police – Page 6 – Michmutters

Tag: police

Categories
Australia

Assistant Commissioner tells of ‘significant’ cultural issues within Queensland police force impacting domestic violence response

A man wearing a police uniform.

There are “significant” cultural issues within the Queensland Police Service (QPS) affecting how officers respond to domestic violence, the state’s most senior officer in charge of domestic violence investigations has told an inquiry.

The commission of inquiry, which began on May 30, is examining the police response to domestic and family violence cases.

Headed by Judge Deborah Richards, it is also probing the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system and the way corrupt conduct and complaints against police are handled.

The inquiry heard today from Assistant Police Commissioner Brian Codd, the head of the state’s domestic violence and vulnerable persons command, who gave his take on the evidence heard in the public hearings so far.

Counsel assisting the commission Ruth O’Gorman said the issues raised included officers avoiding DV call-outs, showing “disinterest” when attending call-outs, conducting “insufficient investigations” and misidentification of the victims and perpetrators.

“There are significant issues of police culture at play here that need to be addressed,” Assistant Commissioner Codd told the inquiry.

“We may have some members, albeit I hope very few, who do have some deeply misogynistic attitudes”

“I do accept that there are significant areas of concern that have been raised… that certainly will require us to look… beyond just isolated incidents.”

‘Pockets of issues’ around police culture

Assistant Commissioner Codd said he accepted “the majority” of evidence given relating to police culture was “unchallenged”.

“There’s very clearly in my view … pockets of issues of poor performance … behaviors and attitudes across our organization — aspects of culture that are impacting on our performance of our duty in DV,” Assistant Commissioner Codd told the inquiry.

“I certainly accept that the evidence provided has highlighted a range of concerning aspects of culture.

“It’s far from, in my humble opinion, the majority.

“But that doesn’t matter to a point, because whilst there’s still victims and people who need our help … [there’s a need for] focus and improvement.

“I do accept that there are significant areas of concern … that certainly will require us to look beyond just isolated incidents. There’s been too many consistencies in too many places.”

A policeman knocks on a front door while his partner checks a clipboard
The inquiry heard inexperience, lack of training and officer burnout were contributing to poor police culture.(AAP: Dan Peled)

However, Assistant Commissioner Codd told the inquiry he did not believe cultural issues were “widespread” or “systemic” within the Queensland Police Service (QPS).

“I’d avoid the term ‘systemic’ because that suggests it’s absolutely through every part of our organization,” he said.

“I guess the observation I’d like to make though is the term about ‘widespread’ or ‘endemic’ that’s tied to it.

“I’m wary that almost every one of the witnesses, or certainly a number [of them,] …also made the point that it wasn’t their experience with every officer.”

He told the inquiry “a range of complex factors” were contributing to issues with police culture, including inexperience, lack of training and officer burnout.

Strangulation cases more than double in five years

Assistant Commissioner Codd also told the inquiry domestic violence strangulation had “progressively increased” from 1,060 reported occurrences in the 2016/2017 financial year to 2,145 in 2022/2023, according to QPS data.

He said domestic violence reports had also climbed from 89,458 in the 2016/2017 financial year to 138,551 in 2022/2023.

The inquiry heard breaches of domestic violence orders (DVOs) were another area of ​​concern, increasing from 25,771 in the 2016/2017 financial year to 46,601 in 2022/2023.

“There’s been a significant increase there but, by the same token, it is perhaps a measure of us being better at identifying them,” he told the inquiry.

.

Categories
US

Bleeding woman spotted screaming inside semi-truck on NJ highway

Bleeding woman spotted screaming inside semi-truck on NJ highway

A driver spotted a bloodied woman screaming for help inside the cab of a tractor-trailer on a Jersey highway Wednesday in a disturbing scene straight out of a horror movie.

Officers are now searching for the woman who the witness said was bleeding from her face inside a white semi-truck pulled over to the side of Route 130 near Dayton Toyota, South Brunswick Police said.

