Blackburn
15th February 2012, 16:16
Police riot squad to double
Reid Sexton
February 16, 2012
VICTORIA Police is set to more than double its squad of anti-riot officers in a move that new Chief Commissioner Ken Lay says is partly a response to television images of rioting mobs in England last year.
Membership of the police riot squad will grow from 50 to 110 after Mr Lay recently signed off on the move.
He told The Age that in the past, when riot squad members had been pulled out of regions to confront trouble, some areas had been left under-policed. He said the boost in squad numbers would stop this occurring.
Mr Lay revealed his decision was partly a response to vision he saw of the England riots in August, when packs looted and burnt their way through several major cities in response to a London police shooting.
''[The riots] caused me to question what our response was, what our response would be if we had a similar incident,'' he said. ''I certainly thought that there was room to make us better.
''For many years we've seen our vans turn up at pretty ugly incidents where they've been put at great risk.
''I think the community can rightly expect that in those situations we've got a capacity to solve it and solve it properly.''
Mr Lay, who flagged a return to traditional policing when appointed last November, said training for new anti-riot police would take place over the next three or four months.
Squad members will perform regular front-line duties when not assigned to large gatherings that spill out of control.
Mr Lay denied the move was a response to the Occupy Melbourne demonstrations in October - when police clashed fiercely with protesters - but said that was an instructive experience for the police force.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-riot-squad-to-double-20120215-1t6yb.html#ixzz1mT3Y4Tth
You heard the man, It's only coincidental that the Occupy Movement has occurred at the same time.
Juts like it's coincidental that a regressive Right Wing State Government was elected last year.
It's also coincidental that all the banks have suddenly raised their rates etc, because of what's happening in Europe.
No need to panic!
More riot squad cops will solve the issue!!! :P [puke]
Reid Sexton
February 16, 2012
VICTORIA Police is set to more than double its squad of anti-riot officers in a move that new Chief Commissioner Ken Lay says is partly a response to television images of rioting mobs in England last year.
Membership of the police riot squad will grow from 50 to 110 after Mr Lay recently signed off on the move.
He told The Age that in the past, when riot squad members had been pulled out of regions to confront trouble, some areas had been left under-policed. He said the boost in squad numbers would stop this occurring.
Mr Lay revealed his decision was partly a response to vision he saw of the England riots in August, when packs looted and burnt their way through several major cities in response to a London police shooting.
''[The riots] caused me to question what our response was, what our response would be if we had a similar incident,'' he said. ''I certainly thought that there was room to make us better.
''For many years we've seen our vans turn up at pretty ugly incidents where they've been put at great risk.
''I think the community can rightly expect that in those situations we've got a capacity to solve it and solve it properly.''
Mr Lay, who flagged a return to traditional policing when appointed last November, said training for new anti-riot police would take place over the next three or four months.
Squad members will perform regular front-line duties when not assigned to large gatherings that spill out of control.
Mr Lay denied the move was a response to the Occupy Melbourne demonstrations in October - when police clashed fiercely with protesters - but said that was an instructive experience for the police force.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-riot-squad-to-double-20120215-1t6yb.html#ixzz1mT3Y4Tth
You heard the man, It's only coincidental that the Occupy Movement has occurred at the same time.
Juts like it's coincidental that a regressive Right Wing State Government was elected last year.
It's also coincidental that all the banks have suddenly raised their rates etc, because of what's happening in Europe.
No need to panic!
More riot squad cops will solve the issue!!! :P [puke]