Police Journal Spring 2024

SPRING 2024

FOR THE LOVE OF RETIRED POLICE DOGS “… the medical costs to the carers can mount up to be so financially crushing.”

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WINTER 2024

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POLICE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Members’ Buying Guide The Police Association Members Buying Guide offers members and their families massive exclusive discounts on a wide range of goods and services.

The easiest way to access all the discount codes is to join the private Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/membersBuyingGuide

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olice dogs enjoy the love and admiration of cops and the public alike. They draw people with their bearing, characters and abilities.

When they get injured on duty, the outpouring of public sympathy is always massive. It seems that, besides criminals, they don’t have an enemy in the world.

But their working lives eventually come to an end, and in most cases, they remain with their handlers. When that’s not possible, carefully selected members of the public get to take them on as their own.

The challenge is the sometimes-exorbitant cost of the dogs’ veterinary care. Dog Ops member Tina Hunt has long searched for a way to ease that financial burden and has finally come up with the solution.

Senior Constable 1C John Hirst told us back in 2019 the harrowing story of his 2017 on-duty motorcycle crash. He has found life tough on many fronts since the crash but recently took part in a programme which led him into a vastly different occupation.

Police Association president Wade Burns made some poignant remarks after he attended the recent unveiling of the Jason Doig plaque. He said that Jason “deserves every credit and honour we can bestow upon him”.

And he was right.

Police Association acting secretary Steve Whetton drills down on system failings in connection with members’ remuneration.

Dr Rod Pearce looks at the monkeypox virus in light of a resurgence of cases in Australia this year; lawyer Scarlett Grose explains the dynamics of legally binding property settlements; Jim Barnett road-tests the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Honda CR-V. Police Association president Wade Burns details progress in enterprise bargaining and outlines his in-person observations of the demands on country members.

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Publisher: Police Association of South Australia Level 2, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide SA 5000 T (08) 8212 3055 Editor: Brett Williams (08) 8212 3055 Design: Sam Kleidon 0417 839 300 Advertising: Police Association of South Australia (08) 8212 3055 Printing: Finsbury Green (08) 8234 8000 The Police Journal is published by the Police Association of South Australia, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide, SA 5000, (ABN 73 802 822 770). Contents of the Police Journal are subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the Police Association of South Australia is prohibited. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. The Police Association accepts no responsibility for statements made by advertisers. Editorial contributions should be sent to the editor (brettwilliams@pj.asn.au).

COVER: Dog Ops brevet sergeant Tina Hunt with retired police dog Marley.

Photography by Steve McCawley.

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30 Police Association

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President

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Letters

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Industrial

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Health

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Spring 2024

Work on enterprise agreement in full swing

Not even South Australia free of mpox Motoring

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Honda CR-V Alfa Romeo Tonale Legal

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Books

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Cinema

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DVDs

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On Scene

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The Last Shift

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Legally binding property settlements

12 For the love of retired police dogs So concerned about the cost of the care of retired police dogs, a long-serving handler has come up with an extraordinary plan to address the issue.

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This is the light

Now, seven years since his on-duty motorcycle crash, John Hirst has found a place for his skills – and it’s a world away from policing.

30 Posthumous recognition for Jason “Doigy” Doig His name is now etched on a plaque on the police academy wall of remembrance, but the loss of Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig is still hard to absorb.

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Julian Snowden

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Craig Terlikowski

Bryan Whitehorn

Leonie Schulz

Trevor Milne

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Chris Walkley

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Police Association of South Australia EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES Level 2, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide SA 5000 www.pasa.asn.au P: (08) 8212 3055 (all hours) E: pasa@pasa.asn.au Membership enquiries: (08) 8112 7988

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Tania Sowter

Sarah Stephens

Madison Furniss

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT OFFICER Caley Frisby

FINANCE Wendy Kellett Finance Officer

COMMITTEE Michael Kent Treasurer

Bernadette Zimmermann Secretary

Wade Burns President

Daryl Mundy Deputy President

INDUSTRIAL Andrew Heffernan Member Liaison Officer

Nadia Goslino Member Liaison Officer

Samanda Brain Vice-President

Anthony Coad

POLICE JOURNAL Steven Whetton Assistant Secretary

Brett Williams Editor

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS Nicholas Damiani

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Police Association of South Australia

