September 1998 Volume 79  Number 9 "serving the protectors"
the Readout

Concerned Over Hunter

Dear Editor,

I have just commenced night shift, having read the article by Brett Williams and also the article appearing in the Sunday Mail concerning Tanya Hunter. I feel the need to drop a line, expressing my concern regarding the horrific attack on Tanya.

Firstly, having worked in the same situation as a cell guard on many occasions it once again reminds us all of just what can happen, and how careful we all should be when handling prisoners.

Having been a patrol officer for some 20 odd years, I always thought that if I were to be injured on duty (touch wood) the department would look after me. I am sure Tanya felt the same prior to this incident.

However, having read the article, I am now not so sure. Reading the article leaves me with many questions that need to be answered in relation to how Tanya was assisted after the incident leading up to her resignation. I understand that there are two sides to every story, as we soon learn in this job, but this story is very disconcerting.

I wish Tanya all the best for the future.

P.J. Wilson

Senior Constable
Gawler

Assaulted By System

Dear Peter,

I enclose a copy of a letter which I distributed to the Advertiser, Sunday Mail and The Australian newspapers. I took this cause upon myself due to the obvious injustice that has occurred to Tanya. I wish there was more I could do. I’m a registered nurse and I can empathise with your ongoing frustration with the current industrial relations laws. Peter Reith has a lot to answer for! Nurses face similar onslaughts to their working conditions. However, unfortunately I believe the majority of nurses don’t feel they have a union that supports and protects them in the way the Police Association looks after its own. The ANF could learn a lot from your organization in my opinion. I wish you every success in your venture to achieve appropriate working conditions for your members. My husband is a police officer and although he is new to this profession, he has already been exposed to the serious lack of resources available, ie. KDTs, bullet proof vests, patrol cars, antiquated computer systems etc.

My hope is that this letter in some small way may be of benefit in educating the public and raising awareness to the problems facing public servants today.

Yours Sincerely
Val Holliday

And Val’s Letter to the Newspapers...

Dear Editor,

How are politicians more ‘worthy’ than the rest of us in society?

What about the dedicated police officers like Tanya Hunter (19th July Sunday Mail) who, in the line of duty, was brutally assaulted by an escapee, scarred and further assaulted by the ‘system’ leading to her resignation? Does Tanya, who lost so much, deserve less gratitude, recognition and financial remuneration from the public than that which politicians expect for themselves? Police officers, nurses, and firemen/women all risk ‘THEIR LIVES’ to protect ‘US’, our health, property and provide safety and order in our society. Nurses risk exposure to incurable infectious diseases, violence and death to treat the sick and dying. Soldiers place their lives and limbs down for the safety and security of our nation; many return traumatized and disabled. Teachers guard our nation’s future by virtue of our children. Are they less worthy? The list goes on and on. I’m tired of politicians crying: “We have no money due to the ‘budget deficit’”. We can miraculously afford the luxury of continuously paying a politician approximately $40,000+pa. for the rest of their lives (even when they continue to work) after only eight years of service, by way of ‘thank you’. We won’t even talk about the obscene amount of superannuation each politician gets to accompany this pension. I wouldn’t even attempt to calculate the amount of savings we could achieve by abolishing these extravagant practices retrospectively, millions no doubt! I’m certain that the police, nurses and other public servants could argue that money could go along way to boosting our collapsing health system or ever-shrinking police department etc. We currently have bed shortages in our hospitals, understaffing, funding crisis, we have fewer police officers today than we had 1993, merging of police stations creating much longer ‘response times’ to our calls. Do you feel safe? The working conditions of every public servant lower than the politicians are continuously being eroded, traded off and lost completely. Why are their sacrifices deemed less worthy and compensation to them less important than the politician’s?

Politicians are already paid large salaries (with regular increases despite our pays being frozen for years at a time). Furthermore there’s the overseas/interstate trips, the cars, drivers, expense accounts, privilege of being able to voice their opinions and of representing those who elected them. One could argue that, from time to time, they receive ‘threats’; ask a police officer, nurse, doctor or soldier how often they receive threats, what about someone who works in the Child Support Agency? Just how many politicians have been beaten to a pulp or gunned down over the past 40 years in Australia? So, why did Tanya Hunter leave with compensation virtually enough to cover her legal expenses? Will anyone ask how she is in five years? What more did she have to give to entitle her to what politicians get?

If she’s not entitled, neither are they in my opinion! I’m tired of the argument which states that: ‘in order to get the right caliber of person for the government one must provide a juicy inticement’, that argument applies to ‘any public servant’ position! To you, Tanya Hunter, I say ‘thank you for your dedication and sacrifice. I’m truly sorry for not only the vicious assault you endured but also for the assault by the system and the politicians that let you down.’

Val Holliday
Happy Valley

Appreciation

Dear Peter,

On 2 August, 1998, the SA Police Transit Division lost one of its favourite sons, Kym Schulz, who passed away at home suddenly.

The telephone calls and messages of support from numerous members of SAPOL to Melinda Schulz and Transit Division in our time of grief were greatly appreciated.

Commencing from the attendance of Inspector Flaherty (SDO), Senior Constable Parsons and members of Sturt Division, through to the Coroners Office, Dawn Lunn, Trevor Haskell, David Marr of Welfare and the Police Association, the assistance provided was fantastic and certainly a morale booster. Further assistance provided to the undersigned by the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner Litster was well appreciated.

