Having done research and writing on the issue of crime in South Africa, it has been really quite something to see the outpouring of emotion and support in response to the recent murder of a police officer in Queensland.
Senior Constable Damian Leeding died in hospital after being shot in the face when he responded to an armed robbery on the Gold Coast.
In South Africa the killing of police members is an all too often occurrence. An article on the News24.com website from just last month states that 32 police officers have been killed there since January. "Other statistics show that about 109 police officers were killed between 2008 and 2009 while 110 were killed between 2009 and 2010."
I remember doing an interview some years ago with the wife of a policeman who was killed when he tried to stop an armed robbery. She had some support from his colleagues, but her husband's death was regarded in many ways as just another statistic.
How different is the situation here in Queensland where the last police officer to be shot dead on the job was four years ago. There has been so much discussion on radio and television about the murder. On the day of the funeral I heard an interview with the police commissioner, whose voice was breaking while he was talking to the reporter. The funeral was held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre -- the only venue large enough to hold the number of people expected to attend -- and attended by about 4000 uniformed officers. Every unit within the police from all over Australia was represented at the funeral, and the support was even from further afield with representatives from the New Zealand Police, the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also attending.
There was a funeral procession down the Gold Coast Highway, which included mounted police, a police band and a guard of honour.
And then there was the response from members of the public. A fish and chip shop owner closed her restaurant for the day to attend the funeral and other people took a day off work to attend the funeral to show their support for the police. There was also a funeral service held for police members and members of the public in a few other cities around Queensland.
The local mayor announced that a park will be renamed in the policeman's honour or a memorial built in his memory as a "constant reminder of his heroism and also, of the courage displayed by all our police officers on a daily basis as they go about their tasks and responsibilities". The police union established a remembrance fund that had raised more than $120,000 within a week.
Incidentally, the armed robbery that Damian Leeding was responding to was one of a spate that's occurred on the Gold Coast recently. And the police have established a special task force to address the violent crime. I've tended to think that an "armed robbery" by definition involved a firearm (they generally seemed to in South Africa), but here the robbers are quite regularly armed with items such as knives, syringes and screwdrivers. In fact, the police mentioned in one interview that about 20% of the armed robberies involve firearms.
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Friday, November 5, 2010
From the Local Newspaper
Having reported on crime extensively in South Africa, I was quite interested to read an article in my local newspaper this week.
The front page headline read...
DEFIANT
Bullet won't stop the presses
NOTHING will stop the presses of the Chinese newspaper
Epoch Times -- not even a drive-by shooting. "If anything
we might expand," says the defiant manager after the
Sunnybank newspaper was targeted.
Shew, I thought, bullets flying. That's quite something to happen in a local neighbourhood.
I duly turned to page 3 to read the story...
I had to read to the third paragraph to come across the following:
"A projectile, which police said may have come from an air rifle or BB gun, was fired at the Epoch Times' Mains Rd office, splintering a window only metres from where staff were meeting inside."
The front page headline read...
DEFIANT
Bullet won't stop the presses
NOTHING will stop the presses of the Chinese newspaper
Epoch Times -- not even a drive-by shooting. "If anything
we might expand," says the defiant manager after the
Sunnybank newspaper was targeted.
Shew, I thought, bullets flying. That's quite something to happen in a local neighbourhood.
I duly turned to page 3 to read the story...
I had to read to the third paragraph to come across the following:
"A projectile, which police said may have come from an air rifle or BB gun, was fired at the Epoch Times' Mains Rd office, splintering a window only metres from where staff were meeting inside."
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Bits and Bobs: Life in Australia
Used to the sight of street children, begging adults holding children at traffic lights, and South African debates about how to best deal with street children and beggers, I found the following article in our local newspaper interesting: Our local McDonalds (or Maccas, as it's known here) recently called the police when a mother sat down with her children (boys aged one and four) on the median strip in a busy road after buying food for the children from the fast food outlet. The McDonalds staff were concerned and called the police, who found the 32 year old woman was doped up on valium, having taken the drug just before their outing. She pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering the life of a child.
