the phone," Insp Volk said.
He said the call centre would act only as "another option" and people could still use the traditional methods of reporting crime.
But Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League policy co-ordinator Raymond Ferguson said his organisation "would have some concerns and reservations".
"Keeping in mind that the majority of pensioners are single and living by themselves, they would feel a lot more comfortable and secure knowing their complaint would not be handled by a call centre," he said.
Opposition police spokesman Vaughan Johnson said he was concerned about how it would impact on the arrest and conviction of criminals.
Queensland Police Union general secretary Mick Barnes said the concept was a success elsewhere but "time would tell" how it worked here.
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Comment: In some ways this makes sense. You might find your letterbox vandalised overnight. Not much value in getting the Police to attend. A record of the vandalism might help establish a pattern of similiar behaviour that Police could then deal with.
I wonder how long this idea will be before the Brumby Government announce a similiar plan?
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Official crime statistics released
Release date: Mon 18 August 2008
Last updated: Mon 18 August 2008
Victoria Police has today released its official crime statistics which show that for the seventh consecutive year crime has decreased across Victoria.
The overall crime rate has now fallen 24.5 per cent since 2000/01, following a 1.9 per cent decrease per 100,000 population in 2007/08. Crime rates are now at their lowest point since the introduction of computerised recording in 1993.
Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said: “I am pleased to see that once again there has been a drop in the number of crimes reported across Victoria and this is a credit to the hard work of our members.”
Wyndham Police Service Area recorded the biggest drop in crime achieving a 24.5 per cent reduction. This included a 7.7 per cent reduction in robbery and a 29.6 per cent drop in assaults. Other areas to experience a decrease in crime included Frankston, Dandenong, Knox, Moonee Valley and Stonnington.
“Wyndham is one of the largest growth corridors in the state and to achieve such a turnaround in the numbers of reported crime is fantastic, especially when there has been such a dramatic decrease in violent offences,” Ms Nixon said.
Despite the decrease in overall crime, police have expressed concern over the rise in theft from motor vehicle offences, in particular the number of satellite navigation systems being stolen.
The latest figures highlight that on average nearly 19 satellite navigation systems are being stolen across Victoria everyday. This has resulted in an increase of 316 per cent since last year. In 2006/07 there were 1,632 systems stolen which has jumped this year to a staggering 6,787.
“The number of Global Positioning Systems being stolen is astounding and what makes it more concerning is that this is a preventable crime,” Ms Nixon said.
“Theft from a vehicle accounts for almost 14 per cent of all crimes reported to Victoria Police. Drivers need to ensure that satellite navigation systems are removed from sight and phones and other small electrical items are not left on display, particularly when cars are left in public transport car parks. Theft from motor car is a purely opportunistic offence. If people did not leave valuables in their cars then thieves would simply keep walking past their vehicle.”
“We know that robbery, assault and some property crimes are still areas of concern. Whilst we are working to address these issues more can be done and we need the support of the community to drive crime down even further.”
Ms Nixon said she was pleased the figures were beginning to show a reduction in assaults, with a 0.8 per cent drop per 100,000 recorded last year. She added that a clearance rate of 80 per cent was a sign that public order initiatives were working.
“Last year we identified assault and public order offences as an area for concern and this resulted in the creation of the Safe Streets Taskforce. The taskforce has reduced the number of violent incidents in the city and to date has resulted in more than 300 arrests, almost 900 penalty notices being issued, and almost 5,000 visits to licensed premises.
“Earlier this year we announced a new state-wide Liquor Licensing Taskforce which aims to drive down alcohol-related crime. In their first four months they have visited 343 licensed premises, one in five of these visits resulted in a penalty notice being issued and about 30 per cent of those visited resulted in a warning.
“Almost a quarter of the assaults reported to Victoria Police are family violence and these figures have increased from 15 per cent to 23.7 per cent since 2004. We are pleased with this increase as it shows that people are beginning to have the confidence to report what is really happening.”
Despite an increase of 13.9 per cent this year, robbery has reduced significantly since 2000/01 with the number of offences per 100,000 down by 30.1 per cent. However, Ms Nixon said Victoria Police was concerned by an increasing trend in this type of crime particularly street robberies.
“This may be linked to the increased possession of small expensive electrical items including mobile phones and mp3 players. Often young people are the victims and the offenders. People also tend to use them while waiting at public transport locations or when out and about.
“Last year we identified that robberies were an issue and as a result have increased the number of officers in various Embona Taskforces who are specifically investigating robbery offences. Targeted operations in areas such as Noble Park, Footscray and Brimbank have resulted in countless arrests and we will continue to utilise our intelligence to identify key areas and issues.”
Police vigilance has led to an increase of 1.8 per cent in the detection of the possession of drugs (10,040 offences). Although drug cultivation, manufacturing and trafficking offences has seen a decrease of 11.5 per cent since last year, this is due to Victoria Police targeting the higher level players in the drug industry.
