October 1999 Volume 80 Number 10 "serving the protectors"

Esprit De Corps

Dear Sir

I would like to use the medium of the Police Journal to thank various members of SAPOL for their recent assistance regarding a work-related injury.

My husband, Sergeant Brenton Eyre of the STAR Division, was injured on 20 August when a stun grenade exploded in close proximity to his hands and face. He received blast injuries to fingers of both hands and his ears. The prognosis is that he will have reduced hearing, however, his hands should heal over time giving him full dexterity, albeit that he lost the tip of his left index finger. Only time will tell. Considering that this incident could have caused blindness, facial injuries or the complete loss of hands or fingers, we consider that Brenton was very lucky indeed.

I wish to personally thank members of the STAR Division who assisted him at the scene after immediately responding to his radio call for assistance. The quick actions of Sgt Ashley Gordon, Senior Constables Kev Baker and Brett Foster, and Constable Michael McMorrow in attending to first aid, which prevented blood loss and wound contamination. Their good humour, teamwork and esprit de corps assisted Brenton in a personal crisis. I also thank Senior Sergeant Marty Hawkins, who collected and conveyed me to the RAH and Sergeant Pat Lycett and Inspectors Peter Hoadley and Kym Zander, who assisted in activities behind the scenes.

Brenton and I subsequently received numerous telephone calls and/or cards from many workmates and associates, and also from psychologist, Debbie Damis, welfare officer, Ray Dowd, rehabilitation officer, Ian Humphrey, Acting Assistant Commissioner Gary Burns and Commissioner Mal Hyde.

We were both pleasantly surprised by the expression of concern exhibited by police officers and SAPOL employees in official and unofficial capacities who took the time to contact us, offering support and good wishes. We appreciate their efforts and thoughts - once again, thank you.

Daniella Eyre

Where Is Managerial Support?

Andy

During the dark days of 1942 when the Japanese were streaming down the Kokoda Trail, Australians were called to arms and trekked up the trail to meet a numerically stronger Japanese force. The conditions were tough in the actual physical location and the danger from the Japanese and disease.

The 2/27th Battalion 2nd AIF went to meet the Japanese and during the course of the battle part of these men were cut off and had to make their way through the jungle to the safety of the other Australian battalions. These men knew the dangers involved and what had happened to other Australians who were captured by the Japanese. Not one Australian soldier captured by the Japanese on the Trail survived. These men trekked for 14 days without food and refused to leave their wounded, injured or sick comrades behind, supporting them in their needs. They brought out all of their living comrades to safety. This fact was very important to them and enhanced the legend of Australians to the rest of the world.

Enough of the history lesson. I think now of my experience as an injured South Australian police officer. I was injured originally arresting an offender and suffered a permanent disability to my neck. I soldiered on until March, 1999, when I was again injured arresting another offender. This latest injury has caused me to be classified as non-operational. I accept this course of events and am looking to restart my career in some other area. This rehabilitation is not an issue, and I would like to thank Ian Humphrey from “Rehab” and Garry Jongewaard from Personnel for their support and assistance.

I have had contact from my team members and support from them during a time when I have to make major adjustments to my life. The point I make is where is the support from management within my work area? Not once during my rehabilitation have I had contact from them in any way, shape or form. I wonder why this is, and whether this is acceptable in a modern, progressive organization which SAPOL is striving to be? I would think that it is not acceptable to the Australian society as a whole.

I know that this is not isolated and I wonder if other injured police officers care to comment about their circumstances while being injured.

Paul Warren
Ex-Transit Division

Danger On The Lands

Dear Andy

I am writing on behalf of members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) branch of the Police Association of South Australia.

Members of the ATSI branch have raised the issue of safety and safety equipment for members stationed in remote communities throughout the Anagu Pitjantjatjara Lands in the north-west of South Australia.

Over the past 12 months there have been at least two occasions where our members have been the victims of serious assaults. A police aide stationed at a community near Marla suffered a life threatening assault that caused injuries to his head and shoulder, the member concerned was attacked by a person with a machete and was very lucky to be near to medical assistance at the time, and that saved his life. The offender was a person grossly affected by substance abuse (petrol sniffing). At the time some support from SAPOL was forthcoming and the Association assisted the member; the member concerned appreciated this. However, over the next 12 months reports were written and it appears to our members that very little has been done to rectify the situation of safety equipment for men on the Lands.

In another incident, a police aide stationed at a remote community near the WA and NT border was on a patrol in the police vehicle and was stopped by a person. The member wound his window down to talk to this person, another substance abuser (petrol sniffer). The person produced a hammer and proceeded to smash the police aide with it and the member sustained some fractures to his limbs. The member was taken to a nearby community where he was to recuperate for a few weeks.

The latest attack against police occurred when two mainstream police from Marla attended a community and were the victims of serious assaults. One member was stabbed and the other who was rushing to assist his comrade was hit on the head with a club, this member was very lucky to be alive.

Members of the ATSI branch feel that there exists within SAPOL a form of institutional racism. That is, when a group of people or employees are excluded from certain services because of perceived cultural differences. Did it have to get to the situation where mainstream police officers become the victims of these serious assaults before SAPOL react to this intolerable situation?

The men and women who work on the Lands work in an environment that most members of SAPOL would find intolerable. For instance, would you work in a situation where your nearest help is over two hours away by road? Would you work with the only form of protection (safety equipment) the PR24 baton? Work in a community where English is a second or third language? Be paid less than members who have the same experience and years of service as you? Be required to work as a specialist officer and not be paid for that role? I don’t think so!

Members of the ATSI branch have been advised that if SAPOL won’t rectify the situation of safety issues then SAPOL will have to station mainstream police in these communities and that will blow a big hole in the police budget. At the moment our members are saving SAPOL a lot of money in policing the Lands.

Members of ATSI branch have asked me to express our disappointment that SAPOL has only seen fit to trial OC spray in one community for a period of six months.

We, the members of ATSI branch, would like to see SAPOL make representation to the Anagu Pitjantjatjara Council in Alice Springs to see if an agreement can be reached for the police aides who police the lands to be equipped with the appropriate safety equipment.

In closing let me thank PASA for this avenue to bring to the attention of other members of SAPOL the plight of the members on the Lands.

Yours sincerely
Gil Green
President
ATSI Branch
Port Lincoln

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