QLD to introduce mandatory sentencing for assaulting police

[dhess]

Recently read this:

/>http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/qld-looks-at-jail-for-assaults-on-police/story-e6frf7kf-1226614648615

What a joke!

The number of first hand accounts I have heard of police using excessive force in arrests and then justifying their actions by fabricating an assault charge or resisting arrest charge.

How about mandatory sentencing for police using excessive force?

e.g. A mate was out with his girlfriend and a few friends for dinner in the valley. One of the guys in their group was minding his own business walking along smoking a \'special\' cigarrete when a group of plain clothes officers jumped on him and beat the absolute snot out of him. He was a skinny nerd and didn\'t resist and was not capable of posing any kind of physical threat. The head officer said to his straight laced vietnamese girlfriend \"Mam, is he on PCP?\". Obviously the officer has been watching too much of the Cops TV show.

[fishingnut]

Maybe cops shouldnt be so lippy then .....ROFL

[Swagger]

"Special" cigarette?

[tomartomau]

It would be good to include,Fire/Ambo/Hospital Staff,Teachers... in fact why not raise the standard for all persons and give harsher penalties for unprovoked assaults. I know a number of uninformed police Officers (this is 10 years ago) that would not leave work and use public Transport in Uniform. Policing has changed. We do not live in a perfect world but I seem to agree with the notion that the old style policing prior to (PIC) in NSW and the introduction of Ethics Cmd in Qld was a better style of policing. Professional criminals/Politicians and Police would agree that "blood on the streets" is "bad for business".

Now before people starting assuming that I am an advocate for criminal behavior... this is simply not true. Police and policing in general have lost a lot of respect from the community and indeed within their organisation (Ethical Command) in particular. Ethical Command and their mode of operation creates mistrust between the different operational commands as well as mistrust and dissension between fellow officers serving alongside each other, remembering that EC can investigate absolutely anything that might undermine the "service", an untried allegation might attract an excessive amount of resources and ultimately jading the officer/s in question even though they have been cleared. It is a poor process that is poorly supported.

In short, change the name back to Police Force would be a start, the change to "Service", I believe has had a profound effect on the 'psyche of the community as well as the police themselves. The word force does not need to have negative connotations, more so the word force could indicate a strong consistent will to inform,protect and enforce if necessary, oh and the notion that Policing is primarily based on 'education' is a farce, sure education and professional development is important but a police officer should be judged according to his or her abilities on the job.

My spiel!

[Eug]

If you do nothing wrong then you don't have anything to worry about. Not taking sides here Dom as I wasn't there, but what the hell was old mate thinking lighting a doob up in public (and in the valley out of all places)?

[rayke1938]

There are a few careers that i would never consider but have a lot of respect for the people who serve,

Police

Teachers

Armed Forces

Nurses.

fireies

ambos

Easy to criticize but what would your life be without them,

Very few of them may be a little slack but at least they do have bodies overlooking their performance.

Cheers

Ray

,

[Binder]

Maybe your mate shouldn't have been smoking a "special " cigarette!

It should be introduced for emergency workers well before coppers, but coppers should be able to do their job without being beaten up either.

Coppers should grow some balls and defend themselves with the weapons they carry as well.

The recent incident with the bus in Logan, they should have shot the little mongrels the second they started throwing rocks.

[motu]

grass roots policeing is gone

[tomca]

from my observations late at night, a lot of this "bashed by police for no reason" comes from an intoxication level in the individual that affects their ability to control themselves and when directed to do something they don't want to do, lash out physically. Next thing, in cuffs, sitting on the ground saying I done nuthin'.

Maybe Doms mate may already have had his judgement impaired by alcohol. Could explain the special cigarette and doing nothing to attract the police attention.

[dhess]

If you do nothing wrong then you don't have anything to worry about. Not taking sides here Dom as I wasn't there, but what the hell was old mate thinking lighting a doob up in public (and in the valley out of all places)?

