JUNE 2020
“Then I just felt myself go with the car. It happened so fast.”
NEW YEAR HIT-AND-RUN
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APRIL 2020
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Justice, or the perceived lack of it, in the courtroom is one of those contentious issues that just never goes away. Not for cops and not for members of the public. It seems everyone can list occasions on which they think the courts went way too lenient on offenders. Senior Constable Sam Petts takes us through his encounter with the justice system after an offender ran him down at an RBT site. Most observers, and certainly the Police Association, consider that Sam did not get justice in the courtroom. And then there’s the case of Brevet Sergeant Jason Smith, whose story we told last year (Kicked into helplessness, June 2019). Jason was another member dissatisfied with the suspended sentence the court handed his attacker. But the DPP appealed that sentence, and three District Court judges found it manifestly inadequate. Jason now has his say about this latest outcome. No one wanted to be shut out of the Police Club under the COVID-19 restrictions. Rules were rules, but not all was lost, as chef Gary Petrus and apprentice Louisa Wilson explain. Dr Rod Pearce looks at how far we’ve come in our fight against the coronavirus and compares our success with that of the USA. Police Association president Mark Carroll, in a special editorial, highlights the support police need in the continuing coronavirus environment. And, in his regular spread, he delivers some welcome truths about police work in indigenous communities. Brett Williams brettwilliams@pj.asn.au
Publisher: Police Association of South Australia Level 2, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide SA 5000 T (08) 8212 3055 F (08) 8212 2002 www.pasa.asn.au Editor: Brett Williams (08) 8212 3055 Design: Sam Kleidon 0417 839 300 Advertising: Police Association of South Australia (08) 8212 3055 Printing: Finsbury Green (08) 8234 8000 The Police Journal is published by the Police Association of South Australia, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide, SA 5000, (ABN 73 802 822 770). Contents of the Police Journal are subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the Police Association of South Australia is prohibited. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. The Police Association accepts no responsibility for statements made by advertisers. Editorial contributions should be sent to the editor (brettwilliams@pj.asn.au). 4
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President 10
Getting protests in perspective Opinion 19
Respect, support and co-operation – a two-way street Industrial 26
Told to front for an ICAC or IIS interview? Don’t be bullied / Clear need to redefine regional/outer metro areas Health 28
Winning the COVID-19 fight – and halting the flu Motoring 30
Ford Ranger / Hyundai Ioniq Banking 33
The comparison: a loan versus a lease Legal 35
COVID-19? A work injury claim?
Entertainment 36
Wine 41
The Last Shift 44
30 years on 46
COVER: Heavy Vehicle Enforcement Section senior constable Sam Petts. Photography by Steve McCawley.
June 2020 12
New Year hit-and-run
Senior Constable Sam Petts had good reason to feel let down when the offender who ran him over walked free from court.
20 A little more justice in the penalty The prosecution won the appeal and it was a victory of sorts, but the offender who severed a copper’s tendon was still not going to jail.
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24 How the kitchen survived COVID The Police Club chef and his apprentice couldn’t serve diners indoors under COVID-19 restrictions, but the pair found a way to keep them fed.
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INDUSTRIAL Andrew Heffernan Member Liaison Officer
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Getting protests in perspective T
he Police Association was unequivocal in its condemnation of the killing of 46-year-old US citizen George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last month. We not only acknowledged the shock and anger which swept across much of the US after his death but also understood why protests for change erupted globally. And, as an organization which has itself undertaken peaceful protest marches, we would scarcely have criticized other demonstrators. The association respects and supports the right of citizens to assemble and protest. Our tolerance was an absolute zero, however, when it came to protest participants who resorted to violence, arson, looting and killings in the US and UK. No fair-minded observer doubts that they were infiltrators, who in no way honoured George Floyd. US authorities should, and must, hold them to account for their criminal acts. As we all know, the Floyd killing and, more broadly, the perceived failings of US law enforcement sparked the protests. Almost none of the ways in which we go about policing in Australia bear any resemblance to police practices in the US. 10
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Almost none of the ways in which we go about policing in Australia bear any resemblance to police practices in the US.
So it is disappointing that some social commentators have sought to link the policies and actions of US police with those of Australian police. It is a cheap point to assert and those of us in policing know it to be thoroughly false. When some media act irresponsibly by running with falsehoods and misrepresentations, they exacerbate tensions and drive divisions even further. One appalling example was the lie in some media headlines and columns that Aboriginal man David Dungay Jr died in police custody in 2015. Mr Dungay, who suffered from diabetes and schizophrenia, died not in police custody but in Long Bay Prison in Matraville, NSW. And many deaths which do occur in custody result from pre-existing medical conditions, drug abuse and alcoholism. Proud Aboriginal leader and Alice Springs councillor Jacinta Price frequently repudiates the assertions of social commentators. She has, for example, highlighted the misrepresentation of indigenous deaths in custody. In a recent Sky News interview, she said: “If you really wanted to reduce indigenous deaths in custody which, of course, we all know isn’t as many as non-indigenous deaths in custody, and that more people die outside custody than in custody. “But if you, in fact, wanted to reduce those numbers and reduce the rates of incarceration then you would begin with being honest about the fact that almost 70 per cent of Aboriginal people … are incarcerated for acts of violence against their loved ones.” The social disadvantage which indigenous people suffer, particularly in rural communities, represents a failure of successive governments’ social policies. And, when those policies fail in areas such as mental health, it is police who have to deal with the fallout. It is police, not the government, who have to confront the man or woman who has a psychotic episode which endangers the public. The onus is on government to ensure that the indigenous community has access to mental-health and other services.
The Police Association does not dispute the number of deaths or seek to avoid accountability, as Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement chief executive Cheryl Axleby wrongly asserts.
There is also an onus on the executive level of Australian police forces. Now is the time for all leaders to look inward and reflect on their policy regimes insofar as policing indigenous communities. There is nothing to be lost and everything to gain from a dose of introspection. Police Association members work particularly hard at building quality relationships in indigenous communities, such as those on the APY Lands. The association has played, and will continue to play, its part in supporting those members. To that end, we have written to Premier Steven Marshall and Commissioner Grant Stevens with a range of measures for their consideration of implementation. One of those measures is to review the legal definition of a death in police custody. Many commentators are failing to mount honest arguments about what the figures represent. For example, one of the deaths included in those figures was that of a man who fled the police, jumped into a waterway, and drowned. Police officers risked their lives by also jumping in and attempting to save him. A death like that does not in any way represent a police failure, as many commentators assert. The Police Association does not dispute the number of deaths or seek to avoid accountability, as Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement chief executive Cheryl Axleby wrongly asserts. Ignorant protestors can hold high their banners that wish death on cops. But the shame attaches to them, not to police. And expressions of such intense, undeserved hate only serve to lose them support in any case. SA police officers, retired and serving, deserve credit rather than scorn for the effort they have put into indigenous relations and the successes they have achieved.
Poor sentencing is poor messaging No one should need to perform a street survey to get an idea of the public perception of judicial sentencing. The public voices its concern almost weekly over one lenient sentence or another which the court has handed out for serious offending.
One of our features in this issue (A little more justice in the penalty) covers an appeal against the leniency of such a sentence. An offender who, among other things, had kicked and severed the patella tendon of Brevet Sergeant Jason Smith walked free from court. Three District Court appeal judges agreed that his sentence, which they increased, was manifestly inadequate. But our cover story (New Year hitand-run) provides an extremely clear picture of where the court system fails on sentencing and imposes injustice on victims. And police, of course, are among the most common victims of serious offending. It doesn’t get much more serious than failing to stop at an RBT site and, then, driving straight into, and over, a copper and fleeing. But that extraordinarily violent act played out last year, and Senior Constable Sam Petts might well have lost his life. To speak to Sam, as I have, and to read his story is to understand his rethink of the very career he committed himself to 20 years ago. And the courtroom sequel only validated his rethink. Offender Aman Quensier got nothing more than a two-year suspended prison term and a good-behaviour bond. So, for all the physical and psychological damage he caused Sam – and grief he imposed on Sam’s wife and children – he never saw the inside of a jail cell. It behoves all of us, but particularly lawmakers and the judiciary, to reflect on the message these appallingly lenient sentences send. As police officers, we know exactly what message potential offenders would have taken from the Petts case. It was that you can, among other things: • Drive on an expired licence. • Fail to stop for a breath test. • Run over and injure a police officer. • Flee the scene of your crime. • Lie about your actions… …and keep your freedom. Outcomes like that deliver neither justice nor deterrence and greatly diminish confidence in our legal system.
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New Year hit-and-run Sam Petts made a valiant attempt to stop a defiant driver charging straight through an RBT site. But his effort left him and his family paying a heavy price. By Brett Williams
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wo young girls peer into their parents’ bedroom on New Year’s morning. With the door ajar, they can see their police officer father lying in bed. They know he got badly injured on duty a few hours earlier and has been to hospital. Their mother, who police have telephoned around 1:30am, has told the girls their father fell victim to a hit-andrun driver. The news has traumatized Abigail, 12, and Chelsea, 10. They cry as they gaze at their dad, Senior Constable Sam Petts, who appears to be asleep. But Petts is awake and can hear his daughters talking in tearful voices. He sees them in his bedroom doorway and tells them he is awake and to come into the room. The worried girls go to their dad and embrace him and cry. “It’s all right,” Petts assures them. “I’ll be okay.” But Abigail, perceptive beyond her years, sees the extent of the injury to his bruised and swollen left leg. She knows the sports and outdoor life she and Chelsea enjoy with their dad is over – at least for a while, and perhaps permanently. For both girls, the situation is “overwhelming”. That was the scene in the Petts household on the first day of 2019. It would never have played out as it did
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were it not for an irresponsible, lawflouting 22-year-old. Aman Quensier was the sole cause of every bit of stress and heartbreak the Petts girls suffered. He had driven his car not only into their father but also over him at a Mile End RBT site on Henley Beach Road. Petts, then 41, was there working the line with seven other cops when Quensier disobeyed police directions to stop. He instead ploughed straight through the site at 12:50am. Without a shred of justification for his actions, Quensier risked the lives of every police officer on the scene. It seemed that the one ability he had that morning was to make appalling decisions. He decided, for example, not to render assistance to Petts and to flee after running him down. Then he evaded pursuing police and later left investigators to find him rather than handing himself in to them. But the first of his acts of bloodyminded defiance was to drive on an expired licence. He should never have been behind the wheel of any vehicle that morning. And had Quensier met his legal obligation not to drive, Petts and his family would never have begun the year as victims.