In the past year, the Drug State Taskforce has arrested 79 offenders in investigations predominately relating to amphetamine type substances (speed, ecstasy & ice).
In addition, 40 Clandestine laboratories have been shut down and the majority of those located were for the production of methylamphetamine.
“There are many areas where crime has decreased which continue to make Victoria a safe place to live in. I am proud of the achievements made by my members.”
Figures per 100,000 population show:
| Crime category |
Change from last year 2006/07 |
Change from 2000/01 |
| Homicide |
down 15.6% |
down 26.1% |
| Robbery |
up 13.9% |
down 30.1% |
| Burglary (residential) |
down 4.0% |
down 47.0% |
| Theft of Motor Vehicle |
down 1.5% |
down 61.3% |
| Theft from Motor Vehicle |
up 10.7% |
down 25.8 |
| Sex (non rape) |
down 0.7% |
down 11.2% |
| Assault |
down 0.8% |
up 32.0% |
| Rape |
down 9.6% |
up 14.3% |
|
Drugs (manufacture, possess,
use, cultivate, traffick) |
down 4.0% |
down 9.9% |
Guard's quick shot killed thief
DYLAN WELCH, JONATHAN DART AND ARJUN RAMACHANDRAN
21/08/2008 12:00:01 AM
KALID DIB knew his targets, but did not expect them to fire back.
Dib and his yet-to-be-named accomplice were waiting for the Armaguard van near the National Australia Bank on George Street, Parramatta, at 6.30pm. They watched two guards walk inside and one remained on the street.
With scarves around their faces, they climbed out of their car and raced toward the bank pointing handguns. But one of the guards caught the men by surprise. Rather than surrendering, he fired his Smith & Wesson .38 calibre pistol at them.
The bullet missed both robbers but Dib was shot in the chest by a third guard, who fired when Dib turned and ran towards him.
His death - shot on Tuesday while trying to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the van - is the fatal culmination of a two-year period in which there has been a sharp jump in the number of armoured car robberies.
With increased security in banks, vans are seen as the last "big money" targets by many criminals. In two years almost 30 vans have been targeted.
It is understood police are unlikely to charge either of the security guards over the shooting, as they believe they acted in self-defence. Footage of the attempted robbery shows the guard firing and a gun - held by Dib - is seen skidding across the road.
The three guards, who had been with Armaguard for more than five years, had recently completed armed guard certification, and had been drug and alcohol tested after the incident, a company spokesman said.
Security guards are frustrated with the recent spate of robberies and feel their lives are being put at risk.
A former security guard, Karen Brown, shot dead a would-be robber who had injured her in 2004 as he sat in a stolen car. Yesterday she criticised the industry's response to robberies.
"People say 'just hand over the money', but I disagree," she said.
"It's that mentality that has made us a target and makes this type of thing more common. If a criminal thinks he can get away with it, he is more likely to try."
The rise in attacks led the police to form Strike Force Britannia in February last year: it has charged 18 people with 66 offences since.
In September the State Government also introduced new standards for the security industry. That has led to more training and a licensing system in which new workers undergo supervision for a probationary period.
After the shooting Dib and his accomplice managed to get back into the Mitsubishi - with their driver - and, smashing into parked cars, sped away.
About an hour later Dib's body was dumped in front of Auburn Hospital's emergency department, where more than 100 friends and family gathered to demand access to his body.
The dog unit and the riot squad were called in to control the large group, although a hospital spokeswoman said no staff felt threatened.
It is believed Dib was taken from the bank to a third party's house, who agreed to drive him in a Toyota Hilux to the hospital.
The Mitsubishi used in the robbery was found burnt in Berala about 11pm.
A large group of sombre relatives and friends, wearing dark clothes, gathered at a house in Stanley Street, Lidcombe, to mourn Dib yesterday.
They did not want to speak to the media, with a family member simply saying: "We just want to be left alone. It's a very hard time."
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Police figures show violent crime worst in east, southeast and Gippsland
Article from:  By: Sarah Wotherspoon
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RESIDENTS in Melbourne's east and southeast and Gippsland suffered more violent crimes in the past year than any other area in Victoria.
A breakdown by police region of leaked provisional crime statistics show violent crime was highest in police region five, which stretches from Frankston and Greater Dandenong council areas to East Gippsland.
The figures, obtained by the Opposition, show a total of 9,733 violent crimes against the person in 2007/08 for region five, an increase of almost 60 per cent.
Sexual assault in the region rose 19.6 per cent, motor vehicle theft increased 8.4 per cent and drug offences were up by 6.5 per cent.
Region two, which covers western Melbourne, including Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Melton and stretches through Ballarat and Geelong to the West Wimmera shire council area had the second highest rate of violent crime in the state.