Cash toll booths have been closed on two of our nearby motorways. We have a tag inside our cars that registers as we go through the toll, and when we reach a minimum amount of credit, the next instalment is charged to our credit card. Although the tags have been available for some time, it is only in the last month that the cash toll booths have been closed. There are now various ways to pay -- either using the tags as we've got, or using a video system which enables you to have an account and the video of you going through the toll to be matched to your account and your toll fee deducted. You can also charge your credit card for a period of travel (between one and 30 days) -- included in the charge is a video matching fee. While the system is still being phased in, if you don't have any of these systems in place when you go through the toll, you'll have three days to go into a centre and pay your toll! (By the way, there was also an advert in the local paper thanking the toll collectors that had made a significant contribution to Queensland Motorways for the past 23 years. The advert states: "With less than a week to go before the toll booths close on 22 July, we encourage you to take the opportunity to farewell your favourite toll collector as you pass through the toll booths." How nice is that?
The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman refers to the problem of dumped shopping trolleys that I mentioned in a previous blog. Relatively speaking, of course, this is a really serious problem. Writes the Lord Mayor: "These abandoned trolleys are smashed into cars by vandals. They are pushed into creeks or left in the middle of the road to be struck by unsuspecting motorists. It will now be an offence to walk down the street with a shopping trolley without a good reason." Talking about other by-law type legislation, the Lord Mayor says that the council will also be going after people who litter the city with unauthorised billboards and posters. "These new local laws will allow us to target the people who authorise the distribution of these posters and not just the poor mugs who get paid a pittance to put them up, unaware of the legality." Newman concludes by writing: "I want each and every one of you to be fiercely proud of your local suburb but it's hard to be proud of your local suburb when it looks like a garbage dump."
Residents of Holland Park, a suburb covered by the community newspaper that we receive, are being offered free one-way screws to secure their car registration (number) plates after a recent spate of licence plate thefts. What a crime prevention initiative! The crime prevention police launched Screws on Crime enabling residents to secure their licence plates with one-way screws. The plates were being stolen by thieves wanting to commit 'petrol drive-offs' or other crimes. The police said that in the current economic climate registration plates are often stolen and fitted to another vehicle so the vehicle can be filled with fuel and driven away without paying. Of course, the stolen registration plate makes it difficult to track down the responsible person.
Footpaths are another issue that were raised in a recent magazine column written by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. This financial year Brisbane council will spend at least $23million on footpaths -- about $9million more than last year. Newman writes: "Believe it or not, footpaths are one of those issues that split communities -- like traffic calming. Many people don't want a concrete footpath. They prefer grass, while others want sure footing as they walk down the straight. Those who do want a footpath would prefer it goes on the other stide of the street and so on and so forth. It's a real balancing act." Whew. Not being used to the general availability of footpaths, we've just been really appreciative to have them at all!
Cash toll booths have been closed on two of our nearby motorways. We have a tag inside our cars that registers as we go through the toll, and when we reach a minimum amount of credit, the next instalment is charged to our credit card. Although the tags have been available for some time, it is only in the last month that the cash toll booths have been closed. There are now various ways to pay -- either using the tags as we've got, or using a video system which enables you to have an account and the video of you going through the toll to be matched to your account and your toll fee deducted. You can also charge your credit card for a period of travel (between one and 30 days) -- included in the charge is a video matching fee. While the system is still being phased in, if you don't have any of these systems in place when you go through the toll, you'll have three days to go into a centre and pay your toll! (By the way, there was also an advert in the local paper thanking the toll collectors that had made a significant contribution to Queensland Motorways for the past 23 years. The advert states: "With less than a week to go before the toll booths close on 22 July, we encourage you to take the opportunity to farewell your favourite toll collector as you pass through the toll booths." How nice is that?
The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman refers to the problem of dumped shopping trolleys that I mentioned in a previous blog. Relatively speaking, of course, this is a really serious problem. Writes the Lord Mayor: "These abandoned trolleys are smashed into cars by vandals. They are pushed into creeks or left in the middle of the road to be struck by unsuspecting motorists. It will now be an offence to walk down the street with a shopping trolley without a good reason." Talking about other by-law type legislation, the Lord Mayor says that the council will also be going after people who litter the city with unauthorised billboards and posters. "These new local laws will allow us to target the people who authorise the distribution of these posters and not just the poor mugs who get paid a pittance to put them up, unaware of the legality." Newman concludes by writing: "I want each and every one of you to be fiercely proud of your local suburb but it's hard to be proud of your local suburb when it looks like a garbage dump."
Residents of Holland Park, a suburb covered by the community newspaper that we receive, are being offered free one-way screws to secure their car registration (number) plates after a recent spate of licence plate thefts. What a crime prevention initiative! The crime prevention police launched Screws on Crime enabling residents to secure their licence plates with one-way screws. The plates were being stolen by thieves wanting to commit 'petrol drive-offs' or other crimes. The police said that in the current economic climate registration plates are often stolen and fitted to another vehicle so the vehicle can be filled with fuel and driven away without paying. Of course, the stolen registration plate makes it difficult to track down the responsible person.