Petts, a member of the Heavy Vehicle
Enforcement Section, had begun his shift at 7pm on New Year’s Eve, 2018. The mild summer weather that evening was perfect for the crowds which would soon gather for the NYE fireworks in the city. As those celebrations played out, Petts and his colleagues set up their RBT site and started testing drivers around 12:30am on New Year’s Day. They had run another static site earlier, and without incident, on Tapleys Hill Road at Glenelg North. Now, on Henley Beach Road, was a build-up of west-bound traffic. The fireworks had finished, and many who had gathered to watch them were pouring out of the city in their cars. Sergeant Darryl Foyle had positioned himself at the entrance to the Mile End site and was directing drivers in for testing. The RBT operation ran without a hitch for around 20 minutes, during which Petts undertook a dozen-odd breath tests. But just then, he heard Foyle, yell: “Stop this one! Stop this one!” Quensier, in a white Mazda 6 sedan, had defied Foyle’s direction to pull into the RBT site and kept driving.
“I thought: ‘He’s coming too fast and I’m flat-footed!’ Then I thought: ‘I’ll jump!’ So, in a split-second decision, I jumped to the left to try to get clear.” Petts, at that moment, had his back to the oncoming traffic but quickly turned. He saw the Mazda heading in his direction in the right of two west-bound lanes. The sight of a determined RBT evader was nothing new to Petts. In his then 15-plus years as a traffic cop, he had seen many of them. To this one, he reacted with confidence and on instinct to get Quensier to stop his car. “I stepped out into the right lane and signalled him to stop,” Petts recalls. “But he was accelerating, and I thought I was going to get hit. “I thought: ‘He’s coming too fast and I’m flat-footed!’ Then I thought: ‘I’ll jump!’ So, in a split-second decision, I jumped to the left to try to get clear.” And just as Petts took that jump, Quensier momentarily hit the brakes, and down for another split-second came the nose of the car.
Facing page: the RBT operation set up on Henley Beach Road; above left: Petts (centre) steps out into the path of the Mazda; above right: Petts at the start of his slide across the bonnet toward the driver’s side of the Mazda.
“That’s when I landed on and slid across the bonnet,” Petts says. “It was like something out of the movies when you see a copper slide across the bonnet of a car. “I think my firearm broke his windscreen and, after I slid across, I landed perfectly on my feet, right at his door, facing him. It felt like he’d stopped but, when you watch the video (of the incident), his wheels don’t really stop turning.” Continuing to act on instinct, Petts thrust his right arm into the Mazda through its open driver’s window as the car remained in motion. He reached for the ignition keys and simultaneously yelled “stop”. Quensier stared straight ahead, unmoved by a police officer reaching into, and desperately trying to stop, his moving car. “He didn’t even look me in the eye,” Petts says. “Clearly drunk or drug-affected, he was watery-eyed and had the dazed look on his face. When I yelled ‘stop’, he just stared straight down the road as if I never existed.” So, neither the instruction Petts yelled, nor the danger he faced hanging on to a moving car, made an impact on
Quensier. Indeed, he put his foot to the floor and imperilled Petts even further. “I actually had my hand on the key when he took off and I was very close to getting that key out,” Petts says. “Then I just felt myself go with the car. It happened so fast.” Trapped by his arm, where he had thrust it through the driver’s window, Petts could not immediately pull away from the Mazda. Under its speed, he stepped involuntarily as the car dragged him for 10-odd metres. But, then, his arm somehow became free. He stumbled, fell shoulder first to the ground, and wound up with his leg under the car. Petts was now destined for serious injury. There was no way he could pull his leg out from between the front and rear right wheels of a car travelling at 20-odd km/h. Not after the heavy fall he had already taken. In an instant, he felt the car “bounce up” as its right back wheel ran lengthways over his lower left leg, from foot to knee. “So, from the left knee down, my whole leg and my foot got driven along, actually crushed underneath the wheel,” Petts explains. June 2020
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“And then, from there, he’s gone flat out. He just disappeared as fast as his Mazda 6 could take him. Down the road and he was gone. Out of sight. “Fortunate for me was that I’d put on a brand-new pair of high-top boots that night. I think that went a long way to saving my ankle.” Petts shouted a few expletives as he writhed on the ground after the car wheel had run over his leg. Charged with adrenaline, he did not immediately feel great pain – but he soon would. While his colleagues rushed to his aid, Petts urged them not to “worry about me” but, rather, to “go and get him (Quensier)”. Officers clambered into two police Kluger SUVs and went after the fleeing hit-and-run offender, but he had had too great a start on them and escaped. He would not escape accountability, however. Working RBTs with Petts that morning was Senior Constable Norman Hoy, who had refrained from rushing to aid his colleague. “I saw him kind of spat out the back of the car as it accelerated away,” Hoy says. “I took maybe two steps 16
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“I couldn’t move it (my leg). It started to swell with pain and there was no way I could get up. I thought: ‘It’ll be a knee reconstruction or some sort of career-ending … injury.’ ” towards him and then thought: ‘No, sorry, Sam. Someone’s got to get the rego of this car.’ “So, I actually turned my back on him and got the rego number. And, then, I kept repeating it to myself because I didn’t want any distractions to (make me) forget it. All I wanted to do was get on the radio and repeat the rego so that it’d be recorded.”
Above left: Petts is run over by the Mazda; above right: officers rush to aid Petts; facing page: Petts on the road as officers in an SUV go after Quensier; right: swelling and bruising to Petts’ foot and knee; below right: the Mazda 6.
For Petts, the extent and impact of his
injuries hit home immediately. He felt certain that both his lower leg and knee were “done”. “I couldn’t move it (my leg),” he says. “It started to swell with pain and there was no way I could get up. I thought: ‘It’ll be a knee reconstruction or some sort of career-ending, or very debilitating, injury.’ ” Beyond the concern he held for his professional life, Petts was already fearing the effect the injuries might ultimately have on his personal life. “What am I going to be able to do with the kids?” he wondered. “Am I going to be hobbling around and getting old before my time?” But, now, the task was to get Petts off the road where he lay in the path of the steady flow of traffic. His colleagues, aware of the possibility of spinal or head injuries, wisely refrained from sitting him up or lifting him. Instead, they simply dragged him off to the side of the road. Then, after a passing off-duty ambo saw the stricken Petts, she stopped to help him. Without equipment or pain relief to administer she could only
check him over, but even that gave Petts a measure of comfort. With all the New Year’s Eve activity and traffic, on-duty ambulance workers were as busy as cops. So, it took around 30 minutes for an ambulance crew to get to the scene. There, the ambos gave Petts some green-whistle pain relief before whisking him away to the Calvary Wakefield Hospital. He got examined, received pain medication, wound up with this leg strapped, and went home on crutches – but without clarity about his injuries. That morning, the hospital could not perform X-rays or CT scans, so the precise damage to his leg would remain unclear. “It wasn’t until days later that I could get a CT scan done and then found out that there was no ligament or other damage,” he says. “But there was lots of bruising and swelling. My leg and my foot were twice their normal size.” And it would come to light later that Petts had suffered cartilage damage in his knee joint. “It (the cartilage) should be nice and smooth, but it’s all rough,” he explains. “It’s wearing, and the medical advice is
that, at some point in the future, it’s going to wear out.” After Petts had been home and had some rest, he tried but was still unable to get a CT scan done. So, his HVES colleague, Senior Constable 1C Mick Ellis, drove him into work, where Petts wanted to type an affidavit. “And, as I was sitting there in the office, I heard a call on the radio, on our chit-chat channel,” he recalls. “They’d found him (Quensier) and locked him up. I was really punching the air. It gave me relief.” HVES members had run checks on the Mazda and found that its registered owner was not Quensier but one of his family members – resident interstate. It also came to light that he was in breach of a goodbehaviour bond in connection with a traffic matter from 2017. Says Petts: “I thought: ‘Good job, boys.’ I owe gratitude to the whole team. They all banded together, and all played different roles, running around, hitting different houses… “They got names from Facebook and went to all these different people and got his address in the city. Everybody chipped in. It was great.”
“They’d found him and locked him up. I was really punching the air. It gave me relief.”
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Accountability was a long time coming for
Petts was now left to undertake his
recovery during a month off work. For two weeks, the only mobility he enjoyed was on crutches because his injured leg could not bear any weight. “Now, it’s about managing the injury to try and keep the cartilage as long as I can,” he says. “I take a natural anti-inflammatory every day in the morning and that gets me through the pain. There’s also a lot of physio I’ve been doing, exercises, and I wear a brace.” Petts rightly asserts that Quensier could well have caused him far greater injuries. It staggered both him and his colleagues, for example, that he emerged without severe head trauma. In his mind he saw images of his boot or accoutrement belt getting caught in the undercarriage of the Mazda. The car would drag him along the bitumen and shred the bare skin of his arms below his short uniform sleeves. He even dreamed of the scenario. The psychological effect on Petts became even more evident when he started to consider other jobs, including his old one as a stevedore.
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“There was always the potential for an injury that could’ve made my dad not come home that night. It was just the stupidity of not stopping when it was such an easy thing to do. It could all have been prevented so easily.” “I felt a bit flat,” he says, “and I kept thinking: ‘Do I need to put myself out there like this all the time? Is there something better out there? What else can I do in life?’ “But, then, you realize we have a very good association, very good remuneration, and very good job security. “Occasionally, we have incidents like this (hit-and-run) that’ll come up, but if you can get through them…”
Above: Petts being dragged by the Mazda before he lands shoulder first on the road.
