The Victoria Police Magazine February 2010 RECOVER, REBUILD, REMEMBER How Victoria Police is moving forward after the tragedy of Black Saturday. PRINT POST APPROVED 349018/00079 Plu S > SEARCH AND RESCUE > TRUE CRIME > COLLISION COURSE insiDe february 10 Recruit OF pOLICEA T kE ON RObots LEAD Paddling ON 12| THE yEAR 22| THE HIghwayS 26| RESpONSE 28| THE MURRAy R SEGULaR … OddO SP tS …05 Out & aBOut …10 Picture tHiS …19 FrOm tHe arcHiVeS …30 from the chief commissioner inbox L fETTERS ROM MEMBERS Of THE COMMUNITY THaNKS TIMELY fINE pUBLIC CaN BE SUBMITTED fOR We write to express the deep I wish to thank Mildura Traffic pUBLICaTION aND pREfERENCE appreciation of the services Management Unit’s Senior wILL BE GIVEN TO LETTERS Of extended to the Sikh community Constable Narelle kolpin. LESS THaN 150 wORDS. NaMES, by Detective Leading Senior you probably do not often get aDDRESSES aND TELEpHONE Constable Robert Moreton of thanked for booking someone NUMBERS MUST BE INCLUDED. the Security Intelligence group. – but thank you. Det Ldg Sen Const Moreton has your understanding was and is LETTERS MaY BE EDITED BY been extremely helpful over the much appreciated. PoLice Life. ONLY THE NaME aND past nine years, since starting his We all probably need to take on SUBURB wILL BE pUBLISHED, portfolio as the desk officer for less and slow down. If there is such UNLESS THE wRITER REqUESTS the Indian community. a thing as a ‘fine in time’, I got it. OTHERwISE. SUBMIT LETTERS TO: I found it impressive that he has [email protected] shown a genuine sincere interest in NINA pASCOE OR INBOx, PoLice Life, pO BOx 415, his month marks the first the Sikh community, resulting in him MILDURA MELBOURNE, VICTORIa, 3005. anniversary of the devastating acquiring a wealth of knowledge on T our community issues and culture. aLTONa’S aDVOCaTE black Saturday bushfires. BECOME a faN He has shown commitment and I would like to compliment In this edition of Police Life, Of PoLice Life enthusiasm in dealing with all the actions of Senior Constable police reflect on the tragic events ON faCEBOOK. cases he has been involved in and george kokkoris of Altona North of last February and share stories I am aware of several instances police station. of how their local communities where he has been responsible for As victims of a recent burglary, are rebuilding and recovering resolving community issues and george kept us informed of the from the fires, which claimed promoting harmony. relevant happenings of the case, the lives of 173 people. I have been advised that Det Ldg was always polite, professional and These stories are testament Sen Const Moreton has transferred personable. We felt that george to the community spirit and the to the Counter Terrorism team. While cared about our welfare and case. dedication, determination and saddened by this, I feel reassured He was at all times thorough, compassion of the Victorians that his skills will be contributing to thoughtful and professional. This who have banded together to making Victoria safer. is our first time dealing with the help support each other through police and we are pleased to say the crisis and into the future. SATNAM SINgH pAbLA that george made it much easier I have been personally inspired pRESIDENT, SINgH SAbHA to cope. by this demonstration of human SpORTS CLUb strength and unity, which I have SOpHIE LOVELAND witnessed time and again during NEWpORT my many visits to fire-affected areas across the state over the past 12 months. It is this spirit in the face of adversity that defines who we are Police Life is produced by the Strategic Communications Unit, Media & Corporate cover: TRaGEDY REMEMBERED as Australians. We are there for Communications Department, Victoria police, pO box 415, Melbourne, 3005. police tell of how far each other when the chips are Fax: 9247 5982, Email: [email protected] their communities have come since last year’s down and we care about our Editor Maria Carnovale Journalist Mark Tesoriero black Saturday bushfires. neighbours and our mates. Graphic Design Vetro Design pty Ltd Subscriptions 9247 6894 Photograph: Shane Bell. pOSTER: HIGH aND LOw This issue of Police Life is a ISSN 0032-2598L Crown Copyright in the state of Victoria. For permission to reprint The Search and Rescue tribute to that great Aussie spirit. any part of this magazine, contact the editor. Opinions expressed are not necessarily Squad tackles all terrains. those of Victoria police. Photograph: Shane Bell. SIMON OVERLAND, ApM 02 February 2010 POLICELIFE making news FOR thE LatEst POLICE nEws VIsIt www.VICPOLICEnEws.COm.au Campaignextinguishes arson .01 ONE yEAR AFTER bushfires ravagED On the one-year anniversary of the fires Victoria police and Crime pARTS OF Victoria, A campAIgN has bEEN Stoppers Victoria launched the LAUNCHED TO TARgET arsonists AND Extinguish Arson Campaign. phoenix