The region recorded 9,215 violent crimes in the past year with the biggest increases in theft from a motor vehicle, up 25 per cent, robbery up 12.5 per cent and aggravated burglary increasing 11.9 per cent.
Inner Melbourne, including the city, Bayside and Yarra areas, had the second lowest number of violent crimes but experienced a jump in the number of assaults to 5,702 in the past year. There was a total of 7,874 violent crimes in inner Melbourne region one.
Cases of harassment increased 15.9 per cent while robbery was up 8.8 per cent and weapons offences rose by 5.2 per cent.
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said four out of five police regions in Victoria experienced record high levels of violent crime in the past year according to the figures extracted from the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) data.
"Victorians deserve a strong police presence to protect them from aggravated burglary and robbery. These are violent crimes against Victorians which have not previously shown significant increases, but under Labor there has been a surge," he said.
"John Brumby has stubbornly refused to increase the number of police officers in Victoria and now Victorians are paying the price, with the re-emergence of violent property crimes and record levels of violent crime."
Public order offences (up 66.1 per cent), robbery (up 31.6 per cent) and harassment (up 52.9 per cent) recorded the biggest jumps in region three.
The region takes in north west Melbourne including Moonee Valley, Darebin and Hume councils and stretches to north western Victoria including the Greater Bendigo, Swan Hill and Mildura local government areas.
Region four, which stretches from northern and north east Melbourne to the border at Wodonga and includes Manningham, Monash, Yarra Ranges and Mansfield councils, was the only region not to record high levels of violent crime last year.
However there were still significant increases in some crimes with robbery up 31.8 per cent, abduction increasing by 35.6 per cent and weapons offences up 14.6 per cent.
"Labor claimed it would do everything in its power to address record levels of violence in Victoria, but it has comprehensively failed in its obligation to protect Victorians," Mr Baillieu said.
"Instead of genuine action to reduce crime, we've seen a hopelessly bungled 2am lockout, frontline police calling for the minister to be sacked and ongoing complaints from both police and citizens about a lack of frontline police resources across the state."
Violent crime hit a record high across Victoria with more than 42,900 crimes against the person recorded in the past year, a rise of 1.4 per cent. Mr Baillieu said there was at least one violent assault every 17 minutes in Victoria last year.
=============================================================== Police want more troops
Article from: Anthony Dowsley
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VICTORIA'S police union wants 3000 more police on the beat to regain control of our streets at night.
The extra numbers, including a call for 150 more officers in the CBD, would also end the need for the 2am lockout, says the association's secretary, Paul Mullett.
The Police Association called for the boost as the centrepiece of its Save Our Streets campaign, launched yesterday.
Sen-Sgt Mullett said the union had allocated $500,000 annually to campaign for the extra manpower until the next state election.
The association's claims are based on studies by the National Institute of Economic and Industry Research and the association's own audit.
Sen-Sgt Mullett said the extra numbers were needed "today" in Melbourne's growth corridors, where police stations were working on skeleton staff and sometimes unable to respond to call-outs.
He said the association's audit had found at least 1000 police had slipped into a "black hole", many having been shifted to special operations.
Sen Sgt Mullet said a "stand alone" force to protect the city from violence was warranted.
"It is visible policing that will prevent and control anti-social behaviour, public drunkenness and street-related assaults and crime," he said.
"We're not going to be overly critical of a 2am curfew, but from a policing perspective, if you're providing those core policing services and if 150 (officers) were provided today, we'd question whether the 2am lockout was needed."
Social worker Les Twentyman was the first to sign a petition calling for more police.
Mr Twentyman said he did not believe Melbourne's streets were safe, and said gang violence was rife because youths felt they had to take the law into their own hands.
Ldg Sen-Constable Doug Bowles said frustration was building, and police at his inner-suburban station were "dog tired".
He said his district was without a manned divisional van for most of an eight-hour shift because two members called in sick recently.
The NIEIR study says there is a shortage of 1302 district-level operational police. Vacant positions and shortages in crime and specialist areas push the figure up to 3000.
The State Government says more than 1400 police have entered the force since 1999, and accused Sen-Sgt Mullett of an about-face.
A government spokesman said Sen-Sgt Mullett had agreed that an extra 350 officers would be enough to cut crime by 10 per cent over the next two years.
"Paul Mullett supported our election commitment for 2006, saying the 350 extra police by 2010 was enough," the spokesman said. "We now have more ============================================================
Chubb Security
29.02.08. Good ole Chubb Security. Won the contract to provide the physical security for the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix in March 2008. Now are telling the client they are unable to provide some of the contracted services!
After under cutting Wilson's Security (as if that where possible) and winning the 2008 Grand Prix contract Chubb have told the client...no go on some of the contracted items.