Quensier. The case never got to the District Court until last month, when he pleaded guilty to aggravated cause serious harm. Through his barrister, Craig Caldicott, he offered excuses for his actions. Each one gave Petts and his colleagues good cause to roll their eyes. They heard claims that Quensier had panicked because of his expired licence and the breach of his good-behaviour bond. Another claim was that he did not know he had slammed into, and run over, Petts. “They were just the usual cop-out excuses,” Petts insists. “He 100 per cent knew what he was doing. He basically used his car as a weapon.” As one of many cops who think of the justice system as “broken”, Petts is certain that Quensier will spend no time behind bars. But that will not make him respond with anger – he is beyond that. “It’s up to the courts,” he says. “And if they’re not prepared to do it for us (deliver justice), well, there’s nothing I can do about it.” Whatever anger, even hatred, Petts had for Quensier has faded. He is not “holding any grudges” against him. His feeling now is indifference rather than animus. And that fits with the way his daughter, Abigail, now 14, sums up his character. She describes her dad as a forgive-andforget kind of bloke. She, on the other hand, thinks it unlikely that she will ever forgive Quensier. “There was always the potential for an injury that could’ve made my dad not come home that night,” she says. “It was just the stupidity of (Quensier) not stopping when it was such an easy thing to do. It could all have been prevented so easily.” PJ
Since the interviews with Sam and Abigail Petts for this story, Aman Quensier has appeared before the District Court for sentencing. Judge Liesl Chapman imposed a penalty of two years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 months. She suspended the sentence on the basis of a three-year good-behaviour bond. Petts and his family and colleagues have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the sentence, as has Police Association president Mark Carroll. See the president’s editorial on page 10.
O Mark Carroll President Police Association of South Australia
Opinion
Respect, support and co-operation – a twoway street A
ustralians have responded to authority and leadership and flattened the curve in this COVID-19 pandemic. We have accepted the imposition of what some might have considered a police state. Australians would ordinarily have rejected isolation and social distancing, the closure of pubs, and the cancellation of sports fixtures. But we didn’t. I suspect this is because, in part, we have granted our leaders the authority to lead us through this crisis. We recognized the need to let the tall poppies stand, and most of us accepted the need for mutual respect, support, and co-operation. This COVID-19 pandemic represents the most significant disruption to our lives since, perhaps, World War II. Some early success, however, has given us a sense of victory in the battle and the expectation that our freedoms will soon be restored. But epidemiologists and other medical experts are at pains to stress that this pandemic is not over. If the COVID-19 caseload rises again, restrictions could be quickly reimposed. That will again test Australian leadership and our willingness, as a nation, to submit to authority.
Like our national leaders, our police and other emergencyservices personnel ask for community understanding and acceptance, particularly if the government extends the current restrictions.
Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, have a well-deserved reputation for thumbing their noses at authority. That distaste, and our refusal to kowtow to our leaders, goes all the way back to colonial Australia and its convict origins. In World War 1, the Australians who enlisted in the AIF took our national disregard for authority onto the international stage. They won high praise as fighters, horsemen and, above all, loyal mates but had a dislike of uniforms, drills, marching and parades. Australian soldiers understood that somebody had to give the orders, but they were not about to take them from anybody they did not respect. This is in our national DNA. Leadership extends beyond our elected representatives. It comes in many forms. The chief medical officers, the front-line health workers and our police are just some of the other leaders we look to in troubled times. They are the obvious ones but there are leaders everywhere, right through to the supermarket team leaders who enforce social distancing and stand between the checkout operators and irate shoppers.
Police officers, as they enforce the rules and regulations drafted by elected leaders, continue to go tirelessly about their role, protecting the community. Like front-line health workers, police officers don’t have the luxury of social distancing. And cops often lack PPE and cannot stick to rigorous hygiene protocols. They frequently have to engage physically with, or be in close proximity to, members of the public who might well be COVID-19 carriers. This naturally leads to the anxiety associated with not knowing what they are taking home to their families at the end of each shift. Like our national leaders, our police and other emergency-services personnel ask for community understanding and acceptance, particularly if the government extends the current restrictions. The COVID-19 pandemic is not likely over yet. To emerge at the other end of it, with our social fabric in good order, we will need to respect, support, and co-operate with one another. It’s a two-way street.
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A little more justice in the penalty
By Brett Williams
Brevet Sergeant Jason Smith was never the only one who thought his attacker should have had to serve jail time. Members of the public agreed with him, as their hundreds of unequivocal responses to his story showed on social media platforms. And no surprise that the entire police community wanted Matthew Wright behind bars. The rampaging former soldier had, among other things, kicked Smith so forcefully as to sever his patella tendon (Kicked into helplessness, Police Journal, June 2019). To the Police Association, the thought of Wright walking out of court with his freedom was loathsome. It was an example the association used in its successful 2019 campaign to toughen up laws and penalties for assaults on police. Wright faced charges of aggravated cause harm with intent against Smith, and aggravated assault against his patrol partner, Senior Constable Matthew McCarthy. The offences carried maximum penalties of imprisonment for 13 years and four years, respectively. District Court judge Rauf Soulio sentenced Wright to 12 months’ imprisonment, with a 10 per cent reduction for pleading guilty. That left Wright with a total head sentence of 11 months and 22 days – which the judge suspended. Smith (pictured opposite) found the outcome “unacceptable and … frustrating”, as he explained to the Police Journal last year. But he has now found at least some satisfaction in a successful appeal, by application of the DPP, against the leniency of the sentence handed down to Wright.
The DPP contended that, among other things, the 11-month, 22-day sentence was manifestly inadequate. In the Court of Criminal Appeal last October, justices Trish Kelly, Greg Parker and Michael David agreed, and allowed the appeal. They considered the sentence failed to “recognize the seriousness of the offending and significance of general deterrence … where police officers are assaulted while performing their duty”. Justice Parker, with the agreement of his fellow justices, quashed the 12-month prison sentence and imposed a term of two years. Wright remained entitled to his 10 per cent reduction and wound up with a sentence of one year, 10 months and 15 days. And Justice Parker set a 12-month non-parole period. The DPP did not contend that Judge Soulio had erred by suspending the original sentence. So, despite the win, Wright was still not headed for a jail cell. But Smith, although pleased to see the appeal undertaken, “wasn’t expecting much” on the day of the judgement anyway. “I think, overall, he (Wright) has learnt nothing from the experience,” Smith says, “simply because he didn’t have any freedom taken away. “But I was glad to see that the appeal was looked at and that it came out favourably, or as a win for us.” And that win came almost three years since Wright had launched his unprovoked attack on the two cops – and five innocent civilians. June 2020
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The trouble started on a Friday night
in January 2017. Smith and McCarthy had responded to reports of assaults on staff and customers at two Gilles Plains restaurants. That was after the intoxicated Wright had hijacked a woman and her daughter in their car at Medindie. When Smith and McCarthy spotted him, he was sprinting away from a pursuing hotel security guard on North East Road, Gilles Plains. The officers pulled up in their patrol car and Wright launched his attack on them, beginning with a series of “haymakers” he threw at Smith. McCarthy moved quickly to back up his partner and the battle was on to restrain Wright, who just kept swinging those punches. The restraint action soon spilled out from the footpath onto the road, where Wright let fly with several kicks. Smith copped the last one, and it severed his patella tendon. “I didn’t realize what had happened,” he said last year. “It was just kick and bang! My legs just collapsed, and I toppled over onto the road.” With Smith incapacitated, McCarthy got some help from the security guard, who charged in and took Wright down with a rugby-style tackle. The pair still got resistance from Wright, but McCarthy finally got him cuffed and under control. Smith went to hospital by ambulance and underwent surgery to reattach his tendon. After his discharge the next week, he began his long, gruelling recovery at home, aided by strong painkilling medication. Immobile and heavily reliant on others, it took him six months to get back to work. In that time, he underwent a second operation, struggled with his home life, and wound up diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. And no help to his mental state was the lenient sentence handed down to his attacker in March last year. Smith and his wife, Belinda, heard it for themselves in court. “I could see the emotional toll it was taking on Jason,” Belinda said last year. “He had tears in his eyes, and he was shaking.” 22
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“Emergency workers want to come home the same way they go to work. If we don’t, we want to see whoever it is (on the bench) do something to stop people from offending again.”
Top left: Smith on the footpath with his knee dislodged; far left: the scar left after surgery; left: bruising behind Smith’s knee.
Since the attack, Smith has never
But it all served as inspiration for Smith to play a direct role in the Police Association campaign for stronger penalties for assaults on police. First, in an interview he gave the Police Journal, he contributed deeply personal details about the struggle he had faced after the attack. Later, Smith fronted up with another assault victim, Sergeant Andrew Goldsmith, for an on-camera interview which the association posted on its Facebook page. Their contribution, and that of other assault-police victims, helped the association win the legislative amendments it had sought. For assaults against police, The Criminal Law Consolidation Act now contains the strongest maximum penalties in SA history.
“I don’t think the legislation would’ve got through if it wasn’t for that campaign,” Smith says. “I thought it was well done by the association.” Police Association president Mark Carroll, who led the push for legislative change, speaks of Smith and other assault victims as “heroic figures” in the campaign. “They were willing to, and did, reveal very private information about the impact of the assaults they suffered,” he says. “For that, they deserve great credit. “And, as far as the massive damage Wright inflicted on Jason, and his assault on Matthew, it was never acceptable for him to serve no jail time. “We welcomed the increase to his sentence in the Court of Criminal Appeal, but we still believe the suspension of that sentence was inappropriate.”
returned to patrol work. Nor does he expect he ever will. He now finds satisfaction in a position he won at Ethical and Professional Standards Branch last year. But, even now, after three-plus years, the physical and psychological recoveries continue for Smith. “Obviously, I’ve got an injury that’s not going to be 100 per cent ever again,” he says. “But I can contribute towards it getting better than it is now. “There are times when I end up with a few aches, but that’s something I’ve got to accept. It’s going to happen, I suppose, for the rest of my life. “I don’t have a limp, which is what I was worried about to start with. I just manage it the best way I can. “Mentally, I just try not to dwell on it so much because that’s no good for anyone, not me or my family and friends.” What Smith hopes to see now is the courts make good use of the legislation brought about by the Police Association campaign. “Emergency workers want to come home the same way they go to work,” he says. “If we don’t, we want to see whoever it is (on the bench) do something to stop people from offending again.” PJ June 2020
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How the kitchen survived COVID It had Police Club chef Gary Petrus
By Brett Williams
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shocked, and his apprentice, Louisa Wilson, wondering whether she would still have a job. The government had just announced its COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality industry. And, the Police Club – like other clubs, restaurants, cafés and function centres – was going to have to close its doors to diners. Gary, 52, had come to the club with an invaluable 32 years’ experience in 2015. He had found great satisfaction in not only his role but also the Police Club environment. Louisa, 20, became his apprentice in May 2019, after she had undertaken training courses and cooked for Foodbank and OzHarvest. “When I came here everyone was, and still is, very friendly,” she says, as she reflects on her start in hospitality. “The people here are just so nice.”