Footpaths are another issue that were raised in a recent magazine column written by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. This financial year Brisbane council will spend at least $23million on footpaths -- about $9million more than last year. Newman writes: "Believe it or not, footpaths are one of those issues that split communities -- like traffic calming. Many people don't want a concrete footpath. They prefer grass, while others want sure footing as they walk down the straight. Those who do want a footpath would prefer it goes on the other stide of the street and so on and so forth. It's a real balancing act." Whew. Not being used to the general availability of footpaths, we've just been really appreciative to have them at all!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Crime
I found it really interesting (especially after writing extensively about crime in South Africa) to read a round up about the local crime in a community newspaper recently. It was for the bay area which is west of where we live. The report showed individual incidents that had occurred. This is a summary:
The main story was an appeal for witnesses to an assault that took place outside a hotel/bar recently.
Other incidents were listed per area
Alexandra Hills
1. Car broken into. Swiss army knife stolen
2. Camper trailer stolen from driveway between 8pm on May 31 and 3.30pm on June 2.
3. Attemted break and enter at a house
4. Window of a classroom at the state high school broken. A fluoro light bulb and covers stolen
5. Car parked at shopping centre damaged between 11pm on June 5 and 1am on June 6
6. Brick used to smash 13 windows at high school. Soft drinks stolen from canteen.
7. Closed circuit camera stolen from sports club. Offender was on a bicycle.
Birkdale
1. Glass panel of door at primary school broken
Cleveland
1. Four hubcaps stolen from car parked in underground car park of shopping centre between 11am and 1pm
Capalaba
1. Two number plates stolen from car
2. Car broken into and property stolen
3. Two registration plates stolen from car
4. Rocks thrown at a car parked in a school car park
5. Business broken into and unsuccessful attempt to open a safe
6. School broken into. Furniture and other items thrown out of the window
7. Welding equipment stolen from business
8. People seen throwing rocks and breaking panels of a bus shelter
Mount Cotton
1. Graffiti vandalism to a sign
2. Sledge hammer or crowbar used to open a locked wooden door of a convenience store, but nothing stolen
Thornlands
1. Car stolen from driveway. Keys were left in the ignition
Victoria Point
1. Purse and mobile phone stolen from outside a supermarket after the owner left them behind and returned to find them gone
Wellington Point
1. House broken into. Jewellery, household items, keys to car, and the car stolen
2. House broken into. Jewellery stolen
Coochiemudlo Island
1. House broken into. Alcohol stolen
2. House broken into. Money, alcohol and mobile phone stolen
The main story was an appeal for witnesses to an assault that took place outside a hotel/bar recently.
Other incidents were listed per area
Alexandra Hills
1. Car broken into. Swiss army knife stolen
2. Camper trailer stolen from driveway between 8pm on May 31 and 3.30pm on June 2.
3. Attemted break and enter at a house
4. Window of a classroom at the state high school broken. A fluoro light bulb and covers stolen
5. Car parked at shopping centre damaged between 11pm on June 5 and 1am on June 6
6. Brick used to smash 13 windows at high school. Soft drinks stolen from canteen.
7. Closed circuit camera stolen from sports club. Offender was on a bicycle.
Birkdale
1. Glass panel of door at primary school broken
Cleveland
1. Four hubcaps stolen from car parked in underground car park of shopping centre between 11am and 1pm
Capalaba
1. Two number plates stolen from car
2. Car broken into and property stolen
3. Two registration plates stolen from car
4. Rocks thrown at a car parked in a school car park
5. Business broken into and unsuccessful attempt to open a safe
6. School broken into. Furniture and other items thrown out of the window
7. Welding equipment stolen from business
8. People seen throwing rocks and breaking panels of a bus shelter
Mount Cotton
1. Graffiti vandalism to a sign
2. Sledge hammer or crowbar used to open a locked wooden door of a convenience store, but nothing stolen
Thornlands
1. Car stolen from driveway. Keys were left in the ignition
Victoria Point
1. Purse and mobile phone stolen from outside a supermarket after the owner left them behind and returned to find them gone
Wellington Point
1. House broken into. Jewellery, household items, keys to car, and the car stolen
2. House broken into. Jewellery stolen
Coochiemudlo Island
1. House broken into. Alcohol stolen
2. House broken into. Money, alcohol and mobile phone stolen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)