The client already upset with the service provided by Wilsons security thought they could get better from Chubb. Well they should have known better. Quite simply it is 4 horse race between Chubb, ADT, Group 4 or what ever they call themselves this week and Wilson's security to see who can provide the worst security service in Melbourne.
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From: Officer Down Memorial Page
Police Officer Nicola Cotton
New Orleans Police Department
Louisiana
End of Watch: Monday, January 28, 2008
Biographical Info
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 1869
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Monday, January 28, 2008
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Apprehended
Officer Nicola Cotton was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a rape suspect in a parking lot off of Earhart Boulevard.
As she attempted to put a handcuff on the man, who was twice her size, he pulled away and began to struggle. During the struggle she lost control of her radio, but was able to recover it and called for assistance. As the struggle continued the suspect gained control of Officer Cotton's baton, and struck her with it. He was then able to gain control of her duty weapon and shot her fifteen times.
Responding units arrived at the scene approximately two minutes after Officer Cotton was shot and located the suspect still holding her service weapon. He was taken into custody by the responding officers.
Officer Cotton had served with the New Orleans Police Department for two years and was eight weeks pregnant at the time of her murder.
Agency Contact Information
New Orleans Police Department
715 South Broad Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: (504) 826-2828
NEW ORLEANS — On Monday morning, in a bleak shopping strip almost under the Pontchartrain Expressway, Bernel P. Johnson wrestled the gun away from a young police officer and shot her dead. When backup officers arrived, he handed them the weapon.
Skip to next paragraph
Lori Waselchuk for The New York Times
Officer Nicola Cotton, 24.
Jed Jackson/Times-Picayune, via Associated Press
Weeks after being released from a mental institution, Bernel P. Johnson shot and killed a police officer.
But Mr. Johnson, 44, who had a long history of psychiatric problems, was not supposed to be anywhere near that street or any other. Just three weeks earlier, on Jan. 4, the police “observed him to be mentally ill and dangerous to others,” said Dr. Jeffrey Rouse, the chief deputy coroner, who signed the papers committing Mr. Johnson to involuntary treatment.
He was sent to a state mental institution, to be confined until he was no longer a danger to himself or others. Somehow, for reasons that remain unclear, the institution released him before the shooting. Because of privacy laws, state officials are not saying which institution it was, or how the decision was made.
But the mental health system has been in chaos since Hurricane Katrina, and questions over these kinds of releases are adding to waves of grief, anger and fear that have swept over many in the city, even as it celebrates Mardi Gras.
James Arey, a psychologist and the commander of the Police Department’s crisis negotiation team, worked closely with the slain officer, Nicola Cotton, 24. He said Mr. Johnson appeared to have been improperly released from state care, even though he had allegedly threatened to kill police officers.
“The State of Louisiana had ample time to figure out this guy,” he said. “And because they weren’t doing their job, this officer, my friend, is dead.”
Police officers are furious over what they see as a shortage of acute-care psychiatric beds at the remaining public hospital in the city and a lack of follow-up treatment. A prominent judge says the parish jail has become a de-facto replacement for closed psychiatric wards, and the sheriff who runs the prison agrees.
State officials contend that they are struggling to rebuild the system, even as more people here are uninsured and so do not have access to other treatment. Doctors warn that the stress of living in a deeply damaged city, often without family and friends, is pushing people over the edge.
And some also say that since Hurricane Katrina, the city has been attracting transients with mental health problems, who end up homeless and troubled on the streets. Or, as Dr. Rouse puts it, “It’s almost as if New Orleans has become a magnet for chaos.”
In 2004, a mental patient shot LaToya Johnson, the first female officer to be killed here. Since then, Dr. Arey said, there have been seven deaths directly involving deranged people, “where there were gunfights with the police and we had to kill them, or they killed other people.”
He said he did not think that, proportionately, there had been an increase in the number of dangerous mentally ill people on the streets, but others, including Dr. Rouse, disagree.
Certainly, the number of mentally ill jail inmates has risen, said Marlin N. Gusman, the criminal sheriff for Orleans Parish.
He said that after the flooding shut down Charity Hospital and other treatment alternatives, families who were worried about disturbed relatives would end up calling the police. “The lack of alternatives makes us the provider of first resort,” he said.
Even before Katrina hit, mental health services for the poor in New Orleans were often criticized as inadequate — as they are in many big cities with large indigent populations. The police brought obviously disturbed people to the main public hospital, known as Big Charity, which had a floor devoted to short-term and long-term psychiatric care, including 97 acute-care beds.
According to the state, there were 555 public and private inpatient psychiatric beds in and around the city, as well as out-patient clinics and supervised living programs.
Louisiana State University, which ran Charity, contends that it was too badly damaged to reopen. The university did open an emergency room in nearby University Hospital and has been slowly adding beds for seriously ill patients, along with the state, bringing the total to 268.