But the club, unique in Australia, was facing one of the greatest-ever threats to its survival. The situation called for a strategy, and one quickly emerged. Out of a meeting with Police Association president Mark Carroll, hotelier David Basheer (the Basheer Group) and club staff came a plan for a takeaway operation. It was to involve not only a small but high-quality menu of takeaway options but also pre-prepared Friday roasts and frozen meals. “I came up with the smaller menu because people don’t want to wait 20 or 30 minutes for takeaway,” Gary explains. “The menu was quick and easy but still good value, good food and good quality. It was just quicker and easier, so people didn’t have to wait outside for long.”
“Everybody knew about it within a few days and just took it on board. And the good thing was that at least we were open as a business, serving our patrons.” For hungry cops and others, the procedure was as simple as placing an order by phone or in person at the Precinct Café window. “Everybody knew about it within a few days and just took it on board,” Gary says. “And the good thing was that at least we were open as a business, serving our patrons. “In the second week, on the Thursday before Good Friday, Louisa and I cracked a record – 280 meals. That was takeaway, roasts and the frozen meals. It was a massive day, and the most that’s ever been done here.” Most popular on the takeaway menu was the beef schnitzel and the burger. Of the frozen meals, the butter chicken took the No. 1 spot and was the dish Louisa most enjoyed preparing. She felt great relief to see cops and others stick with the club and embrace the takeaway operation. “It was new to them and it was new to us,” she says. “So, we weren’t sure how they’d take to it, but they’ve been really good. They’ve helped support the business.” Naturally, setting up and running a major takeaway-only operation came with challenges for Gary and Louisa.
Toughest for Gary was monitoring the club’s food supplies, as many suppliers had reduced their delivery days owing to restaurant shutdowns. “Delivery days used to be Monday to Friday, but a lot of companies decided to do a delivery day just twice a week,” he says. “So, all of a sudden, you might move 70 or 80 frozen meals and, then, you’ve got to have more ready for the next day. You just had to monitor the food (supplies) so closely.” Of course, the integrity of the food preparation process was never in doubt, as Gary was able to draw on experience he had gained in a previous job. “I got to learn about the cooling process, about labels and dating, and also about the packaging side of it,” he says. “If I hadn’t have done that, I might’ve struggled with what we were doing here for the frozen meals and roasts.” Gary and Louisa, as individuals and as a partnership, were themselves the key contributors to the success of the takeaway operation. Gary, who began his chef journey as a 15-year-old apprentice, applied the cookery knowledge and skills he had built up over the past 37 years. Before his time with the club, he had worked in city and suburban pubs, the Norwood footy club and, for a time, the aged-care sector. Louisa might have had less experience but nonetheless brought her renowned drive to the task. She had also come from a family
in which three of her seven brothers were chefs, and cooking was always “a big thing”. “She’s great value,” Gary insists. “She’s probably one of the top apprentices I’ve ever had. She’s cautious and likes things done neatly and tidily. And she knows I’m pedantic but she’s on board with that, too.” Both the chef and his apprentice enjoy and appreciate the compliments that cops frequently shout through the servery window. Says Gary: “A lot of them will stick their heads in there and say: ‘Thank you very much, chef. It was really nice. Really enjoyed it.’ ” Now, as the COVID-19 restrictions ease, Gary and Louisa are excited about operations returning to normal in their kitchen. “Louisa and I have spoken about how we’ve missed what we were doing before the restrictions,” Gary says. “We had that variety of preparing bistro and cocktail foods, formal dinners, as in graduations, high teas and luncheon functions. “And you miss the adrenaline rush when you’re really busy with a variety of cooking.” Mark Carroll considers the decision the Police Association made to keep the Police Club running with a takeaway operation was “precisely the right one”. “Very few clubs and restaurants operated this way during the restrictions, and our effort proved highly successful,” he says. “We were determined not to let the club suffer and, most important, to keep a quality food option available to our members and others. “Gary and Louisa, and all our Police Club team, deserve great credit for what they’ve helped achieve.” PJ
The Police Club and Precinct Café are open for coffees, takeaways, frozen meals, in-house meetings, lunches, functions, drinks, dinners and Friday night happy-hour drinks. Open from 7am and Saturdays from 11am to 2pm. Phone 8212 2924 for bookings and more information. June 2020
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Bernadette Zimmermann Secretary Police Association
Industrial
Told to front for an ICAC or IIS interview? Don’t be bullied S
A police officers choose to belong to the Police Association. There are many good reasons for that – and they know it. Just under 99 per cent of sworn officers are savvy enough to have worked it out. Another issue about which they have to be savvy is the prospect of an ICAC or IIS investigation. When members realize they have full association support in these cases, the relief on their faces or in their voices is a reward in itself. First, members should always contact the association after one of these agencies has contacted them. Whether, during an investigation, you undergo an interview or provide a statement, as either a subject or a witness, you should take the matter very seriously. When members contact the association for its support with their response to a pending ICAC or IIS investigation, I begin by providing a detailed list of pointers. 1. If you who receive phone contact from a person who claims to be from the ICAC or IIS, do not engage in any conversation without first verifying the identity of that person. This cannot be achieved over the phone. Request e-mail verification of the identity of any person who enquires about an incident or a conduct matter. 2. Insist that the investigator confirm whether he or she is directing you to attend an interview or whether it is your choice to attend. 26
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As soon as the investigator activates the recording equipment, and before the interview or statement begins, ask him or her to indicate the act under which he or she is interviewing you.
3. If you attend an interview involuntarily and are only providing answers under duress, advise the investigator of that fact – when recording equipment is activated. Indicate that you have been directed to attend and provide information, either in an interview or by providing a statement. 4. Do not be comforted by assurances that you are “only a witness”. These matters can, and do, easily change, depending on the information you provide. 5. As soon as the investigator activates the recording equipment, and before the interview or statement begins, ask him or her to indicate the act under which he or she is interviewing you. 6. Ask the investigator to outline your obligations in respect of answering his or her questions under the particular act. Ask this question whether you are there as the subject of an interview or a witness for a statement. This is important if you are required to provide an affidavit as there is no power to require you to swear or affirm an affidavit. 7. Always record the interview or statement on your own device (not a SAPOL device). This ensures that if any information is taken out of context, and then appears to have a meaning other than the one you intended, it can be raised later and corrected.
8. You should always advise the investigator that you wish to record the interview/conversation. If your request is denied, ensure that fact is recorded on the investigator’s device. 9. If the investigator prevents you, either purposely or inadvertently, from completing any of your answers, advise him or her immediately, or certainly before answering the next question. This will ensure that you do not provide an answer with the potential to mislead or create a misunderstanding. 10. Take all relevant documentation – such as general orders, policies and legislation – with you to the interview/ statement. No interview should morph into a test of your knowledge of the copious information contained in policies, general orders or legislation. And, in any case, the stress of an interview can impact on your ability to recall written information. 11. Ask to refer to your general orders or other documents if an investigator asks you a knowledge question pertaining to such documents. 12. In respect of your involvement in an incident, you might want to access and refer to SAPOL records, such as charge records, investigation diaries, CCTV/BWV, notes or arrest files. If you do want to do that, seek permission of the investigator so as not to breach any policy or act. Continued page 39
Steve Whetton Member Liaison Officer Police Association
Clear need to redefine regional/outer metro areas S
outh Australia Police released consultation paper Regional Review – Regional Policing Model to the workforce in February 2020. The model sets out to provide a “scalable, consistent framework for regional policing” and is a “blueprint for incremental change to regional policing over the next 10-20 years”. In its Workplace Planning Guide, under Workplace planning explained, the Australian Public Service Commission indicates that strategic workforce plans usually cover a three- to five-year forecast period, and have five key benefit categories: • Increased public value. • Financial (value for money). • Improved business outcomes. • Increased capability/capacity. • Improved decision-making. Key points repeated in this guide are: • Meeting welfare needs. • The delivery of service to the community. • Meeting citizen demands. • Building trust. These points come with competing financial objectives which are aligned with a budget statement. In respect of the consultation paper, the opportunity exists to ensure the model reflects the expectations of the community, with country staffing aligned to the population increase. The metropolitan district policing model commenced in 2018 and combined
six local service areas into four districts: southern, northern, western, and eastern. The regional review model combines seven country local service areas into six regions, each of which is separated into districts. The terminology differs between country and metropolitan policing but is purely administrative. The most significant change is the regional area Outer Metro Region. It encompasses the previous Barossa and Hills Fleurieu local service areas, which includes Kangaroo Island. Outer Metro Region will encompass the Barossa, Adelaide Hills, and Fleurieu districts and have a structure similar to those of other regions. It will cover Kangaroo Island, Victor Harbor, Echunga, Strathalbyn, Kapunda, Dublin and Truro, as well as areas defined as regional: Stirling, Mount Barker and Gawler. From a strategic, organizational perspective, SAPOL need consider redefining regional/outer metro areas – such as Mount Barker, Stirling and Gawler – as metropolitan. This is clearly necessary given that the regional review model highlighted that the current Barossa and Hills Fleurieu local service areas “continue to grow and place significant demand on police resources”. The proposed reduction in training facilitators will result in an over-reliance on training based on IT programmes.
The Police Association has heard directly from members in the proposed outer region. They have expressed concern about the delivery of juvenile justice programmes, intelligence gathering, and community programmes in such an expansive region.