The passerby said the woman called out for help before the male truck driver pulled her back into the cab and drove away around 2 pm The truck turned off Route 130 at the Ridge Road exit.

The woman is believed to be white or Hispanic and in her 20s. According to the witness description, she has long brown hair and was wearing a brown flannel shirt.

The driver is a white older man who is bald and has a white beard. He was wearing a blue shirt at the time of the incident, police said.

Surveillance video released by police shows the truck briefly stopped along Route 130 before it drives off.

Anyone with information regarding the truck, woman or driver was asked to call South Brunswick Police at 732-329-4646.

.

Categories
Australia

NCA bomber Domenic Perre loses appeal against conviction for spitting on police officer

Domenic Perre in handcuffs in custody.

Domenic Perre — the man found guilty over a deadly parcel bomb attack on the National Crime Authority in Adelaide nearly three decades ago — has lost a bid to overturn a guilty verdict for spitting at a police officer in prison.

In March, a magistrate found Perre, 65, guilty of aggravated assault for spitting at Detective Brevet Sergeant Simon Cassell when he came to interview him at the Adelaide Remand Center in 2018.

Brevet Sergeant Cassell and his colleague, Detective Sergeant Andrew Bull, had gone to the remand center to investigate an alleged assault on Perre by another prisoner.

The detectives had been told Perre did not want to speak to the police, but went to his cell to ask him about the assault.

After Brevet Sergeant Cassell identified himself as a police officer, Perre turned his head and spat towards him, with the spit landing on his jacket lapel.

Perre was convicted, but received no extra jail time.

He lodged an appeal against the guilty verdict, which Chief Justice Chris Kourakis dismissed this morning.

The NCA headquarters in Adelaide following the blast.
The aftermath of the bombing of the NCA building in Adelaide in 1994.(Courts Administration Authority)

Perre watched the hearing through a video link from custody.

After the brief hearing was adjourned his lawyer explained what happened.

“His Honor has dismissed the appeal,” the lawyer said.

“Of course, yeah,” Perre replied.

“The system’s a total a***hole,” Perre said moments before his video link was disconnected.

Perre is also seeking permission to appeal against his murder and attempted murder convictions.

He was found guilty in June over the bombing that killed Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen and seriously injured lawyer Peter Wallis in 1994.

.

Categories
Australia

Adelaide police officer allegedly stabbed with screwdriver by man who also attacked dog

A police officer pats a dog in the back of a police wagon

An Adelaide police officer has been stabbed in the hand while making an arrest in the city’s west, according to SA Police.

Patrols were called to Arnold Close in Findon just before 2am today, after reports of two men acting suspiciously, trying door handles on cars and a home.

One man sped off on a mini dirt bike but was later seen by a police dog and his handler nearby.

When the suspect was confronted, he produced a screwdriver and allegedly attacked the officer, stabbing him in the hand and trying to also stab the dog.

Back-up was called and the man was arrested.

A man in the back of an ambulance with police officers around
The accused man is taken by ambulance to hospital with dog bite wounds.(abcnews)

Senior Constable Rebecca Stokes said the officer was treated by paramedics at the scene.

“We’re still waiting to hear an update on how serious the injury to his hand is,” she said.

The dog’s stab-resistant harness prevented it from being injured.

A 27-year-old Findon man was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital to be treated for dog bite wounds and is expected to be charged later this morning.

.

Categories
Australia

Sydney news: Kean, Elliot, Ward, Henskens fri for Liberal deputy leadership after Stuart Ayres’s resignation

A man wearing a suit

Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Replacing Stuart Ayres

Jostling is underway for the deputy leadership of the New South Wales Liberal Party after the resignation of Stuart Ayres from cabinet yesterday.

The main contenders so far are: Treasurer Matt Kean, Transport Minister David Elliott, Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward and the Science, Innovation and Technology and Skills and Training Minister Alister Henskens.

