Increasing danger !

Being a serving police officer has always contained an element of danger, but the scale of danger has been increasing sharply - and often in unexpected ways.     This week police responded to a call from relatives of a man who was threatening to commit suicide.  In most cases of self harm, the method consists of an overdose of drugs, cut wrists,  hanging or a fall from a tall building.  Rarely does it constitute danger to the police response team.

This man was barricaded in a unit and the police, with help from firemen - broke in from a balcony.  They could smell gas and were in the process of removing a gas cylinder when it exploded.   Two policewomen are in intensive care with critical burns and other members of the team sustained lesser damage. The intended suicide received only minor damage and is in hospital under police guard.

Even day to day duties such as administering breath tests to motorists can be hazardous to police doing this duty.   One officer reached into a car to hold the breath test instrument when the driver grabbed his arm and accelerated away - dragging the man and causing injuries.   It seems that the incidence of driving under the influence of alcohol is decreasing - but is being replaced by those who have drug incapacity in their system behind the wheel.

More frightening are the gang wars being waged on our streets involving firearms.   Spraying houses with bullets as a warning and the actual shooting of competitors is no longer a rare event.  Huge profits are to be made from criminal activities such as drug distribution and the crime gangs guard their turf with relentless ferocity.   When the police stage a raid, they do so wearing body armour and backedup with a Bearcat light tank - equipped with a machine gun.

Unfortunately, this is having a detrimental effect on the relationship between police and the general public.  Pulling over a car for a driving offence used to be a casual approach and an amicable conversation.  Today - the police may ask the driver to keep their hands in sight and stand clear of the vehicle while a pat down search is conducted - and the vehicle searched.

When police arrive at a crime scene everyone present is a suspect, and even spectators may be subjected to a demand that they submit to a search.   Even suspicion that a weapon may be present is enough for police demand that those present adopt a kneeling position and place their hands on their head.  This is often resented as an over-reaction - but it is a fact of life that desperate people do desperate things - and today's police are not trained to take chances.

It seems that the gulf is ever widening between police and the public.  In some countries, the police are more feared than the criminals because of the heavy handed tactics they use and it is hoped that this situation never develops in Australia, but it is also necessary to observe a responsible level of safety.    The police have a reasonable expectation that they will conclude each shift - still alive !