Modern, progressive societies exist in an environment of ever-changing legislation, policies and procedures, which demands communication and consultation. Implementing online rather than face-to-face training results essentially from financial considerations. But section 5 of the Police Act demands that members be fully proficient and have all resources – including the guidance of training facilitators – available to them. The Police Association has heard directly from members in the proposed outer region. They have expressed concern about the delivery of juvenile justice programmes, intelligence gathering, and community programmes in such an expansive region. Exacerbating their concerns is that the specific substantive positions/roles in the proposed model have been reduced and/or the area of responsibility expanded. Of immediate concern is the proposed transfer of functions to the front-line response, where patrol officers are to be allocated community engagement activities and juvenile justice functions. An article (Does multiskilling in service management lead to improved job satisfaction?) on website Service Futures identifies that multi-skilling of employees has significant financial benefits to employers. This is because it enables employees to perform functions previously undertaken across separate positions. Multi-skilling has its benefits. The concern, however, is that while specialist front-line members meet the demand to become multi-skilled, the juvenile justice and community programme functions will be devalued.
Continued page 40 June 2020
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H Health
Dr Rod Pearce
Winning the COVID-19 fight – and halting the flu OUR SUCCESS Social distancing has produced one of the best results possible for Australia and stopped our influenza season. We have had low rates of spread, while specific outbreaks of coronavirus have occurred on cruise ships and in meatworks. What has stopped the spread in Australia seems to have been our ability to stay away from each other with social distancing, handwashing, and cleaning of surfaces which might have the virus. Up until we introduced these practices, the influenza season was set to be worse than last year, starting early and threatening to be more lethal.
HOW WE COMPARE Australia has a population of about 25 million and has a total death rate from coronavirus (SARS CoV-2 causing
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COVID-19) of 102. This amounts to slightly more than one death per day. The USA has a death rate of more than 1,000 every day (population 13 times more than Australia). If the USA had the same death rate as Australia, it would be 15 deaths per day.
THE CHALLENGE No human in the world will have any built-in defence. COVID-19 is a new (novel) virus. There is no stopping the virus that spreads to one human after another. It grows with no real opposition and spreads to another person. When Australia set out to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus, the hope was to slow the spread from person to person. Because we only had 2,000 intensive care beds, we hoped there would never be more than 2,000 people at any one time in hospital.
Police Journal
WHERE IT STARTED The coronavirus has been known about for years but this mutation started circulating in 2019. The latest international studies suggest a mutation similar to the present one might have been around in September 2019. The specific mutation, however, seems to have occurred in China last December. Sick animals in live markets spread the virus because they are still alive. So those markets are thought to be the biggest cause of these mutations.
Change of Address The Police Association of South Australia needs your change-of-address details. If you have moved, in either the recent or distant past, please let the association know your new address. Its office does not receive notification of changed addresses by any other means.
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The USA has a death rate of more than 1,000 every day (population 13 times more than Australia). If the USA had the same death rate as Australia, it would be 15 deaths per day.
Part of the plan was to increase the number of intensive care beds. The expectation was to have more ventilators and Australia increase its capacity and intensive care beds to around 4,000. We did not have treatment to cure the infection so the only way to look after people was to try to keep them alive on ventilators, in induced comas, and lying in intensive care beds, until their bodies recovered or they died. We saw a similar situation in 2009 with the influenza pandemic, except we had drugs to kill the flu virus (antivirals). We just about used all our intensive care beds then, and our life-support services were stretched to the limit. We were down to our last dozen spare life-support machines.
The association will need your new address, full name, ID number, telephone numbers (home, work and/or mobile). Members can e-mail these details to the association on pasa@pasa.asn.au or send them by letter through dispatch (168).
A virus is more likely to spread from a living animal than it is from a dead animal. And, if the animals are kept close together, the virus will spread from one of them to another of the same species and, then, occasionally, to another species. The “jump” to another species appears to be relatively common, but the virus will not usually keep on spreading through the new animal line. The evidence the medical community most accepts at this stage is that the coronavirus from a bat mutated to live happily in humans and spread easily. Because humans have not been used to this virus, we have no immune memory, and it is likely to kill us before we can kill it.
OTHER VIRUSES The closest thing we have seen before is the Middle Eastern respiratory virus (through camels), a coronavirus that jumped to humans. If the effect on the human is so lethal, the virus often dies out because it kills the human before spreading. The next close shave was the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by the coronavirus. Again, it was so severe that it killed off people quickly (especially health-care workers). SARS in a new form (SARS CoV-2) is different enough to cause problems again.
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We still need to use social distancing to prevent infections and stop people getting into intensive care because we can’t be sure the treatment will work.
And this is not just a problem for the first human (in Wuhan, we assume) and the surrounding community.
THE TREATMENT The disease itself (COVID-19) has many unknowns. Recent studies suggest it might reactivate in people thought clear. (One study in China suggests up to four times the infection coming back.) Our treatment for the disease remains primitive and supportive rather than a certain fix for the sufferer. We still need to use social distancing to prevent infections and stop people getting into intensive care because we can’t be sure the treatment will work. Vaccine is still a long way away. Malaria and HIV vaccines do not exist, and those diseases have been around for many years. Because people have not had the disease a first time, and we don’t know if you can catch it again, it can spread though the community at any time. This could be our second wave of infection, just as lethal and just as disruptive.
STAYING SAFE There is so much we don’t know about COVID-19. We do know that the way to remain safe is to continue the social distancing and handwashing and coughing and sneezing into a tissue or sleeve. It’s the same old story, and it’s boring, but it works. It reduces all infections and decreases the spread of multiple viruses. If we maintain social distancing and jump on any outbreaks, we should be able to contain the spread in South Australia.
SO REMEMBER: The way to stop the spread of a virus is to: • Prevent it from jumping from one human to another. • Practise simple handwashing. • Not sneeze and cough over each other.
Got something to say? Got a comment about a story you’ve read? Do you have strong views on a police issue? Is there someone you want to acknowledge? Know of an upcoming social or sports event? Whatever the subject, put it in a letter to the editor.
Regular mail Police Journal, PO Box 6032, Halifax St, Adelaide SA 5000 Email editor@pasa.asn.au Fax (08) 8212 2002 Internal dispatch Police Journal 168
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Motoring
Jim Barnett
Model Ford Ranger Wildtrak X. Drivetrain Five-cylinder 3.2-litre diesel (147kW/470Nm) with six-speed auto or 2.0-litre bi-turbo four-cylinder diesel (157kW/500Nm) with 10-speed auto. (All feature part-time 4x4, two-speed transfer case and rear diff lock.) Pricing From $65,290 (plus ORC); 2.0litre bi-turbo/10-speed auto adds $1,500. Weights Up to 3,500kg (braked) towing and up to 943kg payload. Fuel economy Between 7.4 and 8.9 litres/100km (depending on engine). Safety Five-star ANCAP, six airbags, AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, tyre-pressure monitor, front and rear parking sensors and reverse camera. Service/ Service intervals 12 months or 15,000km, $299 per service warranty (first four years), five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Ford Ranger DESIGN AND FUNCTION Toyota HiLux might have claimed Australia’s best-seller crown but Ford Ranger takes the prize in the up-market dual-cab stakes. Rather than rely on volume-selling XLT and Wildtrak, Ford has introduced a number of upgraded versions aimed specifically at those who want a more personalized or capable vehicle. Ranger Raptor (Police Journal, October 2019) was the first, followed by Ranger FX4 (an upgraded XLT) and, more recently, Wildtrak X.
Model Hyundai Ioniq – Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric. Price Hybrid Elite $34,790; Plug-in hybrid Elite $41,990; full-electric Elite $48,490 (all plus ORC). (Premium model adds around $4,000.) Fuel economy Hybrids 1.1 – 3.9 litres/100km (depending on model); Electric 0 litres/100km. (Recharging costs depend on charge type/times). Luggage space 357-1,518 litres depending on model. (Electric has the least at 1,417.) Spare tyre Hybrid – full-size spare. Plug-in hybrid and Electric – tyre inflator kit. Safety Seven airbags, auto-emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, lane-keep assistance, rear-cross traffic alert. Warranty/service Five-year warranty, capped servicing 12 months/15,000km – hybrids $265, Electric $160.
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Hyundai Ioniq DESIGN AND FUNCTION The upgraded Hyundai Ioniq is the only car in Australia offered with hybrid (petrol/electric), plug-in hybrid, and electric-only drivetrains. Ioniq hybrid couples a 1.6-litre petrol engine to a 32kW electric motor with 1.56kWh battery. Combined fuel economy of between 3.4 and 3.9 litres/100km and CO2 emissions of 79-92g/km is the claim. Plug-in hybrid features the same petrol engine with a larger 44.5kW electric motor and 8.9kWh battery. The advantage here is using electric-only power for up to 63km while retaining the ability of the conventional hybrid for long road trips. Hyundai claims combined fuel economy of 1.1 litres/100km and 26g/km (CO2). Ioniq Electric features an upgraded 100kW electric motor and larger 38.3kWh battery. With a real-world-driving range of around 311km, its advantages are zero emissions and no petrol costs. Electric has three recharging options: 80% in 54 minutes at a
with off-road route plotting and a decent reverse camera.
DRIVING Wildtrak feels more like a modern SUV than a utility. While not as powerful as VW Amarok’s V6 diesel, Wildtrak’s beefy 3.2-litre five-cylinder diesel/six-speed auto combination offers plenty of grunt and never seems stressed. Ford has continued to refine this drivetrain, so it is smoother and quieter than the same package offered in earlier Rangers and Mazda BT50. Highway cruising and hill climbing are effortless. Spring rates seem just right, delivering good ride comfort and agility on the highway and a smooth compliant ride on rough dirt roads while retaining credible load-carrying ability.
public fast charger, or two home options including a standard 10amp socket with the supplied charger. Its disadvantage is range anxiety, which is the term used when one realizes the nearest available charging option is almost out of range. A five-door fastback with big lift-up tailgate, Ioniq has a completely revised interior. There’s comfortable seating for five, a decent dash layout and good levels of standard equipment. Both Elite and Premium grades feature a new 10.25-inch interactive multimedia system with sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. DAB+ radio, battery monitoring and high-powered Harmen Kardon audio system also feature. Seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep monitoring, and assistance and blind-spot monitoring are standard.
DRIVING Electric Elite is a fabulous car to drive. Certainly, there are more powerful (and more expensive) EVs available, but its high torque (295Nm) electric motor is capable of swift and very smooth acceleration, all without any drivetrain noise or vibration.