I agree Eug, but being beaten black black and blue for a misdemeanour seams a tad excessive.

When cops sign up for their career they know exactly what they are getting into. They should expect an occasional physical confrontation.

Tomartomau, I agree with you, all violent crime should be punished more harshly not just against police. Its a joke when people guilty of white collar crimes are recieving harsher sentences than for violent assaults.

[Seiran]

They should expect an occasional physical confrontation.

Yes, they should expect an occasional physical confrontation, but the idiot confronting them should also expect to be confronted twice as hard in return. The police officers should also feel safe in the knowledge that any idiot who wants to assault a police officer will be charged accordingly.

The law as it stands is a joke and it's no wonder so many of these low lifes act the way they do in the knowledge they will get away with it.

I have a lot of respect for the police and have never had an issue with them. I have always found them to be professional.

As Eug said above 'If you do nothing wrong then you don't have anything to worry about'.

[millies]

There got a tuff job and if you are doing the right thing your got no worrys.We need to give them more power.Also the courts have to show some balls and the crims might think twice.If every one shows a bit of respect for other people not just police there whould be a lot less crime.Might have been doing a misdemeanour but he will think twice now before he lights up in a public place and i bet he gave the cops some to end up a bit black and blue

[robin]

Personally I don't have any care for druggo's, Most break-ins are done by them, my bike probley got stolen by one of them, this guy smoking a special cig, probley would have assaulted the copper first, and is just telling you a story to make the cops look guilty.

The cops here are doing a great job, and don't deserve to be assaulted, yes they sign up for a job where this could possibly happen, but its like fishing, you know you could drown, get bitten by a snake, or eaten by a shark, if this happens , would you say "the fisherman knew the risks so too bad", I bet you wouldn't, Unless the cops are allowed to fight back, and I meen fight back without the civil rights wingers complaining, then yes they should impose a mandatory sentencing.

Remember , if you are in trouble, who do you call, the cops, if your car gets stolen, who do you call, the cops, if there is a siege , then its the cops again, if someone dies in a accident, then it's the cops that have to give the bad news.

[daveylad]

Dom, Police using excessive force, never :whistle: I mean look at my avatar, that bloke called me a pommie Bas78rd, he got everything he deserved...dont you reckon and all the time I kept smiling at the camera :silly:

[fishingnut]

If you do nothing wrong then you don't have anything to worry about. Not taking sides here Dom as I wasn't there, but what the hell was old mate thinking lighting a doob up in public (and in the valley out of all places)?

Totally agree eug, when I was younger i always got "hassled" by cops, doing the wrong thing and acting like a rooster and trying to pretend I done nothing wrong and arguing the point, after a broken shoulder later (trying to scratch my left ear with my right arm behind my back while on tippy toes and being told stop resisting lol ) I soon learned to stop doing stupid dung. Do silly things and silly things happen.

[Dinodadog]

I was a gentleman doorman for the want of another name at a club for 5 years quite a few years back. I could not believe half the behaviour I saw, I never realised humans acted that way, I must of been kept in a cocoon. All this was caused by alcohol and drugs.It was about that time that I gave up drinking as I was frightened I might turn into one of these idiots. Strange some of these people were nice human beings when sober.

Dino

[tomartomau]

grass roots policeing is gone

It only took me 11 hours and 52 minutes but I now get that .. talk about slow on the uptake!

[crazywalrus]

I am always torn when it comes to mandatory sentencing. I think in this case I have concerns. This is not saying that there are total grubs that probably get what is coming to them however we would be ignorant and naive to believe that excessive force was never used in policing.

I think the distrust towards the police force has occurred as we have not been able to hold this part of our community up as bastions of virtue. Our trust has been broken by years of corruption going up to the top of the force and more recently the issues in the Gold Coast police. This is not saying that every police officer is tarred with the same brush as well however this sort of behavior always makes you think. It is like the priests, probably 99% are good however I would never let my son spend any time alone with one of them.