The state has added 133 beds elsewhere in Louisiana to help, said Dr. Kathleen Crapanzano, medical director of the state Office of Mental Health.
But beds are not the only issue, Dr. Crapanzano said. Clinics are opening, but not necessarily full time. None of the private psychiatric facilities has returned. Insurance coverage is down, and stress is up. “We are slowly but surely rebuilding and adding services,” she said. “But the need is still great.”
The family of Bernel Johnson could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But a brother and sister told The Times-Picayune of New Orleans this week that he was a paranoid schizophrenic who had threatened to harm people and once shot himself in the chest. The family’s efforts to have him treated or confined had all failed, they said.
“This is a dangerous situation,” said Judge Arthur Hunter Jr., a former police officer who now presides over a special court dealing with mentally ill nonviolent people. “Citizens need to know how dangerous it is. They don’t.”
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Victoria's thinning blue line III -
Melbourne West Police Station. Monday 28.01.08 - Night Shift.
Read Andrew Bolt's article and the article in Herald Sun 01.02.08.
Now dear reader of this column imagine this. It is a Monday night of a Public Holiday in summer, a rock concert is finishing at Flemington, the night clubs are bursting to capacity along King Street, the Casino is full. To police all this are the 10 men and women of the night shift based at Melbourne West Police Station.
Of the 10 officers assigned to patrol half the city up to about West side of Swanston Street is 3 males and 7 female police officers. Of the 3 males, 2 have been assigned to reception duties for the night. Leaving 1 male and 7 females to patrol the streets, respond to brawls, fights, incidents etc.
If it can take upto 5 big burly males to get 1 alcohol fueled aggressive out of control male onto the ground what hope have women police got?
True scenario 2: A Friday night, 11.30pm, mid winter, cool evening, not cold. Glass Break Detector goes off at a local High School. Your author is driving around and hears the call on our radio network sending the nearest patrol officer to investigate. As luck would have it, he is only around the corner from the school.
Now this is NOT good. 11.30pm, Friday, School. Has to be a bust, 99.9% guarenteed. I immediately advise will back up our Officer and head to the school. Police are called.
Our Patrol Officer meets the Police. 2 female officers. They walk into the school grounds and are confronted by a large group of young adults. A window has been smashed at the school. Police reaction. They where far more concerned for the safety of the 2 female officers than dealing with any offenders. More police sent back up the women. 4 more cars in the end. The group of teenagers where not aggressive nor really a problem. A small group of 3 girls had broken the window and run off. The rest just hanging around and skateboarding on school grounds.
Our 1 patrol officer did not encounter any problems, was able to walk around quite safely. I arrived and found no problems either. Lots of kids but no aggression. A very simple matter. Yet in the end Vic Pol made it a bigger event than necessary. Lives risked as other police race to the school from around the Knox district.
A worse scenario from our point of view is if the security officer had to intervene to help the 2 female officers before other Police arrived. Some women officers think their blue uniform protects them.
It is only a matter of time before some young male is killed when a female police officer shoots him because she is unable to control him. This WILL BE the case when the only backup available is other female officers. Capiscum spray does not always work, only about 70% of the time. Shooting someone is the only option left and that is sad for all concerned.
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IN: Trooper racks up 1,000th DUI arrest
|
By Gavin Lesnick
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Driving east on Indiana 66 late Sunday night, Indiana State Police Master Trooper James Boling came upon a car showing all the signs of a drunken driver.
It was weaving in and out of its lane, Boling said, while traveling 11 miles under the speed limit. And when he pulled it over, Boling immediately detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver of the vehicle.
This was more than a routine drunken driving arrest, however. It marked the 1,000th in Boling's career, a milestone he said reflects a definite effect on public safety.
In Victoria, Police DO NOT arrest people who are over the legal limit .05. They charge the person on summons
Maybe this should be changed? Especially for repeat offenders?
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Fears over full-time police ranks
Ellen Whinnett
February 01, 2008 12:00am
Herald Sun 01.02.08 |
EXCLUSIVE: ONLY eight extra police have been added to the force in Melbourne's CBD in seven years, despite a booming population and a rise in crime.
Victoria Police has confirmed the number of police -- 446 -- has barely risen since 1999, when 438 officers were based in the city centre.
At the same time the city's population soared, with Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing 76,678 residents by 2006, up from 44,874 in 1999.
And the number of crimes committed in the city also grew. Police figures show assaults rose to 2064 last financial year, a 23 per cent increase in four years.
Victoria Police has announced plans to crack down on anti-social behaviour and street crime by using additional police rostered on over-time from other areas.
But police confirmed the number of officers based in the city full time had barely moved since 1999.
Police spokeswoman Nicole McKechnie said police had adopted a new model of policing to ensure flexible and effective allocation of resources.