Superb on the highway
More like a modern SUV
Ford claims Wildtrak X scores $6,000 worth of additional equipment for just $2,000 more than the standard Wildtrak. Exclusive 18-inch black alloys, black wheel-arch flares, a front nudge bar with LED light bar and a snorkel complete the external upgrades. Inside there’s leather seats with orange stitching. This theme continues on door trims and the steering wheel which has a myriad of function buttons. Other features include AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, active parking assistance, and tyre-pressure monitoring. A decent eight-inch colour touchscreen features Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB+ radio. It also offers voice-activated sat nav
Those who want more power can order Ford’s optional 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel coupled to a smooth 10-speed auto. The leather seats are comfortable and offer electric adjustment. The steering, however, still lacks reach adjustment. Controls are conveniently located, and the electronic gauge layout offers customizable content including a digital speed readout. Drivers will also appreciate keyless entry and push-button start, and the tailgate assist spring negates the heavy lifting. Wildtrak X has serious off-road capability with 800mm waterwading depth, hill-descent control, rear diff lock and shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system with dual-speed transfer case.
Driving at low speeds around town is rewarding enough but the highway driving is superb. Elite effortlessly handles steep hills and overtaking comes quickly and quietly. Paddle shifters adjust the amount of regenerative braking. When maximum is selected, there’s little need to use the brake pedal, particularly in the hills. As the electric motor retards speed, it is pumping power back to the battery. One could effectively drive this car 50kms a day during the week and, then, charge it on the weekend from a solar or solar-battery set-up for free or recharge from a 10amp socket each night if necessary. June 2020
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BIG SAVINGS! Police Association Members’ Buying Guide Facebook Group
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By joining the group, you will be the first to know about seasonal and exclusive specials, specifically designed to save you money.
See the full list of offers on the Members’ Buying Guide on PASAweb (pasa.asn.au) or the Police Association app.
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The Police Association has created a new Facebook group to advise you more effectively and efficiently of savings and special offers for you and your family. This is a closed group for members only.
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Paul Modra, Executive Manager – Member Value and Distribution, Police Credit Union
The comparison: a loan versus a lease T
he Police Credit Union has undertaken an analysis of the figures in the car loan versus novated lease issue. Police Credit Union CEO Costa Anastasiou ordered the analysis to guide police members in their decisionmaking. As an economist, he saw that novated leases were, in many cases, not a financial advantage to their lessees. “With so many vehicle finance options on the market,” he says, “it can be hard to sort out the best deals. “Drawing not on hearsay but on reallife examples, we know that you can be up to $26,000 better off over a five-year term, simply by opting for a car loan. “Our number crunching has found that salary sacrificing can be more expensive over the longer term, compared with a car loan over the same time frame, even when using pre-tax dollars and reducing your taxable income.” Mr Anastasiou knows of many police officers who, from the novatedlease option, have turned to Police Credit Union for a loan. “We’ve worked with them to develop solutions suited to their needs,” he says. “We recently had one serving member refinance from a five-year lease agreement at 10.51%p.a. comparison rate.
“Drawing not on hearsay but on real-life examples, we know that you can be up to $26,000 better off over a five-year term, simply by opting for a car loan.”
“Although initially delighted with his new car, he soon found he didn’t have as much take-home pay. “We came up with a finance solution that dropped his fortnightly payments from $1,364 to $451 – and gave him an asset at the end.” Mr Anastasiou said he understood that police officers would already have grasped the lease-versus-loan issue. Nonetheless, he and his team wanted to be doubly sure to provide their police members with any fact or facts they might not have considered. “My team and I just have this special regard for police,” he says, “and our commitment to them is as strong as ever. We never forget that it was serving police officers who, as members of the Police Association committee of management, established Police Credit Union 50 years ago.”
The loan option – facts for the decision maker • Pocket pain – in addition to having less cash in hand, you’ll have more complex tax affairs to deal with. (Approvals for a novated-lease agreement can also take far longer than a car loan application, which could see you drive off in a new car on the day you apply*.) • Balloon blowout – a novated lease leaves a large lump-sum payment at the end if you want to buy the car, with some balloon payments higher than market value. (A loan with a low interest rate and no penalties for extra or early repayments is a far smarter option.) • Lease limitations – a novated lease might force you to buy from a dealer or choose a specific insurer. (Check fine print for restrictions on
kilometres you can travel and servicing clauses. A Police Credit Union car loan means no restrictions on driving distances and you choose your insurer and mechanic.) • Hidden hazards – be wary of lease clauses about additional mileage and “wear-and-tear” costs. (Even if your personal circumstances change, the leased car remains your responsibility, along with extra unbudgeted costs, so be prepared to dip into your pocket if you underestimate your annual mileage.) • Making modifications – Police Credit Union car loans offer flexibility to add aftermarket accessories to suit your needs and lifestyle, while a lease prevents changes to a car’s design or performance. To find out more about a competitive car loan with Police Credit Union, call 1 300 131 844 or head to www.policecu.com.au. And, to see how a car loan could be the best option for you, contact Platinum Relationship manager Glenn Lewis on 0421 243 741.
Police Credit Union Ltd ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending criteria apply. Full details upon request. *Conditional approval and funding valid business hours only Monday to Friday if applications are submitted prior to 10am with required identification and information documents. Please refer to the Personal Loan Required Documents List. Please consider if the product is right for you.
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Free Legal Service for Police Association Members, Their Families & Retired Members.
To arrange a preliminary in-person or phone appointment contact PASA on (08) 8212 3055
Leading Adelaide law firm, Tindall Gask Bentley is the preferred legal service provider of the Police Association, offering 30 minutes of free initial advice and a 10% fee discount.
INJURY COMPENSATION • Motor accident injury compensation
• Public liability
• Workers compensation
• Superannuation claims (TPD) Gary Allison
Amber Sprague
Wendy Barry
Dina Paspaliaris
John Caruso
Giles Kahl
Rosemary Caruso
Michael Arras
FAMILY & DIVORCE Matrimonial, De Facto & Same Sex Relationships • Children’s Issues
• Property Settlements
• Child Support matters
• “Pre Nuptial” style Agreements
BUSINESS & PROPERTY • General business advice
• Business transactions
• Real estate & property advice
• Commercial disputes & dispute resolution
WILLS & ESTATES • Wills & Testamentary Trusts
• Advice to executors of deceased estates
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Obtaining Grants of Probate
• Advance Care Directive
• Estate disputes
Adelaide • Reynella • Salisbury • Mt Barker • Murray Bridge Gawler • Pt Lincoln • Whyalla • Perth (WA) • Darwin (NT)
tgb.com.au • (08) 8212 1077
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Amber Sprague, Partner Tindall Gask Bentley Lawyers
COVID-19? A work injury claim? T
he Return to Work Act 2014 (SA) covers injuries that occur in the workplace in South Australia, and provides entitlements of weekly payments, medical expenses and potentially lump-sum compensation for permanent impairment for an injured worker. The definition of “injury” in the RTWA includes a disease. For an injury to be covered, a worker must prove on the balance of probabilities that it arose out of, or in the course of, employment and that the employment was a significant contributing cause of the injury. In relation to COVID-19, this is a tough test for an employee to meet, particularly if it is unclear how and where he or she contracted the disease. It is merely assumed it was through contact with the public in the course of the employee’s work. Without medical evidence supporting a work-related cause, it will be extremely difficult to have a claim accepted. A much clearer situation is a police officer conducting quarantine checks who is exposed to a carrier and contracts the disease. In that situation, while transmission might have occurred elsewhere, the balance of probabilities being the burden of proof required (meaning more likely than not) would tend to suggest that the officer contracted the disease in the course of his or her employment.
There are some medical conditions and jobs listed in the RTWA in which the burden of proof is reversed – meaning that if a particular type of worker develops a particular condition, it is presumed to have occurred during the course of his or her employment, absent any proof to the contrary. For example, a worker who develops lead poisoning: as long as he or she worked with lead, or its preparations or compounds, that condition is covered. Likewise, mesothelioma: a worker who performed any work exposed to inhalation of asbestos fibres is presumed to have contracted that condition from employment. There have been calls for COVID-19 to be so classified within the RTWA, for at least front-line workers and first responders – police officers, doctors, nurses, cleaners and the like – who are exposed to potential carriers in the course of their employment. Such a reclassification for only front-line workers and first responders might not be viable, given the many retail workers, public transport operators, teachers and other workers who are also potentially exposed through their employment – and who would presumably feel significantly aggrieved if they were not also covered by a presumed injury scheme. But where do you draw the line? Surely the state can’t afford to cover the costs for all workers. Or can it?
Each case will turn on its own facts and ultimately boil down to whether you can pinpoint how or from whom you contracted the condition …
This leads to the question of what the claims are potentially worth. The RTWA provides for certain payments to be made to the family of an injured worker who dies owing to a work-related injury. Four South Australians have lost their lives to COVID-19 in SA, and there might be more. Should a worker contract the disease through his or her employment and die, there might be entitlements to a lump sum and/or weekly payments to a dependent spouse and/or dependent children. One would hope that, based on the number of recorded cases to date, these large sums of money would be few and far between. Most people with COVID-19 appear to recover reasonably quickly in quarantine at home. Many do not require hospitalization. In these circumstances, a claim might only be worth a few weeks of weekly payments for any incapacity for work as well as reimbursement of any medical expenses incurred.
Continued page 40 June 2020
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E Entertainment
Night Lessons in Little Jerusalem Rick Held Hachette, $29.99
Tholdi is a musical prodigy whose brilliant future is extinguished when the horror unfolding across Europe arrives at his door. One day he’s captivated by the beautiful, mysterious Lyuba whom he meets on his 16th birthday. The next day he wakes to the terrors of war as the Nazi-allied Romanians attack his town of Czernowitz. A ghetto is built to imprison the town’s Jews before herding them onto trains bound for concentration camps. Tholdi and his parents await their turn. And, then, fate intervenes, giving them all a reprieve. At the weaving mill, Tholdi secures work that spares him. He is elated – until he discovers the two brothers who run the mill are Nazi collaborators hiding a terrible secret. When Tholdi sees one of the brothers with Lyuba, he glimpses a way to save himself and his family. Will Lyuba be the key to their survival, or will Tholdi’s infatuation with her become a dangerous obsession that guarantees their death?