Mr Ayres resigned from his portfolios and leadership position in the Liberal Party after an inquiry “raised concerns” about his conduct in the appointment of John Barilaro to a lucrative US trade role.

The deputy leadership will be determined at a party room meeting next Tuesday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced three New South Wales ministers will have their portfolios expanded to take over Mr Ayres’s ministerial responsibilities.

Mr Henskens will also add Enterprise, Investment and Trade and Sport to his list of portfolios.

Ben Franklin — who already is Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Regional Youth — will add Minister for Tourism to his portfolio.

David Elliott — who is Minister for Transport and Minister for Veterans Affairs — will add Minister for Western Sydney to his portfolio.

Aboriginal inmates on rise

New data reveals Aboriginal people remain over-represented in NSW jails.

Bureau of Crime Statistics figures show the overall number of prisoners dropped since the start of the COVID pandemic, with around 1,000 fewer inmates than three years ago.

However the number of Aboriginal men in jail has risen by more than 100 and they are now 28 per cent of the jail population.

Aboriginal women make up 40 per cent of the state’s jail population.

Police release images in murder probe

A woman in a white car
Police have released images of a man and woman who may have seen something that can help their investigation. (Supplied: NSW Police)

Detectives have released images of two people they believe could help with their investigations into the murder of Western Sydney man Shady Kanj.

Shortly after 11pm on Friday, August 6, Mr Kanj was treated for gun shot wounds by paramedics on Rhodes Avenue, Guildford.

Despite their efforts, Mr Kanj died at the scene.

Strike force detectives have released CCTV of a man and woman in a white Audi Q5 captured at a fast-food restaurant on the corner of Vaughan Street and Olympic Drive at Lidcombe prior to the murder.

They do not believe the man and woman were involved in the murder, however, they may have information that could assist with inquiries.

Homicide squad commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty urged the man and woman, or those with knowledge of their identities, to come forward.

Premier criticized over Leichhardt snub

Paul Gallen runs out at Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval is set to miss out on redevelopment funding.(AAP Images: Craig Golding)

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has been criticized for committing more than $300 million to rebuilding Penrith Stadium while ignoring Leichhardt Oval.

NRL boss Peter V’landys said the government had reneged on a promise to upgrade a number of suburban grounds.

Inner-West Deputy Mayor Jessica D’Arienzo said that it was despite more games and more sports being played at Leichhardt.

“It means that, again, Leichhardt misses out,” Ms D’Arienzo said.

“We should make it clear that it’s not just the Tigers that play there. Actually, you’ve got soccer, the rugby league and rugby union. We’ve got around 50 to 60 games a year being played on Leichhardt oval.”

Call for flood report’s release

a man looking
NSW Labor’s Jihad Dib wants the findings released.(abcnews)

The New South Wales government has been criticized by the opposition for failing to release the findings of an inquiry into the floods earlier this year.

Severe weather and flooding devastated the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury Nepean regions in February and March.

Premier Dominic Perrottet was due to release the final report from the inquiry on July 31.

Opposition emergency services and climate and environment spokesperson Jihad Dib said Mr Perrottet must put aside political issues within his party and release the report immediately.

“Local communities that are devastated by the floods are not interested in the government’s internal rumblings,” he said.

“What they’re interested in is a report that identifies what went wrong and a pathway forward into the future.

“He needs to release the report now rather than when its politically expedient to do so.”

Empty CBD offices

The number of empty offices in Sydney’s CBD has risen, which the property council says is due to an increase in supply.

Office vacancies in the CBD have risen from 9.3 per cent to 10.1 per cent, according to the Property Council of Australia’s latest Office Market Report.

The council says that, while vacancies have risen, the figures are actually positive, given the pressures of COVID-19, working from home and industrial action.

Property Council executive director Luke Achterstraat said there was still strong commercial property confidence in Sydney.

