Page 797 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 8 March 2016
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In 2001 Tasmania Police introduced a restrictive policy that allowed pursuits only for violent offences such as murder and kidnap. The policy specifically prevents police from pursuing stolen cars. In 2010 Tasmanian Assistant Commissioner Scott Tilyard said:
We recognised that pursuing vehicles is a high-risk activity and the number of people who get killed or injured far outnumbered the people killed or injured as a result of firearms.
He continued:
One of the things that people will say is that if police can’t pursue for a whole range of things, then crime will get out of control … but in our experience that has certainly not been the case.
He went on to say:
In the last 10 years our crime categories have reduced significantly in Tasmania. For example, motor vehicle stealing, which used to be one of the main triggers for pursuits, has actually gone down. Back in 2000, nearly 4,000 cars were stolen each year in Tasmania, last year we just had 1,300 stolen.
Further to those comments by the Tasmanian assistant commissioner, a literature review conducted by the Australian Federal Police in 2007 reported:
Studies show that jurisdictions which have tightened their pursuit policies have seen a decrease in the number of pursuits and a resultant decrease in collisions, injuries and deaths without an increase in people fleeing from police.
These are just a few Australian examples, but evidence from overseas also supports the case that the introduction of a limited pursuits policy will not lead to drivers seeking to avoid punishment by failing to stop for police.
I also note the suggestion that vehicles being pursued in New South Wales will drive into the ACT to avoid punishment. I wish to highlight that a driver who drives into the ACT while evading police will face the same sanction, and in some circumstances a higher punishment in the ACT under the changes made by this bill than they would face in New South Wales.
Consistent with the new policy, vehicles driving into the territory from New South Wales will continue to be pursued where necessary to prevent a serious risk to public health or safety or an offence has been committed or is about to be committed which involves serious injury to or death of a person. There has been no change to police operational practices regarding the management of cross-border pursuits.
Members may also wish to reflect on the fact that one of the most serious crashes in the ACT, which resulted in four deaths, was related to a police pursuit that originated across the border. If we can save lives by reducing the number of pursuits and the risk of pursuits, we are doing a good thing.
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