It is comforting to know that in times of crisis the brotherhood of police, no matter what rank or position a member holds, still exists.

To the numerous past members of the division and other members who attended the funeral service, please also accept our thanks for the support given.

Oleh Cybulka
Inspector
Acting Officer-in-Charge Transit Division

Satisfied with Fund

To The Editor,

During the last 12 months I have read many letters to the editor complaining, criticising, sledging and questioning the Police Health Fund.

In their defence I would like to pass on my experience with the Police Health Fund. I am a member with full benefits (Platinum cover). With the exception of the occasional physiotherapist visit, I never had reason to use the Health Fund. But recently I needed major dental work requiring two teeth being capped immediately, plus three visits for preparatory work. I also require another two teeth to be capped in the future.

On ringing the Police Health Fund direct, the receptionist advised me that by having two crowns done now, the Fund would reimburse me 80 per cent of the account for major dental work. This did not include minor dental work. She told me that, by waiting until 1 July, 1999, my benefits would commence again and I would be entitled to another 80 per cent reimbursement on the other two crowns needed then.

My first account for the preparatory work was for $500 - of which the Police Health Fund paid approximately $360. The account for the two crowns was $1400 - of which the Police Health Fund has paid $1000.

I will admit that I have not shopped around for any cheaper Health Funds. However, the prompt payment of accounts, excellent advice given to me and the amount that our fund reimburses, means that I am very happy remaining a member.

Patrick Humphrys
Kimba Police Station

Cover Stories

The Editor

It is not often I put pen to paper in the journal. I guess the reasons for that lie in the repercussions that usually result after criticizing SAPOL and its management ie. a stifling of career opportunities, ostracism of members by the commissioned ranks and a blocking of movement within the transfer area. But after having read recent journal articles, I felt compelled to go to print again.

I congratulate the Association on its journal cover stories over the last five months. It is an unfortunate fact of modern-day policing that these types of incidents continue to occur. Let’s take a close look at what has transpired recently in the pages of our real truthful and member-orientated publication.

April: Condemned by a Phone Call... the story of Allan Vilcins and the manner in which he was dealt with by the PCA. How appropriate that the PCA is being reviewed. After reading of Allan’s ordeal it is little wonder police officers have little or no respect for the system of investigation into SAPOL employees. We the thin blue line now find ourselves eroded from within.

May: Criminalizing a Cop... another article that provided evidence of members such as Jackie McDonald being wrongly persecuted by an investigation system that does not seem to recognize the extreme problems faced by members at the coalface. Her courage in maintaining personal strength and dignity in this article is a credit to her. Again, the pressure from within is greater than from outside.

June: Survived by a Woman of Courage... I had tears in my eyes as I read this article. Having known Dave Barr and seeing the struggle his wife has faced brought home the very little support that police partners get from SAPOL management. I remember the many times while stationed at small country stations the little support my own wife received from SAPOL management. To Gwenda Barr, if you happen to read this, keep your chin up as we still think of David and hope that you recover fully. And on this topic, has SAPOL considered assisting in protecting its valued commodity, its employees, by supplying them with personal body armour to ensure this type of tragic incident is not repeated? The simple answer is no.

July: A Career Lost... I was embarrassed to call myself a member of SAPOL after having read that article. Tanya Hunter went within a breath of giving the ultimate sacrifice for this career and what support did she get. A supervisor who didn’t even understand she was ENTITLED to have treatment and use a departmental fleet in work time for that treatment, and a lack of sympathy or even empathy by management by not allowing her time off, even without pay. What Tanya suffered at the hands of this offender was nothing to what she must have suffered since at the hands of her employer. And how many of these upper echelon managers in recent times have actually dealt with some of the “scum of the streets” that people such as Tanya and the rest of us deal with every minute of our working day.

And finally, August: Accusation: the reward for commitment... What another joke. This member risked his own life to save a kidnapped woman. He should have been awarded a medal for bravery, not interrogated by an investigative authority that seems to have a misguided understanding of operational policing. Did they really believe this member would have punched a handcuffed offender in full view of a television camera, knowing that same camera would capture his every move for posterity. Wake up and smell the roses. The days of belting offenders behind the ear are long gone. Most members wouldn’t even contemplate such an action because of the knowledge of the ramifications.

These articles and incidents go a long way towards identifying the problems “real police officers” now face. Not only are they under siege from outside, in the form of criminals, street offenders and an inadequate justice system, but from above in the form of massive government budget cuts creating an intolerable situation in having to do the job like “peanuts and monkeys”... (if that’s what you pay that’s what you get) and finally from within, with our investigators and mangers having no real understanding of what is happening around them. When I joined this job nearly 20 years ago, I believed it was a long-term career and something to be proud of. Now, with career paths and opportunities virtually gone, a large portion of the department obsessed with changing something that is not really broken, and members fighting each other for positions, I am not so sure.

Having now got this off my chest I have probably screwed up any future opportunity I ever had for a promotion. Well, being a long-term “senior first grade” is probably not that bad a thing.

Anyway, I will continue to work my butt off, supervise and teach the younger wide-eyed constables below me and still run charity days such as the police golf day in Whyalla.

By the way, come to Port Augusta and Whyalla on 6 and 7 October for two days of police golf that will help you ease the pain of the above mentioned issues.

I’ll even have a beer with you and talk about what the job used to be like.

Bryan Whitehorn
SC1G (acting sergeant)
Whyalla.