Thredbo cancels lift operations

A landscape photo of the ski slopes at Thredbo in 2019
Damaging winds averaging 80 to 90 kilometers per hour are forecast. (ABC South East NSW: Adriane Reardon)

Thredbo resort has made the decision not to operate any ski lifts on Thursday due to an extreme weather forecast.

A complex low pressure system, along with an associated through and cold front, are causing vigorous winds across south-east New South Wales, as well as the potential for heavy rainfall from Thursday morning.

Damaging winds averaging 80-90 kilometers per hour are forecast for Alpine areas above 1,900 meters.

Five teenagers charged after stabbing

Police have charged five teenagers after a stabbing at Bankstown in South-West Sydney.

About 3:15pm yesterday, emergency services were called to Chapel Road, where they found a 15-year-old boy with stab wounds, who they took to hospital.

Two other 15-year-old boys were also injured.

Five teenagers aged between 15 and 16 years were arrested.

The five were taken to Bankstown Police Station, where all were charged with reckless wounding in company, and affray.

They were refused bail and are due to appear before a Children’s Court on Thursday.

.

Categories
Australia

Halls Creek Shire president Malcolm Edwards worried for family members reported overdue traveling back from Alice Springs

A composite image showing three people's faces side by side - a man, a woman and an older woman

A Kimberley man whose family have disappeared while on a trip to Alice Springs says it’s completely out of character for them not to answer phone calls and texts.

Bonnie Edwards, 70, and her son and daughter Eldride Edwards, 41, and Virginia O’Neil, 49, were expected to arrive back in their hometown of Halls Creek on either late Sunday or Monday, but have so far not returned and were reported overdue yesterday.

According to a statement issued by Northern Territory Police this afternoon, they were last seen on Sunday.

Malcolm Edwards, who is Bonnie’s husband and Eldride and Virginia’s father, told the ABC on Wednesday afternoon that the trio had traveled to Alice Springs to attend a meeting involving Indigenous people in an outlying community.

The Halls Creek Shire president said the last time he had spoken to his wife had been on Saturday morning after the meeting had wrapped up, but she had not said where they planned to stay that night.

“My wife said they’re back in Alice Springs and they’ll tell me all about it [the trip] when we come home,” he said.

Malcolm Edwards sitting in front of the shire offices.
Malcolm Edwards hasn’t heard from the trio since the weekend, despite numerous calls and texts. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)

He said Virginia had spoken to her son briefly on Sunday morning, and that was the last known contact with the three missing people.

“My daughter said they’d met this really nice guy and they were going to stay at his place. We don’t know who that is. No idea who that person was,” he said.

Police say the trio have not made contact with anyone and there have been no signs of financial activity from them since Sunday.

Cr Edwards said he had raised the alarm on Tuesday after repeated calls and texts to his wife, son and daughter went unanswered.

“They normally ring and tell us. This is out of character,” he said.

“They’d normally ring up and say, ‘we’re leaving Alice Springs now we’ve decided to go via Katherine’, they would tell us.”

Aerial image of outback town's main street
The group were expected to return to Halls Creek several days ago.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

Now he is worried someone else is using his daughter’s phone.

“The police picked up a ping that the phone was turned on at 2am on Monday morning and the ping was located somewhere near a caravan park in Alice Springs,” he said.

“We’re starting to think it was not Virginia who turned the phone on because if it was her she would have seen all those messages.

“As far as we know none of the bank accounts have been used, but there have been a few bank accounts that we haven’t got access to, but the police will check all those out.”

The missing trio were supposed to be traveling from Alice Springs to Halls Creek on the Tanami Road, but Cr Edwards said police had checked CCTV at roadhouses along the way and found no evidence they had embarked on their journey home.

As the Halls Creek community awaits news from police, Cr Edwards said his wife’s relatives in Alice Springs were helping to raise awareness in the community.

A dark red ute parked in a driveway.
The group is traveling in this red Toyota Hilux.(Supplied: Northern Territory Police)

“We feel like we can’t do much,” he said.