"The police allocation model is based on a number of factors such as crime, as well as social and economic issues, to determine police requirements in particular areas," she said.
"Our primary objective is to have sufficient police rostered on at the right times and in the right places, utilising the most up-to-date intelligence to ensure we appropriately target problem areas."
President of the Collins Street Precinct Group Mary Poulakis asked why police numbers had not grown.
"With the introduction of Docklands now in the city municipality, eight officers in total for such a large population is not adequate," she said.
Ms Poulakis said high visibility and high police numbers should be a priority.
Victoria Police crime data from 2003-04, when figures were first collated in municipal areas, shows a solid rise in crimes against the person in the CBD by 2006-07.
Homicides rose from 10 to 15, sexual assaults rose from 183 a year to 208, robbery went up from 297 to 414 and assaults rose from 1674 to 2064.
Kidnappings and abductions fell slightly, while the number of rapes remained steady.
Population figures also showed the number of people in the city after 7pm, on average, was reaching 336,000, up from 222,800 in 1999.
Despite this, the State Government has refused Melbourne City Council's request to pay for an extra 29 surveillance cameras, saying it was the council's responsibility.
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said Labor needed to start taking violent crime seriously. "A paltry few extra police officers for the Melbourne CBD since 1999 makes a mockery of John Brumby's claims about increasing police presence on the street," he said.
Police Minister Bob Cameron's spokesman Alex Twomey said the Government had boosted police numbers by 1400 officers across the state since 1999 and had committed to funding an additional 350 officers this term.
Mr Twomey said police had advised the rate of crime had dropped by 44.6 per cent in the Melbourne police area since 2000-01.
==============================================
Victoria's thinning blue line
Andrew Bolt
May 04, 2007 12:00am
Article from:
VICTORIA Police has a new bunch of recruits, Andrew Bolt writes. Many are women and while some are welcome, are their numbers weakening the force?
Lovely to read in my copy of the police Gazette that we've hired yet another batch of recruits.
The Gazette even named the men and women I might one day need to call on to break up some brawl, disperse some Cronulla-style riot, smash into a gangster's house or clear some picket.
So it's hello to the members of Squad Four of 2007.
From the top, hello to Kylie, Tegan, Suzanne, Leanne, Jacqueline, Clive, Rachael . . . and hmmm.
There's a pattern here, I begin to suspect, being trained as a journalist to pick up subtle clues that might escape you, gentle reader.
To be sure, I check the April 5 list of constables newly appointed to our Victoria Police by Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon.
Same story. From the top again, I read their names: Cassandra, Daniela, Kerryn, Joel, Julia, Louise, Kristen . . .
I make calls to confirm it's true: two-thirds of these newest recruits and constables are women -- and that's far from unusual now.
As it turns out, that's also fortunate, since Nixon has given the force until July to make sure 25 per cent of her officers aren't men.
Wait. The people in charge don't like the way I sniff these lists. This isn't affirmative action hiring, they insist. No, it's all merit based.
And perhaps, in a way, it is.
After all, under the Bracks Government -- so keen to seem progressive in a 1980s way -- the tests for police recruits have been changed in ways that help women a lot. Women, that is, who want to be police, rather than to call for them.
Here are four of those changes. Once recruits had six minutes to complete their physical test; now they get an extra 30 seconds.
Once they had to be able to climb a wall 1.8 metres high. Too hard, so the wall was lopped to just 1.6 metres.
Even that proved too high for the ladies, so now there's no wall-climbing test at all. Also gone is that dragging of a weighted bag at speed.
And bingo! Sure, our police are now more feeble, but see how many are now women!
As the Auditor-General noted in a report on police manpower: "Since 1999, the proportion of female applicants who successfully completed the (fitness) test is over 80 per cent, compared with approximately 30 per cent in the 1990s before the changes were made."
Little was spared to shoe-horn more women into our force -- even women who weren't much good at policing or wanted to leave.
As the Auditor-General put it: Nixon now had "special support for women throughout the recruitment process, and follow-up with women who fail stages of the process or withdraw".
What other rules were bent, what other sly help given, to make sure women were hired above the men that have long been first to volunteer for the job?
Never mind that. Nothing seemed as important now as smashing not the mafia, but the maleness of our police.
I exaggerate? Then note that the Australasian Council of Women and Policing, of which Nixon is president, last year gave its bravery medal to our Sen-Sgt Janet Mitchell for "challenging the strongly masculinised culture of the Police Association and her advocacy for women and cultural change".
It all worked a treat, if your main aim is to have a feminised force, rather than the most effective one.
The percentage of female recruits went from 27 per cent in 2000 to 41 per cent two years ago, and is even higher now. What an abrupt change it's been -- a force that was 80 per cent male only two years ago is now hiring classes of recruits that are 60 per cent female.
But I must be fair. Nixon says more women actually make the force stronger. For a decade now she has spruiked her new doctrine -- that policing is no longer about upholding the law.
