Vic: Police industrial action possible on one-up policy, union

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2005
Vic: Police industrial action possible on one-up policy, union

Eds: takes in aspects of ke TOLL VIC.



By Jamie Duncan

MELBOURNE, April 26 AAP - Victoria's police union has foreshadowed possible industrial
action to end the longstanding practice that allows some police to work alone.

It follows the deaths of two solo officers in the state in the past three days.

Calls to ban members from working "one-up" follow the murder of Senior Constable Tony
Clarke, who was shot dead early on Sunday with his service revolver by a man he had stopped
on the Warburton Highway at Launching Place.

The driver, Mark Bailey, 27, from suburban Croydon, later shot himself.

Today, a policeman died after being struck by a vehicle while issuing a ticket on the
Hume Freeway near Benalla, north-east of Melbourne.

While Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said the one-up policing policy
would be reviewed, she said costs and circumstances could prevent change.

Police Association Victorian assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie said it was not safe
for police to work alone even if some members, including traffic police, preferred to
do so.

"The tragic events that have happened over the past three days, in our view, is ample
evidence to suggest that our members should not work alone, irrespective of whether or
not that is their preference," he said.

The union will meet Ms Nixon tomorrow to discuss Sen Const Clarke's murder and today's
death, Mr McKenzie said.

He said he hoped to arrive at a joint position with Ms Nixon tomorrow, but would not
rule out a mass meeting or a formal directive to members not to work alone.

"That (a meeting) is a matter that we will be consulting our members ahead, but we
certainly wouldn't rule that out," he said.

"It's our view that costs and funding are irrelevant when it comes to the safety of
our members working on the behalf of the Victorian community to ensure their safety."

Ms Nixon said one-up policing would be reviewed, but cast doubts on whether the policy
could change.

"I understand the call that people have made for single officers, but we have 103 single-person
police stations and so (a review) would also involve them, it would involve supervisors
and we have to think if that is the right strategy," she said.

"It (a ban on members working one-up) is very expensive, but so is losing a colleague."

Police command would examine the circumstances of Sen Const Clarke's death and would
consider the issue of one-up policing following a homicide squad investigation, Ms Nixon
said.

The force would examine making equipment, including mobile data terminals and vehicle
locators, more widely available, she said.

The union said that as well it would also renew its call for the force to issue members
with semi-automatic pistols used in all states except Victoria and South Australia to
replace its "antiquated" .38 revolvers.

But Ms Nixon, a 29-year veteran of the NSW police before she took the top job in Victoria
four years ago, said police command had decided against replacing the revolvers.

"It's a very simple kind of weapon," she said.

"We don't think there's any evidence which would substantiate the very substantial
retraining and investment to move to (another) firearm.

"We don't have evidence that the current firearm is ineffective."

AAP jrd/gfr/cf/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: POLICEMAN NIGHTLEAD (WITH FACTBOX)

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