‘COUGH ATTACKS’ ARE MORE THAN JUST A SICK JOKE
On the front lines of our response to COVID-19, police are facing a new danger as criminals threaten to ‘infect’ them with the coronavirus
I’M trying to search for the silver linings in this black storm that is the coronavirus crisis, but instead I’m struck by the debt we owe our thin blue line.
While we rightly praise our frontline health workers, our incredible teachers (who can focus on just one huge job this week rather than juggling multiple demands), let’s not forget our police force.
A casual conversation with a couple of copper mates this week reminded me of (yet another) ripple effect from this health crisis. And by “ripple”, I mean a tsunami of social and criminal consequences.
This friend disclosed that coughs are now being unleashed as the latest “weapon” against police on the Gold Coast.
“Down in Southport they just cough on you. And all we can do is issue a public nuisance fine, it should be an assault,” the friend said.
“I have to assume they don’t have COVID-19, but for all they know, they actually could. And then I go home to my own children, I’m scared to touch them because I don’t know what I’m bringing into our own house.”
Disgustingly and disgracefully, this police worker is not alone.
The Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales has warned that anyone who coughs on key workers as a threat amid the coronavirus crisis will face serious criminal charges.
Max Hill, QC, issued the directive after reports of essential workers being coughed at by people claiming they have the virus. Two men in England have already been convicted – one of them jailed.
We need to adopt the same stance here, because it’s not a sick joke – it’s a sick attack.
Already our police are literally being sent to knock at the face of the virus, checking that those in quarantine are in fact in quarantine and enforcing social distancing measures in public.
NSW seems to be a step ahead of Queensland in doling out proper consequences, with the NSW Police Minister David Elliott announcing individuals will be given fines of $1000 and corporations fines of $5000 for breaches.
The new penalties also extend to people found to be not following self-isolation rules, with police saying people could also be jailed for up to six months under existing enforcement powers.
As for the cough attacks, Mr Elliott has warned that, in at least one instance of a man deliberately coughing on a supermarket worker, a charge of common assault could be laid, with a penalty of jail for up to two years.
These are the short-term dangers to police during this pandemic, but there are greater ramifications to come.
“All the shops might be shutting down, but the drug dealers are not. My worry is that the extra stimulus cash is going to go straight into the dealers’ pockets,” says my personal police informant.
“Even if the government issued the money into vouchers, they would still sell the goods to get the drugs. The end result is that our emergency departments and mental health wards are going to be overrun by overdoses and psychotic breaks.”
But the news isn’t all bad.
In Britain, crime rates have dropped by as much as 20 per cent. After all, with shops shut and people at home, criminal opportunities have all but disappeared. With pubs and clubs going dark, alcoholfuelled violence has also dropped off. However, the UK National Police Chiefs Council on Crime lead Andy Cooke warns crime may start to increase as the lockdown and restrictions continue.
“What you will see are increases in domestic violence, with people cooped up in the same home, and internet crime such as fraud and scams,” he said.
I don’t want to be looking at the dark side, but if we’ve learnt anything over the past few weeks it’s the importance of preparation.
We need to equip our police with the powers they need to ensure our safety – and theirs – during this testing time.
This is not the time to worry about a “police state”. We live in a healthy democracy, we live in a sane and safe country, we need to trust our boys and girls in blue to do their job – which now includes more responsibilities than ever.
And we need to thank them for stepping up while we stay inside.
Stimulus cash is going to go into the dealers’ pockets.