REPRESENTATIVES Superannuation Police Dependants Fund Leave Bank Country housing Commissioner’s Office Health Safety & Welfare Advisory Committee Legacy Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Intersex members

Michael Kent Bernadette Zimmermann Andrew Heffernan Andrew Heffernan Steven Whetton Julian Snowden Nadia Goslino and Andrew Heffernan

DELEGATES & WORKPLACE REPRESENTATIVES Metro North Branch Gawler Golden Grove Henley Beach Holden Hill Northern Prosecution Port Adelaide Salisbury

Andrew Wearn Darren Quirk Alan Pagac Daniel Guzej Tim Pfeiffer Paul Blenkiron Philip Proctor

Country North Branch Ceduna Kadina Nuriootpa Peterborough Port Lincoln Port Pirie Whyalla

Anthony Taylor Gavin Moore Andrew Dredge Nathan Paskett Mark Heading Gavin Mildrum Paul Velthuizen

Crime Command Branch Adelaide Elizabeth Forensic Services Intel Support Major Crime Major Crime Port Adelaide Serious Fraud South Coast

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Jeremy Handley Joel Manson Kristin Enman Garran Donnellan Phil Buttfield David Marsh Scott Mitchell Robert Plenderleith Luke Watts

Metro South Branch Christies Beach/Aldinga Gary Craggs Hindley Street Dick Hern Norwood Jonathan Deuter Southern Prosecution Sallie McArdell Southern Traffic Joshua O’Dwyer Sturt Brett Wilson

Country South Branch Berri Millicent Mount Gambier Murray Bridge Naracoorte Renmark South Coast

Tamara Day Tanya Payne Robert Martin Liam Bennett Simon Haebich James Bentley Andrew Bradley

Operations Support Branch Academy Academy ACB Band ComCen ComCen Human Resources Mounted Ops STAR Operations State Tac/Op Mandrake Traffic Services

Melanie Smith Samuel Agostino Tony Boots Adam Buckley Glenys Moriarty Allan Dalgleish Eugene Wasilenia Sonia Wellings Craig Murphy Duncan Gerrie Benjamin Bowey

Officers Branch

Andrew McCracken

Response to Disciplinary Charges

Legal and personal support at hearings and interviews and with submissions

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POLICE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Working for you P: (08) 8212 3055 (all hours) www.pasa.asn.au

PRESIDENT Wade Burns

Work on enterprise agreement in full swing P

olice Association members are rightly keen to see us settle terms with the state government on an enterprise agreement.

While no formal offer has been made, I’ve already rejected an initial proposition from the Malinauskas Government.

I will note that it was not a formal offer: it was a without-prejudice proposition for the purposes of formally commencing enterprise bargaining.

But it was, on its face, an unacceptable proposition.

I’m acutely aware of exactly the agreement association members will and won’t accept from this government.

And the government is well aware that South Australia is currently in the grip of a police-officer retention crisis.

There isn’t a single stakeholder involved in the enterprise bargaining process who would dispute that fact.

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Police are working harder than ever before, with fewer resources and far less support.

The professional health and the personal well-being of police officers is being put at significant and unacceptable risk. Police are working harder than ever before, with fewer resources and far less support.

Nobody else will say this, but I will: community safety is also at significant risk.

I don’t draw attention to those issues lightly. They are facts SAPOL and government representatives can’t and won’t highlight for political reasons.

The ability of SAPOL to attract new recruits is, right now, completely outpaced by the speed at which existing police officers are leaving the job.

Put simply: resignations are now outnumbering retirements. This is an unprecedented situation in the context of SA policing.

For perspective, as recently as 2018, resignations only accounted for approximately 18 per cent of all SAPOL separations.

On average, over the 2023-24 financial year, more than 20 police officers left SAPOL per month, with resignations accounting for more than half that figure.

