September 1999 Volume 80 Number 9
"serving the protectors"
| September 1999 Volume 80 Number 9 "serving the protectors" |
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| By
Andy Dunn |
Highlighting the dangers of police work seems almost unnecessary after the recent murders Constable Murray Stretch in New Zealand and Sgt Glen Huitson in the Northern Territory.
Stretch was kicked to death while attempting an arrest. Huitson was shot while manning a road block.
And around this time last year, two other officers, Gary Silk and Rodney Miller, were shot dead in Victoria.
It’s tragic that some police die in this way. But they’re dedicated to a cause - the public cause. They protect their communities by placing the welfare of all others before their own, and inherent in that role is the risk of violent death.
The sad reality is that police work and risk to life are essentially inseparable. Despite precautions, cops’ lives are always on the line.
All police killed in the line of duty are owed an enormous debt by the communities they served. Any member of the Australian community who feels no such debt is either deluded or simply ungrateful.
And to see the far-reaching effects of police officer deaths, one need only attend this year’s Police Remembrance Day memorial service at Fort Largs and witness the perpetual grief of loved ones left behind.
South Australian police have been making the supreme sacrifice since last century. Those unable to honour the State’s 58 dead in person on September 29 should at least spend a moment reflecting on those who have died serving them.
The Police Journal Editorial has often highlighted the practicalities of co-operation between police and the media. And why shouldn’t they co-operate? Clearly, in one form or another, each requires the other’s assistance on an on-going basis.
The general media objective is to inform the public of police activities, and media broadcasts remain the most effective way for police to appeal for public assistance.
Fortunately, the continuing message from journalists is that they will not breach confidentialities, and are prepared to discuss grievances personally with police.
In Trusting the Newsman, Peter Caldicott made the same commitment to police as his Channel 7 colleagues, Jane Doyle and Graeme Goodings (Partners of the News Kind, Police Journal, September, 1998).
He not only indicated a willingness to take telephone calls from police officers about his own reports, but also a firm resolve to avoid future difficulties.
Just as police officers expect the right to defend themselves against allegations of wrongdoing, so should they allow reporters to explain their actions before condemnation.
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