“Some people who are related to us in Alice Springs are driving around town, [asking] ‘have you seen this car, have you seen these people?'”

Along with Cr Edwards, Bonnie and Virginia are also councilors with the Shire of Halls Creek.

The group is traveling in a red Toyota Hilux with the WA registration plate, PH27156.

Police are calling for anyone who knows where the trio may be or have seen their vehicle to contact police.

.

Categories
Australia

Three people reported overdue traveling back from Alice Springs, NT Police say

A composite image showing three people's faces side by side - a man, a woman and an older woman

Northern Territory Police is seeking help to locate three people returning from a trip to Central Australia, who haven’t been seen for several days.

Bonnie Edwards, 70, Eldride Edwards, 41, and Virginia O’Neill, 49, were last seen on Sunday, when they attended a weekend function in Alice Springs, according to a statement issued by Northern Territory Police this afternoon.

Family members in Western Australia reported the trio overdue for their return on Tuesday.

The group is traveling in a red Toyota Hilux with the WA registration plate, PH27156.

Police believe the group may be traveling to Western Australia.

However, NT Police would not say specifically where the trio was traveling to or when they were expected to arrive.

A dark red ute parked in a driveway.
The group is traveling in this red Toyota Hilux.(Supplied: Northern Territory Police)

According to the statement, the trio have not made contact with anyone and there have been no signs of financial activity since Sunday.

Anyone with information on where the trio may be or have seen their vehicle is being asked to contact police.

.

Categories
Australia

Murder charge dropped for Kim Kellett, accused of fatal shooting near Katherine’s Cutta Cutta Caves, court hears

a police at an outback nature park

The man accused of murdering an alleged home intruder near Katherine earlier this year, will likely plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, a court has heard.

Kim Kellett has been in prison sincely alleged shooting a 26-year-old man on his property at the Cutta Cutta Caves National Park in March.

The 38-year-old appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday via video link from the local correctional centre, dressed in a red prison-issued T-shirt which usually indicates the inmate is held under maximum security conditions.

Senior Crown Prosecutor, Marty Aust, told the court the original murder charge would be withdrawn and replaced with the lesser charge of manslaughter.

“The Crown will be relying on a reckless manslaughter charge,” he said.

“The facts that make out that charge have been reduced to writing and there is agreement between the parties as to the facts in full, for plea in the Supreme Court.”

A set of agreed facts was given to the judge, but not read in open court.

The exterior of the Darwin Local Court.
The court heard the man is likely to plead guilty. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)

Mr Kellett’s lawyer, Peter Maley, told the court his client would likely plead guilty when the matter reached the Supreme Court next month.

“It will be ultimately a plea of ​​guilty to an amended count two, for recklessly causing the death,” he said.

Despite indicating a guilty plea, the charge Mr Kellett faces is too serious to be dealt with by the Local Court.

“I am satisfied the evidence is sufficient to put the defendant on his trial in respect of count two [manslaughter],” Judge John Neill said.

“I direct he be tried at the Supreme Court in Darwin.”

Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Mr Kellett’s case will be mentioned in the Northern Territory Supreme Court on September 1.

.

Categories
Australia

WA unions warn of more industrial action as they reject McGowan government’s latest wage offer

WA unions warn of more industrial action as they reject McGowan government's latest wage offer

The standoff between public sector unions and the McGowan Labor government is set to escalate after unions decided to continue their campaign for better pay in a rejection of the government’s latest wage offer.

They described the latest offer as inadequate and said it did not offset inflation, declaring they would go ahead with a mass rally outside state parliament on August 17.

Unions WA Secretary Owen Whittle warned the government it had “entrenched industrial strife through the rest of their term of government.”

A joint meeting of public sector unions representing police, firefighters, prison officers, teachers, child protection, health and other public sector workers decided to press on for a “fair pay” deal for the public sector workforce.