I also think that the statement "if you have done nothing wrong than you have nothing to worry about" is also naive. Police are only human and they have bad days and things in their lives that can cause them stress. I am sure that not every person employed by the force is a virtue of integrity and no bias towards some parts of our community. This is never going to be the case.

My concerns are with the burden of proof with mandatory sentencing. Does a police officer only have to accuse a person of assaulting an officer? Is it a your word against theirs? I for one do not have the trust in every officer if this is all it took to sentence a person. I would not want a whole heap of Judge Dreds riding around if this was all the proof they required.

This is a great discussion and has been held in a very cordial manner which i am surprised given the material.

[daveylad]

There once was a story that was told to NSW coppers at the academy it was about a man charged with armed Robbery, when he went to court he began to tell the jury how he was made to sign his statement admitting the offence, he said he signed it becasue he was threatned by the Police that they would kill him if he didnt sign, (verbal)

the judge asked him did he expect the court to beleive the Police would do such a thing and the accused said "Yes" and I can prove it! the Detectives hung me out of the 3rd story window by the legs and said they would drop me if I didnt sign the statement so I agreed, So the judge says "what does that prove", the accused: well if you look out of that window on the wall theres my signature I made on the bricks! they reckon all the detectives ran out of the court and went back to the office to check the wall. True story. The good old days.

[crazywalrus]

Remember , if you are in trouble, who do you call, the cops, if your car gets stolen, who do you call, the cops, if there is a siege , then its the cops again, if someone dies in a accident, then it's the cops that have to give the bad news.

I understand the thinking behind this statement however this is their job. When you have a sick kid you call a Doctor. When your car breaks down you call a mechanic. When we go to war we rely on our soldiers and army. Why do you hold the force up with a free pass if they do something wrong?

I am not saying that their job is easy however it is the profession they went into with their eyes open.

[daveylad]

Now this guy does go overboard, he was sent back to Baton training school so he could learn how to hit someone properly.

/>http://youtu.be/81pLXTHRcCQ

[Eug]

I also think that the statement "if you have done nothing wrong than you have nothing to worry about" is also naive. Police are only human and they have bad days and things in their lives that can cause them stress. I am sure that not every person employed by the force is a virtue of integrity and no bias towards some parts of our community. This is never going to be the case.

I think it can be taken naively but I would say a majority of the time many people tempt police/enforcement intervention by being a smart arse, thinking they have found a loophole or doing something in that grey area.

Whilst some of the rules and regs might be a little on the extreme side, they are in place for that idiot 1% who think they can get away with it. If you do intend on doing something which is in that grey area, then don't flout it.

Like Beau said, when I stopped doing stupid things I stopped getting in trouble. It's not that 'enforcement' go out of their way to look for trouble, people who continually try to press their luck draw attention to themselves.

[daveylad]

Youre right Eug, I think the real problem behind a lot of policing is the Highway patrol being attached to General Policing, many in the Police Force...sorry Service believe they should be seperated from general Policing Duties similar to many states in the United States, They are mainly a fund raiser and do have to submit infringements or they answer questions. many HWP officeers also feel as though they perform a different tasking that General Duties Police and would rather stick to their own type of Policing. Listen to most gripes and they almost always relate to traffic matters.

[waldo]

Jail time for anyone assaulting a copper has my support. I always find it funny the ones that cry loudest about police brutality are the ones that start the rubbish. I've lost count of the times I have watched drunken or drug affected grubs start a heap of grief then cry when the coppers give them a bit of pain while claiming they did nothing wrong. :woohoo:

Interesting that a group of plain clothes coppers would show themselves up and beat up on a guy for no reason other than he was smoking a joint. :whistle: One for the Ripleys file.