Win a book! For your chance to win one of the books featured in this issue, send your name, location, phone number and despatch code, along with the book of your choice to giveaways@pj.asn.au
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Truths I Never Told You
Kelly Rimmer Hachette Australia, $29.99
1959: Grace is a young mother with four children under four. All she ever wanted was to have a family of her own, but there are thoughts Grace cannot share with anyone in the months after childbirth. Instead, she pours her deepest fears into the pages of a notebook, hiding them where she knows husband Patrick will never look. When Grace falls pregnant again, she turns to her sister, Maryanne, for help. 1996: After her father, Patrick, is diagnosed with dementia, Beth and her siblings make the heartwrenching decision to put him into care. As Beth is clearing the family home, she discovers a series of notes. Patrick’s children grew up believing their mother had died in a car accident, but these notes suggest something much darker.
Camino Winds
John Grisham Hodder & Stoughton, $32.99
Bruce Cable, the proprietor of Bay Books, is preparing for the return of bestselling author Mercer Mann when Hurricane Leo starts heading straight for Camino island, Florida. The governor orders a mandatory evacuation, but Cable decides to stay and ride out the storm. The hurricane levels homes and condos; hotels and storefronts are ruined, streets flooded, and a dozen people lose their lives. An apparent victim, Nelson Kerr, is a friend of Cable and an author of thrillers. But his injuries suggest that the storm wasn’t the cause of his death. He has suffered several suspicious blows to the head. The local police are overwhelmed in the aftermath of the storm and ill equipped to handle the case. Cable begins to wonder if the shady characters in Kerr’s novels might be more real than fictional. And somewhere on Kerr’s computer is the manuscript of his new novel. Could the key to the case be right there – in black and white?
The Familiar Dark
Amy Engel Hodder & Stoughton, $32.99
“In other places, the murder of two little girls would have blanketed the entire town in horror. Here, it was just another bad day.” Eve Taggert had steadily climbed away from her roots. Her mother, a cruel woman, had dragged her up in a rundown trailer park and was not who Eve wanted to be to her own daughter, Junie. But 12-year-old Junie is now dead, found next to the body of her best friend in the park of their dirt-poor town deep in the Missouri Ozarks. Eve is going to find out what happened to her daughter, even if it means using her mother’s cruel brand of strength to unearth secrets. Ever yone is a suspect, and someone will answer for Junie’s murder.
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You won’t lose it if you haven’t used it Our Rolling Extras cover is the only cover in Australia that lets you roll over unclaimed Annual Maximums from one calendar year to the next on most Extras services. Get in touch and ask us about our Rollover Benefit!*
joinus@policehealth.com.au policehealth.com.au 1800 603 603 * Subject to waiting periods and other conditions. Police Health Limited ABN 86 135 221 519 A restricted access not-for-profit Private Health Insurer
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Entertainment
From page 26
Just Desserts
Charlotte Ree Plum, $29.99
Instagram sensation Charlotte Ree is famous for her simple and delicious sweets. Her easy, user-friendly creations are designed to taste amazing, rather than just look pretty, although pretty they are. Just Desserts showcases 30 of Charlotte’s most popular and delicious cake, biscuit, slice and dessert recipes in one little package. It features essentials, such as chocolate brownies, shortbread caramel slice and chocolate-chip cookies through to showstoppers such as layered berry pavlova and chocolate ganache and blackberry bundt.
Seven Lies
Elizabeth Kay Hachette, $32.99
Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were 11 years old. They have a lot in common. In their early 20s they fell in love with and married handsome young men. But Jane never liked Marnie’s husband. He was always so loud and obnoxious, so much larger than life. Which, now, is rather ironic. Because if Jane had been honest – if she hadn’t told those lies – then perhaps her best friend’s husband might still be alive. This is Jane’s opportunity to tell the truth and, as she narrates their shared history and unpicks each of her seven lies, she reveals the pockets of darkness that have infiltrated their friendship and the toxic secrets still bubbling beneath. It’s all about obsession, grief, the dark corners of even the closest friendships, and what it means to tell your version of the truth.
13. Take water with you. No matter how experienced you are, it is possible to suffer dry mouth, which can add to your stress under questioning. 14. Always take a Police Association representative or a support person with you (depending on the type of investigation). Most members who have thought they would be okay on their own but took a support person have invariably been glad they did. 15. If, as an interview unfolds, you feel stressed, or the need for further advice from the association, ask for a break. You are allowed to do this but be sure to inform the investigator that you are not refusing to answer his or her questions (if under direction). 16. The investigator cannot force you to swear an affidavit. If he or she asks you to swear or affirm a statement/ interview on affidavit, do not sign such a document until you seek advice from the association or legal representative assigned to you. This list of pointers is a summary of matters to keep in mind during the interview/statement process. This is not legal advice. This is general advice and does not substitute contacting the association for further advice or legal assistance. One of the benefits of association membership entitles you to advice and potentially legal representation prior to attending one of these interviews. Depending on the severity or complexity of the allegations it might be necessary to have legal representation present throughout the process.
This list of pointers, relevant to ICAC and IIS investigations, will continue in the next issue of the Police Journal. June 2020
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From page 27
From page 35
The organization and the community demand availability and a high level of proficiency, regardless of workload and training. The Service Futures article outlines the best means of multi-skilling. To make multiskilling a success, employees must feel that they are up-skilled, acquiring new competencies rather than have the feeling of just getting more and more work. Therefore, properly developed job designs, processes and future career plans must be in place before multiskilling can be a true success. In doing so, the multiskilled employees will be able to make sense of their work and see their jobs in a continuously developing long-term perspective. The association awaits further consultation.
In a case in which a worker has made a full recovery with no ongoing physical impairment, there is unlikely to be any lump-sum compensation payable for permanent impairment. In some circumstances, the costs of these individual claims might be substantially less than the costs involved with running a dispute in the South Australian Employment Tribunal. Would it not make more sense to acknowledge the danger to which many workers are presently exposed and spend the money on helping infected workers recover from COVID-19 by reversing the burden of proof? Presently, in order to be compensated for your time off work and your incurred medical expenses if you contract COVID-19, you have to establish that (a),
it arose out of or in the course of your employment, and (b), your employment was a significant contributing cause of you contracting the disease. Each case will turn on its own facts and ultimately boil down to whether you can pinpoint how or from whom you contracted the condition, and whether that was in the course of your employment and, then, whether there is a sufficient connection between your employment and COVID-19 diagnosis to conclude that employment was a significant contributing cause. Let’s hope there is no need to engage with SAPOL Injury Management Section about whether a COVID-19 injury claim should be accepted.
Throughout July, Wilson Parking will offer members daily parking at six city car parks for only $7. Go to the Members Buying Guide on PASAweb for more information. www.pasa.asn.au/member-services/members-buying-guide
Free parking appreciated The Police Association is grateful to Wilson Parking for the commitment it made and honoured to provide free parking for city-based association members throughout June. It was an extremely welcome gesture during the COVID-19 crisis.
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Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG “Collenottolo” Intense ruby reveals fascinating hints of cherries, blackberries, currants, blueberries, with floral notes and delicate oriental spices. A light balsamic touch anticipates a taste of particular strength and balance, fresh and tasty, characterized by a tannic extraction of great elegance that ends with fruity notes. Exceptional persistence.
Montefalco Rosso DOC “Pomontino” A blend of limpid and light ruby. The nose reveals notes of pomegranate, red currant, sour cherry, bitter orange and a touch of blackberry.
Tenuta Bellafonte Bevagna, Italy www.tenutabellafonte.it
Tenuta Bellafonte (Bellafonte Estate) is in the heart of the most unspoilt part of Umbria, not far from Assisi. It produces wines only with indigenous varieties such as Sagrantino, Sangiovese and Trebbiano Spoletino. The fermentations of the wines are made only by natural yeast, and the wines are not filtered.
The mouthfeel is agile and tasty, characterized by a good freshness and supported by light and pleasant tannins. Closes with orange notes and a good persistence.
Umbria IGT Trebbiano Spoletino “Arnèto” Straw yellow, very intense and bright. Reveals fascinating notes of yellow fruits, citrus and mineral hints with scents of officinal herbs, brome and hay. Rich and tasty, satisfying and harmonious, well balanced in acidity, and characterized by great length and persistence.