A generic photograph of an unidentified WA Police officer wearing a high visibility police vest over a blue uniform.
Police are among the workers represented by the unions fighting for a better deal.(ABC News: Kenith Png)

Mr Whittle said the government’s revised offer was an acknowledgment the workers deserved a pay rise but it was not good enough, as interest rates and cost of living soared.

Unions want at least 5 per cent a year

The McGowan government has offered a three per cent increase in salaries this year and next, plus a $2,500 one-off payment. The unions wanted the government to come to the table with an offer of at least five per cent a year.

“The three per cent is a low wage offer in the current economic environment, it doesn’t recognize the hard work of the public sector through the pandemic and doesn’t recognize the extremely high cost of living pressures that workers are currently facing,” Mr Whittle said.

Unions WA secretary Owen Whittle speaks to journalists.
Owen Whittle says the offer does not offset the skyrocketing cost of living. (ABC News: Tabarak Al Jrood)

“The new policy does not adequately offset inflation over the two years it covers.

“Further, it comes off the back of pay going backwards in real terms for most over the past five years.”

The government upped its pay offer to public sector employees on Sunday following the ongoing campaign by unions and in acknowledgment of rising cost of living pressures.

Premier Mark McGowan said the $2,500 payment was to reflect current pressures, which he expected to ease over the next year.

WA Premier Mark McGowan speaks at a media conference wearing a suit and tie.
Mark McGowan says the payment would help workers cope with the “temporary” spike in inflation.(ABC News: Keane Bourke)

Perth currently tops all capital cities with a whopping 7.4 per cent inflation rate.

Unions also said the one-off bonus was just that, a one-off, and would be gone in a year. What was needed instead, the union argued, was a further percentage increase to base salaries.

Mr Whittle today granted the revised offer may be approved by some groups of union members “as the one-off payment does deliver benefits to low wage public sector workers”.

But for others, he said, real wage cuts will continue in the second year of the agreement.

“There is a serious problem in the second year when the one-off payment that is not on the base wage is long gone and the three per cent rise fails to keep pace with inflation.”

.

Categories
Sports

Woman charged with assault, five women’s soccer players banned over post-match fight outside stadium

generic photo of soccer balls

Five players in the Northern Territory’s top women’s soccer competition have been suspended – and one charged with assault – over a post-match fight that’s been called “unacceptable” and “in contrast to the values ​​inherent in our game” by the sport’s governing body.

NT Police has confirmed an 18-year-old player has been charged with assault in relation to the “physical altercation” involving several players on June 26, which broke out in the car park of the Darwin Football Stadium in Marrara after a game.

“A verbal dispute between two players escalated into a physical altercation when a third party intervened,” Acting Sergeant Carol Maxwell said in a statement.

“The altercation was an escalation from the match.”

There were no serious injuries.

Yesterday, Football Northern Territory announced that it had sanctioned two clubs – the Hellenic Athletic Club and Port Darwin Football Club – in relation to the same incident.

In a statement, it said five players across both clubs had been banned from participating in any of the association’s activities for various periods of time.

A match is seen being played at TIO Stadium during sunset.
The Darwin Football Stadium in Marrara is the biggest outdoor stadium in the Northern Territory. (Supplied: Celina Whan / AFLNT)

Those players – which include three from Hellenic and two from Port Darwin – face suspensions ranging from 12 weeks (with four weeks suspended) to three years.

Hellenic has also been stripped of nine points in the 2022 Women’s Premier League competition, and will remain subject to a good behavior bond that will, if breached, see the club lose three points for each offence.

Football Northern Territory chief executive, Bruce Stalder, said everyone involved in the game should be able to participate in a safe environment.

“This behavior will never be tolerated, it is unacceptable, unnecessary and in stark contrast to the values ​​inherent in our game,” he said.

Mr Stalder said as part of the sanctions, the suspended players would be enrolled in a community program designed to improve personal accountability and behavioral flexibility.

The woman charged with assault is due to face court on September 19.

The police investigation into the incident is ongoing.

.