Taskforce’s Detective Crime Stoppers Victoria pREVENT A SIMILAR TRAgEDy. Superintendent paul Hollowood executive director peter Sprott said the campaign encouraged said there were particular types the community to be conscious of information the community he black Saturday bushfires of their surroundings and report should report. Twere indiscriminate. Wealthy suspected arson-related activity “If you live or work in a fire-prone editorial mELISSA hEaGnEY or poor, young or old, the people to Crime Stoppers. area, you may be aware of people PHOTOGraPHy CourteSy oF affected were varied. However, they “We want the community to be hERaLD anD wEEKLY tImEs who are often seen at the scene of all had one thing in common – their courageous and come forward fires or show an intense interest in desire to catch those responsible. with information, particularly About half of the major fires what is happening. Or you may be ExTINGUISH aRSON information that can help us that took hold in Victoria on aware of a vehicle or person seen .01 Police look for clues at the prevent arson before it occurs,” in the vicinity of a bushfire just scene of bushfires in the 7 February are being treated Det Supt Hollowood said. black Saturday aftermath. before it started,” he said. by investigators as suspicious, “We’re asking people to report “We all have to play our part in possibly started by arsonists. any information they may have, stopping arsonists.” So far, the phoenix Taskforce no matter how insignificant they Editor’s note: Read about how has made inroads in their think it may be, to stop arsonists police have supported fire-affected investigations, but as well as in their tracks. communities on page 6. catching those responsible, “Fires have an absolutely police are focusing on making devastating effect on lives. They sure the community is not placed destroy homes, decimate wildlife at risk again. and in the worst-case scenarios, kill men, women and children. If you have information about “Arson is a serious crime so arson-related crime, contact " we’re asking people to report any information our plea is this – if you’ve seen Crime stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com. something or know something – au on the Internet. they may have, no matter how insignificant they have the courage to say something.” think it may be, to stop arsonists in their tracks." www.police.vic.gov.au/policelife POLICELIFE February 2010 03 small talk voxPoP bOOKreview what have you learnt from last year’s black saturDay bushfires? l eading senior Constable ron broWn firestorm: KinGlaKe PoliCe That nowhere is safe from a bushfire. I thought that kinglake would be one of the safest places with how black saturDay's wet it is normally. trageDy satuRDaY, 7 FEbRuaRY, 2009 staRtED LIKE mOst Constable Mark WilliaMs OthER VICtORIan summER satuRDaYs, sunnY anD KinGlaKe PoliCe wIth a LIGht bREEzE. I learnt a greater compassion for people’s suffering, especially those who were affected by such events. owever this day was to turn into a day of national grieving as the country H was faced with the reality that 173 people perished in an inferno described as ‘hell on earth’. Firestorm: Black Saturday’s Tragedy is an account of the events of black Saturday compiled by a committee of parents and friends of glenvale School, Lilydale. l eading senior Constable dean Maguire The book follows the tragedy that captured the world in a suburb State HiGHway Patrol in Corio by suburb report, graphic images of devastated Victorian bushland, How ferocious and deadly it can be in extreme surrounded by personal anecdotes of the day that claimed many lives weather conditions. go early. It is not worth your and homes. life or your family’s to hang around. Victoria police’s involvement on the day is highlighted as well as the role of other emergency services that assisted in saving as much as possible from the fires. To purchase a copy of the book, visit www.blacksaturdayfirestorm.com. au on the Internet. All profits from sales will be donated to the Country Fire Authority. EquIPmEntSHowCaSe POLICEFaCt searCh poWers Were enhanCed D iD you last Month giving poliCe the ability to Create a designated know area and, Without Warrant, integrateD ? searCh people in that area and operational seize any deteCted Weapons. equipment vests quICKSTATS P wOLICE ILL haVE mORE PROtECtIOn than EVER bEFORE FOLLOwInG thE IntRODuCtIOn OF wORLD- holiDAY CLass baLLIstIC VEsts. traffic blitZ he light-weight Integrated provide members with a heightened TOperational Equipment Vests degree of comfort and safety. provide an unprecedented level of “police often find themselves in protection from various firearms volatile situations and come into and edged weapons. contact with people armed with P EOLICE D tECtED aLmOst The vests are personally-tailored knives and firearms,” he said.