"Policing is about keeping the peace," she said in 1996.
"It is only when we begin to attempt such a reassessment that we begin to see how well-suited women are for the task."
These were honeyed words to this Government, which hired Nixon to practise on our force what she had preached, and create what she boasted would be a "non-authoritarian" culture.
Of course, when you redefine policing like that, there are some things you no longer like your police to do. The most obvious, as we've seen, is clearing the streets of mobs breaking the law.
Note how Nixon's force just stood back at last year's anti-G20 riot as protesters smashed windows, trashed a police van, invaded shops, destroyed a bank's charity box, vandalised signs, kicked police horses, blocked roads, terrified local workers, stole a policeman's baton and injured nine officers.
Just seven protesters were arrested that day, most hours after the worst damage had been done.
Only after a public outcry and months of expensive detective work were more suspects picked up in raids as far away as Sydney.
It's true that using police muscle has been made risky by crusading lawyers and activist magistrates.
But the force Nixon is developing -- less fit, less strong, less authoritative -- may soon be physically unable to do much other than such hands-off policing.
Already some male officers warn of having to protect weaker female colleagues in a brawl or take their place at picket lines that turn rough. Others claims that policewomen on patrol have called for backup at jobs two men could do on their own.
Yet others complain that women officers gravitate to desk jobs -- particularly once they are pregnant -- leaving men to do the hard stuff.
Be clear. I don't dispute there are many police jobs that can be done by women. I'm even sure that women tend to be better suited at some aspects of policing of the more calm-down kind.
But I wonder if this rush to recruit more women is leaving us with a force able to do all we'd like. What corners are being cut? Are we hiring recruits with the right talents, or just right gender?
As you consider this, imagine another G20 style riot -- this time outside your factory, shop or office. Or a gang of party-crashers in your street, out for trouble.
You ring for the police to come clear the mob, and watch as the cavalry arrives.
Hey, don't go all pale. Just say hello again to Kylie, Tegan, Suzanne, Leanne, Jacqueline, Clive, Rachael . . .
Join Andrew on blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrew bolt
Our comment:
I repeat this line " You ring for the police to come clear the mob, and watch as the cavalry arrives"
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 I am sad to report two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers were shot and killed last night. Both officers worked in the North Tryon Division and were killed in the line of duty.
Chief Stephens solemnly delivered the terrible news this morning during a 5:30 am press conference at Police Headquarters. He told us two officers responded to a disturbance call at the Timber Ridge Apartments off Barrington Drive around 10:30 pm.
He said the two officers were struggling with a suspect or suspects when they were shot around 11:15 pm. Both officers were shot from behind and never fired their weapons. The two officers were rushed to CMC and passed away a short time later.
Chief Stephens said the two fallen officers are named Sean Clark, 34 (Top Photo) and Jeff Shelton, 35 (Bottom Photo). Officer Clark started with CMPD in January 2006. Officer Shelton started with CMPD in April 2001. Both officers leave behind a wife and Officer Clark leaves behind a two year old son and his wife is expecting their second child.
 The Chief did not give many details about the shooting since the investigation is continuing. After the shooting, police set up a two-mile perimeter around the apartment complex and closed several roads to search the area.
CMPD Officers, the K-9 unit and SWAT team searched the ground and the police helicopter searched for the suspects by air. As of now, police have not made any arrests in the shooting.
The last time a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty was in 1993, when Officer Anthony Nobles and Officer John Burnette were shot and killed after a foot chase with a suspect.
If you have any information about the shooting, please call CrimeStoppers at 704-334-1600. -View CMPD Press Release-
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Car Theft Stats and Other Info.
From the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council web site www.carsafe.com.au
some interesting stats about car thefts across Australia including Victoria.
Year------------------Passenger/light Veh--------Motor Cycles--------Other------- Total
2004 --------------- 17,465 ------------------------ 1403 ---------------- 384 ------19,252
2005 ----------------- 16,640 ---------------------- 1162 -----------------405 -------18,207
2006 ---------------- 14,290 ----------------------- 1290 --------------- 465 ------- 16,045
The stats show that car theft is being reduced in Victoria. A good sign. The worst council areas for car theft where Hume, Brimbank and Darebin.
The worst time for car theft was Friday and Saturday night 8pm to midnight. (Where is your car parked at this time?) The lowest rate for car theft is on Tuesdays.
In Victoria the recovery rate for motorcycles is as low as 16%. The national average for motorcycle recovery is 30%. (One option is a monitored alarm by Aegis Security with a sensor in your garage)
In 2004 some 13,600 vehicles nationally were not recovered. Out of that the experts believe the following happened.
7,600 dumped
150 used in fraudlent insurance claims.
350 exported
2,000 rebirthed or cloned
3,500 stripped for spare parts.