Resignations now account for about 55 to 60 per cent of total SAPOL separations.

A member-wide survey the association commissioned last year revealed more than a quarter of surveyed police officers plan to leave the job within five years, while 23 per cent of surveyed country police officers want to leave their current postings.

And 98 per cent of officers surveyed said a salary increase was the most important issue for them right now.

Despite the association’s ongoing me e t i n gs w it h s t a k eholde r representatives, SAPOL’s team has not yet provided any meaningful contribution to the enterprise bargaining process in respect of its agenda.

Many are feeling that it’s just not worth being a police officer anymore when they can go to the private sector, or other government agencies, for less risk, better working conditions and more money.

This is a major factor holding up negotiations. There should not be further delay. It is unfair to members and an insult to police officers who are already working beyond their limit.

Our members have borne the brunt of several global crises in the last five years. They deal with a massively increased number of drug and mentalhealth taskings as society becomes increasingly more destabilized and prone to violence.

They are tasked to the front line of increasing protest movements and political unrest.

In general, people of all walks of life have become willing to engage in a greater propensity of violence toward police officers.

Many are feeling that it’s just not worth being a police officer anymore when they can go to the private sector, or other government agencies, for less risk, better working conditions and more money.

Decisive action is required from the government and SAPOL, before it’s too late.

More support needed for country members I visited members at a dozen police stations spanning more than 2,000km in the state’s Mid and Far North in August.

Members are doing an incredible job in these stations, but there is plenty of scope to provide them with better conditions and greater recognition.

Unions and governments sometimes make the mistake of thinking SA stops as soon as you get past the outer metro areas. That kind of outlook in the past has probably led us directly into some of these challenges.

Rural SA is vast and many areas are sparsely populated with inherent geographical challenges. Despite this, country communities deserve exactly

the same level of police service as do metro communities — and police officers deserve the recognition and support to provide that service.

Country policing provides so many unique experiences and opportunities for members, but it’s now on SAPOL to ensure that these stations have adequate staff and facilities. We know that country members face all the same life-threatening situations, so they deserve all the same support.

Specialist support services are already limited in the country, sometimes non-existent, so it’s critical that staffing numbers are maintained.

The risk to members is increased when there are fewer police officers working.

What we need is some significant retention measures and that’s another critical issue I’ve raised at the enterprise bargaining table with both SAPOL and the government.

The range of work country police officers do is so broad, and the learning curve so steep. A very convincing case for one initiative is that country members should be able to make their way through the constable increments much quicker.

SAPOL also has a policy that basically caps any existing incentives to four years. It has to revise this. It’s a policy that makes little sense when we’ve got issues attracting and retaining members in country locations.

In terms of security and member safety, SAPOL should look at some benchmark security provisions for all country stations. At the moment there are some wild discrepancies between the stations in terms of their security provisions.

I want SAPOL to clean that up and make a standard security detail across the board, so members and the community know what they can expect from their country police stations.

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FOR THE LOVE OF RETIRED POLICE DOGS

BY BRETT WILLIAMS

For the big-hearted handlers and civilians who take on retired police dogs, the financial burden can be crushing.

Long inspired to ease the pressure, handler Tina Hunt took the giant step of founding a charity.

Brevet Sergeant Tina Hunt with her retired police dog, Marley.

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t was a case of fork out $10,000 or lose her beloved German shepherd, Marley.

That was the agonizing dilemma facing long-time police dog handler Brevet Sergeant Tina Hunt late last year. For the rank-and-file cop it was a massive amount of money to pay for veterinary surgery. But, at the time, it seemed the only way to keep Marley alive to continue her well-earned retirement.

All Hunt could think about was how, as a working dog, Marley had protected her and shown endless loyalty and courage. She could not forget the many talents her old partner had contributed to policing and, of course, the SA community.

It just struck her as so unfair that Marley should now face the possibility of a lethal injection because of a $10,000 vet bill. She dreaded losing

the now seriously unwell canine mate she had taken on as her own.

