Crime falls but police need trust
Crime is down amid coronavirus, but many Tassie police are hurting, says Colin Riley
A POLICE Association of Tasmania member went to a store recently, wearing his police uniform to buy an essential item.
As he stood on his “distancing marker” in the queue, he felt the gaze of many distant eyes and felt a different kind of isolation.
He said he can remember when locals felt comfortable with police. But what he felt was different. They were nervous, perhaps suspicious that he was there to check on their COVID-19 compliance.
No-one spoke to him, which was unusual, and he felt cold and isolated. Then, as he left the store, he was stopped by an older woman who said: “I just wanted to say thank you for everything you do, it must be hard.”
She was referring to the tragic deaths of the four Victoria Police officers, but the statement was timely. Our member said he avoided getting teary, but it was close.
Please don’t forget we are here to protect you. The world has changed, but that overarching principle of policing has not, at least not in Tasmania.
The founder of the London Metropolitan Police in the 1880s, Sir Robert Peel, believed the key to policing was, “police are the public and the public are the police”.
We exist to maintain public order, but our ability to function is based on public approval. This is achieved generally by securing willing co-operation, by maintaining the respect of the public and by demonstrating absolute impartial service to the law.
In these difficult times, we acknowledge the excellent work of all of our fellow emergency service workers.
We recognise the need for Premier Peter Gutwein’s tough but compassionate stance to combat COVID-19.
However, we also see the constant messaging about Tasmania Police actions may create a perception the separation of powers is being eroded. This can cause mistrust of the police.
It is important for people to understand we are still here looking after your safety, not eroding your liberties on behalf of the state.
The death of the four officers in Victoria, all fellow Police Federation of Australia members, has rocked the world of policing nationwide.
It is difficult to try to explain the nature of this tragedy, but it is a grim reminder of the dangerous nature of policing.
Four police officers went to work, did a simple vehicle stop, done hundreds of times a day in Tasmania, but they did not go home to their families. This could have been any one of us, and our families realise this.
Tasmania Police officers continue to do their normal jobs with extra COVID-19 tasks inserted over the top.
Our members will continue to protect the public, themselves and offenders from their own dangerous actions.
The nature of police is to always look for positives — it is a survival mechanism. In the COVID-19 situation, crime is reducing. Compare the past four weeks to the same four weeks in 2019 statewide:
TOTAL OFFENCES: 20 per cent decrease.
SERIOUS CRIME: 27 per cent decrease. PUBLIC PLACE ASSAULTS
and associated alcohol-fuelled violence: 58 per cent decrease.
HOME BURGLARIES: 31 per cent decrease. NO HOSPITAL RAMPING, which often ties up Tasmania Police capacity.
I recognise the positive, collaborative approach between Tasmania Police senior management and the Police Association in resolving issues of working conditions affecting our members in this environment.
Please try to find a positive note in what you are doing. It does make a difference for us when we have to deal with dangerous situations or the risk of such, on a regular basis.
These COVID-19 times will pass, and Tasmania Police officers just look forward to a return to the days when we can stand in the queue in uniform and once again have friendly banter with the locals.