Thank you to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council for the stats. See www.carsafe.com.au
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Wanted by Police.
Burglaries - Malvern - Prahran - Noble Park - Dandenong - Glen Waverley - Edithvale - Melbourne
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Crime Stoppers is seeking public assistance in relation to the current whereabouts of Simon VUCKO.
VUCKO is wanted in relation to a number of house burglaries and thefts in the Malvern, Prahran, Noble Park, Dandenong, Glen Waverley, Edithvale and Wheelers Hill areas in 2007.
It is alleged he has attended at numerous premises in a stolen vehicle, and ransacked them, stealing car keys amongst other items. Investigators believe VUCKO returns at a later date to steal a vehicle from the burgled premises. In one such burglary a rifle was also stolen.
It is also alleged he has been involved in 2 vehicle pursuits with police in Lonsdale Street, Melbourne on Sunday 21 January and also on Princes Highway, Springvale on Thursday 25 January.
Police have released an image of VUCKO who is described as Caucasian, 27 years of age, 185 cm tall, medium build, blonde/fair or light brown hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion.
Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppers.com.au
Note from Aegis Security
This person should not be approached. If seen call Crimestoppers or 000.
Also be on the look out for Black Toyota Corolla TQB743.
Ransacking homes
Interesting. Dangerous man. Takes the spare keys to family cars whilst ransacking homes. Returns later on and steals the car. A huge double blow to the people involved.
Question: Where do you keep your spare car keys?
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Accused killer of Security Guard Erwin Kastenberger in court
By Brendan Roberts
Herald Sun Victoria 14.03.07
A MAN accused of murdering security guard Erwin Kastenberger, 58, in an armed robbery in a suburban shopping centre appeared in court yesterday.
Hugo Rich, 54, allegedly shot the security guard in the chest and stole $162,000 from Blackburn North shopping centre in March, 2005.
Mr Rich appeared in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on seven charges including murder, armed robbery and possessing an unregistered weapon.
The preliminary hearing before magistrate Phillip Goldberg continues today.
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Emergency Preparation
Web Information Company Alexa.com report that Victoria's C.F.A. is the 6th most visited web site world wide in the catagory of Emergency Preparation. Well done to all the CFA.
Check out: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
Further, the people at Emergency Management Australia should check out this site. Much easier to find information.
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Unexpected benefits of C.C.T.V.
Aegis Security 08.03.07
We recently installed a C.C.T.V. (Closed Circuit Television System) system into an existing client. With 1 CCTV system already installed at their other branch in Melbourne this means both Melbourne premises are now covered by an Aegis Security alarm system with back to base alarm monitoring and CCTV system.
The CCTV system is internet capable of being monitored from remote location like a home or branch office.
The install was completed two weeks ago. Last night (Wednesday 07.03.07) their alarm system went off in the warehouse. After an Aegis Security patrol officer conducted an external check the CCTV system was checked this morning to see what, if anything set the alarm off.
The CCTV found no reason. Which in some ways is good, someways bad. What it did show was our Patrol Officer arriving, checking and departing and then because the way the imaging is recorded the next image was the waste bin being emptied. No delay in going back to find unnecessary footage.
CCTV Benefit
Talking with staff later today to confirm all was ok found there were a number of unexpected benefits for the client.
First benefit: The accounts person is able to identify clients on CCTV who owe money and able to just "wander" out to discuss repayment terms. Saves on telephone calls and can see in some cases instant payment of outstanding debts.
The second is the manager was heading out to the warehouse, checked the CCTV and saw that annoying sales rep trying to sell what they the manager did not want. Result: Manager stays inside and avoids the abnoxious representative.
Two good unexpected benefits of CCTV.
Footnote: Staff advise they have found the probable source of the alarm activation. Birds. All good.
If you would like a quality CCTV system in your factory, warehouse or business, please call 03 9763 1988.
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Global Economic Crime Survey 2005
By PricewaterhouseCoopers
See: www.pwc.com/crimesurvey
With the 2007 Biannual Global Economic Crime Survey due soon it is a good time to revisit the 2005 report.
Main facts
* 63% of businesses surveyed reported having experienced economic crime in the last 2 years.
* 67% of perpetrators of economic crime were employed internally.
* 54% held position of middle management or higher.
The level of economic crime was 18% above the global average.
Types of economic crime
* 78% suffered Asset misappropriation
* 58% false pretences (deceiving others to obtain a financial gain)
Size and industry
* 100% of businesses with more than 5000 employees &
* 33% of organisations with less than 200 emp
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I am sad to report two Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers were shot and killed last night. Both officers worked in the North Tryon Division and were killed in the line of duty.
The Chief did not give many details about the shooting since the investigation is continuing. After the shooting, police set up a two-mile perimeter around the apartment complex and closed several roads to search the area.