But Hunt scored something of a lucky break. She forked out the smaller but still hefty amount of $3,500 for further tests, which showed that Marley would not need the surgery.

Her condition was not the one she initially appeared to be suffering.

In her back were three bulged discs which the treating vet was certain had resulted from her police work. So, Marley survived but wound up permanently on medication and reduced walks.

The whole experience stoked the flames of a fire already burning in Hunt for more than 10 years.

Retired police dogs and their health care, which are not SAPOL responsibilities, had been her passion from as far back as 2012.

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“I wanted people who would support not just me (as the founder) but the cause. None of us are getting paid for any of our work. It’s all voluntary and it’s all because we have a passion to help these retired dogs.”

She had always considered that Dog Ops handlers and civilians with ownership of retired police dogs did “a fantastic job” of caring for them.

And she wanted none of them to suffer the sometimes-crippling financial burdens of providing that care.

“Most police dogs retire with pre-existing injuries or illnesses,” she explains. “That’s why the medical costs to the carers can mount up to be so financially crushing.”

Back in 2012, Hunt tried to get a dog calendar off the ground as a money raiser, as had happened interstate.

Her intention was to distribute funds from the sale of the calendar among the 20-odd owners of the retired dogs to help them meet veterinary expenses.

1. Marley in a police car.

2. Hunt and Marley in the south parklands.

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She scrapped the plan, however, when she found that SAPOL required those funds to go into general revenue.

But, with some later research and advice, Hunt came to understand that she could realize her goal by setting up an independent charity. She liked the idea and considered it in 2012 and then again in 2017.

“But, back then,” she says, “the whole concept of starting up a charity from scratch was a bit overwhelming, so I decided to shelve it again (in 2017).”

This year, however, Hunt, 50, became too fired up to shelve the idea a third time. With Marley settled and at no risk of that lethal injection, she got straight to work on setting up that charity.

The tasks ahead of her were basic but arduous: write a constitution, find potential board members, secure registration as a charity, and come up with a name. These were challenges completely unlike the ones she had confronted and overcome in policing.

“I had enough fire in my belly to get it going,” she says, “and I thought: ‘I’m going to make it work.’ ” Every day for around five months, Hunt played author as she wrote, bit by bit, her 60-page constitution. In the process, she drew on the support of Working Paws Australia which allowed her its own constitution as a guide.

Among the other tasks, conceiving a name proved one of “the hardest” to accomplish. Hunt, along with some of

her fellow Dog Ops handlers, ruminated on it for weeks.

In the end, the consensus was that the name had to make clear the purpose of the charity. So, the choice was kind of obvious: Retired Police Dogs SA. No easier than conceiving the name was the quest for registration with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. This came after Hunt had registered RPDSA with Consumer and Business Services in South Australia as an incorporated association.

Says Hunt: “Registration with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission is pretty hard to get.

You have to have certification from the ACNC, otherwise you’re just an organization, not a charity. But, luckily, we got it, so we’re now allowed to raise money as a not-for-profit.”

And Hunt herself covered the cost of registrations with Consumer and Business Services and the ACNC. Next was a board of directors, and Hunt was determined to attract candidates who, between them, could bring the broadest range of skills to the table.

As of late July, only two of eight positions remained vacant. Among those who occupy six of the filled positions is the CEO of another notfor-profit agency, a marketing specialist, and a lawyer. Hunt intends to fill one of the vacancies with a vet.

“… because of what the dogs have done in their working careers, the carers cannot get pet insurance for them. So that’s another challenge.”

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“I wanted people who would support not just me (as the founder) but the cause,” Hunt insists. “None of us are getting paid for any of our work. It’s all voluntary and it’s all because we have a passion to help these retired dogs.

“And we’ve ensured that, at all times, two positions are not associated with SAPOL and not associated with Dog Ops. That’s to make sure that there’s an independence around the decisions that we make.”

And those decisions are set to benefit 22 retired police dogs, 14 of which have remained with and belong to their former handlers. Ownership of the eight others passed to civilians in cases in which handlers, to their regret, were not able to keep them.