[Swagger]

Jail time for anyone assaulting a copper has my support. I always find it funny the ones that cry loudest about police brutality are the ones that start the rubbish. I've lost count of the times I have watched drunken or drug affected grubs start a heap of grief then cry when the coppers give them a bit of pain while claiming they did nothing wrong. :woohoo:

Interesting that a group of plain clothes coppers would show themselves up and beat up on a guy for no reason other than he was smoking a joint. :whistle: One for the Ripleys file.

Agree 100%

So much hate towards police these days. If you do something wrong you should get your ass handed to you. End of story

Majority seem to be from drunken behaviour then they complain how its the alcohol...grow up

[motu]

grass roots policeing is gone

It only took me 11 hours and 52 minutes but I now get that .. talk about slow on

the uptake!

my sons best mate was stabbed to death he died in his arms cops dragged my son away harrased him then gave him a good bash in the cells includeing a broken nose no compassion for my son or the poor kids mum they even let the murdering prick drive away untill they stopped to think and ask a few questions old school cops knew there job now days its pick on the person who cares and easy paper work half the force are gloryfide parking wardens

and all this happened in a police car park

senseless waste of a young mans life as the police were warned this was going to happen but chose to clean up instead of prevent it

[tomartomau]

I am real sorry to hear about the needless death and the long term effect of suffering on all people that continue to suffer from that and other violence related deaths.

I often think of the "younger generation" as being entirely responsible for this belligerent behaviour, but taking a wider view I think that the community has contributed significantly to this problem.

1. Crime and punishment are not necessarily reflective of the total cost to the community.

2. Rights have outstripped responsibilities.

3. Policing and courts has provided a clear signal and process of what can be expected if crimes committed (less is better).

If one of my children died as a result of an entirely preventable death, then I too would die inside, no doubt.

Sorry about my last post, my original interpretation was right, however as an afterthought, relating to the incidence of Marijuana I thought it was a pun.

Cheers

On a side note, I reckon you would have some interesting meals at home, are you adventurous in what you eat?

[motu]

Jail time for anyone assaulting a copper has my support. I always find it funny the ones that cry loudest about police brutality are the ones that start the rubbish. I've lost count of the times I have watched drunken or drug affected grubs start a heap of grief then cry when the coppers give them a bit of pain while claiming they did nothing wrong. :woohoo:

Interesting that a group of plain clothes coppers would show themselves up and beat up on a guy for no reason other than he was smoking a joint. :whistle: One for the Ripleys file.

Agree 100%

So much hate towards police these days. If you do something wrong you should get your ass handed to you. End of story

Majority seem to be from drunken behaviour then they complain how its the alcohol...grow up

goes both ways .

[motu]

It would be good to include,Fire/Ambo/Hospital Staff,Teachers... in fact why not raise the standard for all persons and give harsher penalties for unprovoked assaults. I know a number of uninformed police Officers (this is 10 years ago) that would not leave work and use public Transport in Uniform. Policing has changed. We do not live in a perfect world but I seem to agree with the notion that the old style policing prior to (PIC) in NSW and the introduction of Ethics Cmd in Qld was a better style of policing. Professional criminals/Politicians and Police would agree that "blood on the streets" is "bad for business".

Now before people starting assuming that I am an advocate for criminal behavior... this is simply not true. Police and policing in general have lost a lot of respect from the community and indeed within their organisation (Ethical Command) in particular. Ethical Command and their mode of operation creates mistrust between the different operational commands as well as mistrust and dissension between fellow officers serving alongside each other, remembering that EC can investigate absolutely anything that might undermine the "service", an untried allegation might attract an excessive amount of resources and ultimately jading the officer/s in question even though they have been cleared. It is a poor process that is poorly supported.

In short, change the name back to Police Force would be a start, the change to "Service", I believe has had a profound effect on the 'psyche of the community as well as the police themselves. The word force does not need to have negative connotations, more so the word force could indicate a strong consistent will to inform,protect and enforce if necessary, oh and the notion that Policing is primarily based on 'education' is a farce, sure education and professional development is important but a police officer should be judged according to his or her abilities on the job.

My spiel!

( grass rootes policeing )