Sometimes it is necessary for tradition to get a reality check ! Since the arrival of the first fleet it has been the custom for police officers to check in their firearms whenever they enter a court. That will cease from Monday !
Most judges and magistrates fought hard against this revision and it was only agreed after nearly a year of discussion between the Police Association and court officials, but finally commonsense prevailed. The last few decades have seen a very different world emerge. Restricting police to only carry a baton, OC spray and handcuffs when supervising a courtroom that contains both members of the public, barristers and dangerous criminals is a recipe for disaster.
Many courts have metal detectors guarding their entrance but the public is now well aware that it is possible to "print " a workable handgun that will pass this form of detection without triggering an alarm. The cases that go before our courts include members of criminal bikie gangs and jihadists that have been caught planning terror raids. In many cases the public area is flooded with supporters and this obviously raises the risk factor.
Very little has changed in the format of our courts over the past fifty years. They are venerable institutions in purpose build buildings from a distant age and security was not high on the agenda when they were built. Today we live in an age where fanatics are prepared to sacrifice their own life to deliver a bomb to an intended target or to free a captured colleague by mounting an armed raid on a prison or a court. It stands to reason that just such a scenario should be taken into consideration when planning the housing, transport and court appearances of high security prisoners.
We have already experienced an act of terror on our doorstep. The Martin Place siege was a feared event that finally happened - and it ended in tragedy. Hopefully, we have learned from that experience and when - rather than " if " - terror strikes on our shores a well planned and better oiled rescue operation will swing into action with the "right " people calling the shots !
Logically, our security planning is kept under tight wraps but it is highly likely than the spooks who watch over communications and the security apparatus in place to monitor the bad guys are keeping ahead of the opposition. Several planned events did not get past the early stages and the operatives were quietly taken down. So far, Australia has been a safe country when judged on the international scale of terror events.
What is disturbing is the fact that it took many long months of planning to implement a sane and logical need like having police armed when they have duties in court to supervise and guard dangerous people. Both bikie gangs and the terrorist networks have the advantage that when they see an opportunity they can exploit it without delay while we are faced with the onerous task of getting a new law through parliament and persuading those who will be involved that change is necessary.
We need to sharpen the command chain if we are to stay ahead of the opposition !
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