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Please remember to adhere to social distancing rules between dining groups. Hand sanitizer is available for use by all patrons. Frozen take-away meals Curry meals with rice: Butter Chicken Chef’s Vegetable Curry Curried Sausages
Dine-in Menu
Spaghetti Bolognese with parmesan cheese Cheese Macaroni with tomato base $8 each or 6x for $30 Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
$5
Lamb lasagne with parmesan cheese single serve $10 family serve (feeds four) $35
WEEKLY HOUSE COOKED FAMILY ROASTS AVAILABLE EVERY WEEKEND (usually $40, order by Wed afternoon at 2pm and collect Fri or Sat, feeds four)
OPENING HOURS
Vegetable Curry
$15
Butter Chicken with rice
$15
Curried Sausage with rice
$15
Lamb Lasagne with parmesan
$15
Spaghetti bolognese with parmesan
$15
Cheese macaroni with tomato base
$15
Police Burger with chips
$15
Lamb's fry and bacon with garlic mash & gravy $18 Chicken Salad with baby spinach, pumpkin, toasted pinenuts, roast capsicums, feta and balsamic glaze
$18
Vegetable wrap
$11.90
Chicken wrap
$11.90
Lamb wrap
$11.90
Fisherman's basket with crumbed fish, crumbed calamari, crumbed prawns, balsamic tartare and lemon
$15
Fish & Chips battered, crumbed or grilled served with balsamic tartare
$18
Monday – Friday 11am – 2pm Friday dinner 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Schnitzel with chips and your choice of sauce (Traditional gravy, dianne, pepper or mushroom) Chicken $18 Beef $15 Add parmigiana topping $3
27 Carrington Street, Adelaide (08) 8212 2924
Chef’s famous beer battered chips served with gravy or garlic aioli Small $3 Large $7
Don’t miss out on A retirement function due to COVID-19
Let us host your farewell at the POLICE CLUB Register your interest now and we’ll do all the rest including: • Hosting your function at the Police Club (post COVID-19 & when restrictions are lifted) • Promoting your retirement event to members / your guests
• Managing the RSVP’s & guest payments • Gift bottle of red wine for the Guest of Honour • Packages at $10 per head for cocktail food & Friday night happy hours drinks from the bar
CONTACT PASA FOR MORE INFORMATION
(08) 8212 3055 or caitlinblackney@pasa.asn.au
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The Last Shift
For the full version of The Last Shift, go to PASAweb at www.pasa.asn.au
Bryan Fahy Robert Grinter John McMahon Jonathan Ray
Assistant Commissioner Bryan Fahy
Governance and Capability Service 44 years’ service Last day 26.04.20 Comments… “From my perspective on the association, thank you for all the efforts from Mark Carroll, current and past executive teams, current and past association employees, and current and past representatives in the workplace for all they have achieved and continue to achieve. “It has been my managerial experience that having a good working relationship with the reps has positively contributed to a happier work environment with far less conflict and I have appreciated their input into workplace matters. They provide a valuable window into workplace activities. “Like others, I have queried our association subscription cost but have reflected on its value. It is the association which has significantly contributed to the good wages and conditions that SAPOL members enjoy. “I also reflect on other benefits such as the insurance policy while working and the generous discounts available through businesses. “I would also remind readers that our subscriptions are a great insurance policy from legal action. I speak from personal experience having been the recipient of significant support through association funding and a good legal team for an extensive ongoing legal issue for which I was 44
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targeted. So, thank you specifically for this. One never knows when such matters will arise. “From my perspective on SAPOL, I have thoroughly enjoyed the vast majority of the many postings and experiences I gained in 44 years of service. “I love what SAPOL stands for and have been pleased to be part of it for most of my life. It has been my experience that the vast majority of people I have engaged with across SAPOL are positive and enthusiastic and keen to contribute to keeping the community safe. I will miss the interaction. “I wish both SAPOL and the association well as they venture into the futuristic workforce, one where evidence-based research, and my experience, shows respect, gender and cultural equity, flexible work practices and true engagement are important parts of a harmonious workplace. “Harmony equals greater productivity and a happier workplace, thereby leading to positive outcomes for community, the very reason we exist.”
Senior Constable 1C Robert Grinter
Road Safety Section 31 years’ service Last day 25.05.20 Comments… “A big thanks to the Police Association for its hard work over the years, and especially for its support and assistance after the passing of my wife, Joanne, in 2016. “The same has to be said for the support from my many other colleagues in blue. It was greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. My best wishes to you all for the future.”
Senior Sergeant 1C Jonathan “Jon” Ray
Governance and Capability Service 42 years’ service Last day 10.11.19 Comments… “Joining in 1978 with my fellow Course 63 members, we were the last course to graduate in the 1970s (December 1979). “Having served under six commissioners, a lot has changed. I am glad to have been able to experience all these alterations, changes, and reviews of how SAPOL undertakes its policing role. “I have worked with and for a vast range of individuals, most of whom I have actually enjoyed working with. “I am comfortable in saying that the one thing that has been of “topical discussion” is the need for the application of true empathy and respect across all dimensions of the organization. This work will need to be ongoing. “I comfortably move on to my next chapter to enjoy the fruits of my service, my work within numerous volunteering platforms, travel, and pretty well anything else I choose. “I thank my family and close friends. I also thank the association, especially the executive, for its consistent and ongoing support for members in whatever form it takes.”
Sergeant John McMahon Northern District Planning 38 years’ service Last Day: 08.11.19
Comments… “I was warned by fellow retirees that I would be busier than before, and they were correct. “I often reflect on my nearly 39 years of service with SAPOL. It was a blast and I had experiences that money can’t buy. This was helped by a wide range of postings: • Patrols (ranging from Port Adelaide to Port Augusta, Andamooka to Renmark to Unley). • ComCen. • Operational Safety Training Unit (a favourite). • EMES (another favourite). • LSA/district planning sergeant (tying it all together). “SAPOL also gave me extraordinary experiences including: • Involvement in the Baxter and Roxby Operations. • General duties OC Spray concept and rollout. • Queensland floods deployment. • G20 Brisbane deployment. • Local and overseas Bluey Day/Crop-a-Cop head shaves. • The Australian Bicentennial Police Overland Camel Expedition (very different). • Delivering a presentation about Op Nomad at a national conference. • National CT exercises (planning and several as role player). • Participation in national and international firearms instructor development courses.
“Most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed training SAPOL members and making sure they had the best operational skills and equipment to keep them safe. “My fellow retirees were also correct that I would miss the troops, the Blue Family. Attempting to fill that void I have thrown myself into my new CFS Red Family. “I have met and worked with countless terrific men and women during my SAPOL years. I thank you all for watching my back, laughing with me (occasionally at me), keeping me sane and guiding me to consider which battles were actually worth fighting for. “To those who remain: never lose focus of why you joined and continue to serve. Always look after each other and, when your time comes to pull the pin, relish and hold close the memories and mementos of the great experiences and the wonderful people you worked with.”
Top left: On deployment in Queensland during the Brisbane floods in 2011; top right: on Operation Nomad bushfire patrol in the Adelaide Hills.
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30 years on DETECTIVE BREVET SERGEANT GARY BATTY (Southern District CIB)
He has seen it all in policing, everything from child abuse to murder, so almost nothing in life surprises him any longer.
I had wanted to join SAPOL from late high school. I didn’t go into it with preconceived ideas, but I expected it would be diverse and challenging, both physically and mentally. When I left the academy, I thought I knew what I was doing but found that doing the actual job was where the real learning began. And I don’t think I’m alone in that experience.
My experiences really have encompassed all the extremes of human emotion and behaviour. After 30 years, I’m not really surprised by much. I think, over time, police develop a tolerance to sights and situations that would horrify the average member of the public. I know I certainly have, but I think the individual should be aware of that and monitor it.
Of all the postings I’ve had since graduation in 1990, Surveillance is a standout. There was the element of excitement, and a busy day was a good day. Child and Family Investigation Section gave me the most rewarding outcomes of any criminal investigations I’ve been involved with. I think any police officer who’s investigated child abuse would feel the same.
Paperwork, for me, has been the biggest stressor over the years. The amount of it has steadily increased, as has the complexity of what we do as police. The biggest challenge is not the actual work but rather the deadlines we need to meet for other agencies. Getting files prepared for the DPP and trials can be particularly onerous and time-consuming.
I attended a murder in the early ’90s as a patrol officer. The victim had been ambushed and shot by his father-in-law. He received around 10 bullet wounds and was alive when I arrived at the scene. I asked him who had shot him and then rode with him in the ambulance and took a dying declaration. The offender was found guilty of murder.
I don’t know what sort of person I would’ve been had I done another job. I don’t think I’d be much different. I’ve always maintained that I wouldn’t become jaded or world-weary as a result of my police experiences. This job has shown me how quickly life can take a dramatic turn, and, because of that, you should enjoy it while you can.
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Police Journal
“This job has shown me how quickly life can take a dramatic turn, and, because of that, you should enjoy it while you can.”
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Talking to your kids about COVID-19 P
rotecting your children is always top of mind. But it’s hard to know the right way to talk to kids about coronavirus. Too little information and the problem appears minor. Too much and it can feel like nothing they do will make much difference. The key is providing the right amount of information with the right amount of optimism and addressing any fears children might have.
Start with what they know
• Ask them what they’ve heard, seen or read about coronavirus. Once you know how much information (or misinformation!) they have, add facts and discuss possibilities based on familiar experiences. • Take their questions as cues to guide the conversation. Ask open-ended questions and keep the message as positive as possible by focussing on what the world is doing to stop the spread and the improvements we’ve seen already. • Promote the silver linings – communities are coming together to protect the most vulnerable; strangers are looking out for each other; we’re adopting changes to keep the world turning. Link their questions to the actions that both authorities and communities are undertaking to maintain a sense of control and optimism. It’s important to be truthful. If you don’t know the answer, say so.
The key is providing the right amount of information with the right amount of optimism and addressing any fears children might have.
Help kids feel in control
Help your kids feel more in control. Along with practising good hygiene, let them know they can stay healthy by doing simple things like getting plenty of sleep and drinking lots of water.
Everything cancelled
Acknowledge it ’s okay to be disappointed over the cancellation of holidays, closures of theme parks and the early endings of sports seasons. While adults might consider these trivial matters, for kids it can feel like the most important part of their life has been impacted.
Safety at work
Your kids probably realize that many people are staying home from school and work. Focus on what measures you are taking to stay safe at work to alleviate their worry for your safety. Explain that you are more equipped than most people to handle emergencies. Also consider ways to decontaminate before you arrive home to your family, such as keeping a plastic box by your door for your work clothes and other items, and regularly cleaning your phone. Measures such as these will help your kids see how much effort is being made to contain the virus.
School attendance
Many parents are choosing to keep their children at home from school. For families where one or both parents are
police, there is little choice but to continue sending their kids to school. To some kids this might seem unfair: their friends are at home so why can’t they be too? Others might fear catching coronavirus at school, while some might be feeling out of place at school without their key friends. Listen and sympathize. Explain that your kids are helping others by going to school as it means their parents can keep helping the community combat coronavirus.
Connect with grandparents
Children who are used to regularly seeing their grandparents but no longer can will be missing them. Organizing a video call between your kids and their grandparents can make them feel reconnected and reassured.
Keep busy with activities
Studies suggest colouring in is a calming tool. And these mental-health benefits apply to adults too. Complete some colouring in while talking about the role our emergency services are playing and how your kids play a role too. Colouring books can help with many emotional and mental health issues. For many, boredom, lack of structure, and stress are the greatest triggers they have. The time and concentration colouring takes helps individuals remove the focus from the negative issues and habits. Above all else, the community is very grateful to all police and emergency-services workers for their efforts in the fight against COVID-19. Thank you.
For our complete guide for talking to your kids about COVID-19, further COVID19-related help guides including Mental Wellness Checks and downloadable emergency services colouring templates, visit health.policehealth.com.au/covid-19/.
June 2020
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