Don’t knock Blue Light
Dear Editor
Blue Light. The very words are enough to make many in the job shudder,
and say: “Not for me - the thought of dealing with kids, and it’s
all a waste of time anyway.”
But I want to try to raise awareness of the Blue Light initiative
and the positive benefits that flow from it. I have been fortunate
enough this past weekend (September 10 - 12) to accompany a group
of Year 7s from Gilles Plains primary school on a Blue Light camp,
which is the culmination of a five-week youth education project at
the school.
Many in the job, on hearing the words Blue Light camp, will do a
disappearing act that David Copperfield would be proud of. And why?
Because of the negative connotations associated with it perhaps? Or
the perception that it is just a warm-and-fuzzy, feel-good, waste-of-time
venture maybe?
Having now done two of these camps, I still can’t find any negatives.
Any other perceptions must stem from not understanding or knowing
what is going on, so I would like to dispel some of the myths, legends
and misunderstandings surrounding Blue Light camps.
On the Friday of leaving, the youths are divided into groups, and
each is assigned a police officer to be team leader. As you can imagine,
a lot of these youths are not happy about being in certain groups,
as their cliques may have been broken up.
After visiting Thebarton barracks and Fort Largs, you make your way
to Echunga Training Reserve.
The focus of the entire camp is on being positive and working as
a team. Saturday brings caving, abseiling (thanks to Tea Tree Gully
SES) and a quiz night; Sunday brings orienteering. These are but a
few of the activities involved.
By Sunday afternoon, the transformation from youths wanting to stick
in their own groups, to being persons who work in and support a team
is heartening to see.
Now, I am not so naive as to believe that a five-week youth education
programme and a 2.5-day camp is going to turn these youths into model
citizens. But I have to ask, how would you prefer to be dealing with
the youths, anyway - arrest, interview, juvenile justice system? Or
would you prefer to attempt some preventative policing and have a
good time doing it?
In the event that you do have dealings with these youths in the
future, either as a victim or offender, you at least have some kind
of a rapport that you have built with them - it should make any dealings
easier.
To those not interested or who still believe it’s a waste of time,
don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, and don’t try to discourage
others from doing it. You are doing them - and yourselves - a big
disservice.
I am happy to be at the age I am here - old enough to laugh away
the torrent of criticism and abuse I fully expect to follow this,
but young enough to believe that, yes, in some way you can make a
difference.
Dale Knoote-Parke
Constable, 5853/5
Holden Hill Patrols
Thanks for PASA support
Dear Andy and staff
Please accept my deepest apologies for not writing sooner. I think
being sick gave me CRAFT disease.
Now please accept my sincere thanks for the wonderful support you
and the Police Association gave to my family, and the support the
association gave me during the time that I was in hospital. Also the
support you and staff members gave me after my discharge from hospital.
The visits from you, Mark Carroll and big Tom Scheffler made my
day.
I can’t speak highly enough of the way you and the association looked
after my family during my stay in hospital. To all who helped both
my family and myself, please accept my heart (new valves - all four
of them) felt thanks.
Thank you and all at the association for your help and assistance
during this time.
Yours truly
Gil Green
Chairman
ATSI Branch
Not dead
Dear Andy
It is good to see that rumours are still part of the police culture.
In July ‘04, I returned home from three months overseas to hear that
I was dead. I had apparently killed myself, so the word went.
Of course, I was interested to learn about my fate when I made an
interstate call to friends on arriving home. They had heard the word
from another police source originating in Adelaide.
Anyway, this obviously caused some anxiety amongst the friends, who
feared the worst when they couldn’t get in touch. Those fears were
allayed on my calling them. Interesting how things get started, isn’t
it?
My reason for contacting the Police Journal is to set the
record straight. I am alive and kicking. The three months in Singapore,
Turkey, Greece, England, Scotland, Ireland and the USA were very tiring,
but didn’t kill me.
I would be glad to hear from anyone who wants first-hand proof.
I haven’t changed address or phone - I’m just away from them more
often now that I am retired.
Ian (Moose) Gully
Senior Sergeant (ret)