The dogs generally retire once they reach the age of eight. So, with life expectancies of around 12 years, German shepherds and Labradors are likely to have post-working lives of at least four years.

“Then you’ve got situations where police dogs are retired early,” Hunt explains. “We’ve recently had one retire at six and another one at four because of medical issues. So that’s eight years the handler or civilian has to pay for that dog, and that’s a lot.”

And vet bills can pile up quickly for police dogs, particularly German shepherds, that are prone to take hip, back and leg injuries into retirement.

Naturally, all the tracking, running and jumping they perform at work comes with a bodily impact.

“The work of the Labradors is not as physical as the shepherds but they’re still jumping in and out of the car,” Hunt says.

“That’s probably the most physical aspect of their job and they’re doing that 20 times a day sometimes. They’re also prone to ear infections.

“And because of what the dogs have done in their working careers, the carers cannot get pet insurance for them. So that’s another challenge.”

Hunt hopes the charity can raise enough money to pay for the same wellness plan provided for working SA police dogs by AdelaideVet. Under the plan, dogs receive unlimited consultations, vaccinations, worming and flea treatment.

“To be able to do that for the entire list of retired dogs is about $15,000 a year,” Hunt explains. “So, that’s what we’d be

“That, for me, will be the pinnacle of what this is all about. Refunding someone for a vet bill will just make everything I've gone through to get this up and running worth it.”

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looking at to raise as a minimum, bearing in mind, there’s medication, surgery and other things on top of that.”

SAPOL chips in with support in the form of funding for dog food.

To receive funding from RPDSA, each owner’s dog must have done an approved Dog Operations course and completed two years’ operational service. When this is the case, owners need only register their dogs with the charity and apply for reimbursement of veterinary expenses.

The board of directors will consider each application and decide whether to cover the expenses in part or entirely.

“A lot of that decision will be based on our financial status at the time,” Hunt says.

“Our aim is to be able to cover every single cost that every single retired dog incurs in its retirement.”

Even before its official launch, Retired Police Dogs SA had, in late July, received $2,000 in donations. It was a good start, but the charity needs a lot more in its coffers before it can begin to hand out reimbursement funds.

Hunt cannot wait for precisely that moment when the board approves its first claim and pays out accordingly.

“That, for me, will be the pinnacle of what this is all about,” she says.

“Refunding someone for a vet bill will just make everything I've gone through to get this up and running worth it.”

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TANK AND THE BELL FAMILY

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etired police drug dog Tank came with an enormous capacity for stealing hearts. Kelly Bell and her family, particularly her three young sons, found that out on his first visit to their home in 2020. It was the way he so readily looked like he belonged, zooming around the backyard and enjoying the company.

The affectionate four-year-old Labrador charmed everyone, and the family needed no convincing to make him part of the household.

Bell had heard about Tank, and his need of a home, from close family friend and Dog Ops handler Brevet Sergeant Gavin Parish. She learned that, although Dog Ops had retired Tank early, he was physically able and not burdened by any health issues.

The Bell family had never owned a dog, but the sons were desperate to take Tank on and their parents wanted to give him a home. So, they came to the decision to expand the family by one member, and that would be Tank.

With a switch in ownership agreed to, Tank was on his way to his new abode.

And there, he would find no problem settling in, not even on his first night.

“He was quite amazing,” Bell says.

“He just slept on his stretcher bed and no dramas. And, since then, he’s been a wonderful dog. He doesn’t even bark at all in our backyard. He’s well behaved and a very warm kind of animal who just wants pats.”

Tank remained fit and healthy and showed his strength when it came to walks. It was more like him, with boundless enthusiasm, walking one or other of his family members instead of the other way around.

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“He’s likes tug of war with his favourite rope,” Bell says. “He’s not much of a ballchaser. He likes squeaky toys and chewing soft toys, decimating them just for fun.

He loves the dog park but that’s where sometimes he’s anxious around other dogs, so we’ve got to keep an eye on him there.”

Tank remained completely free of health issues until around 12 months ago.

During a routine visit to the vet for teeth cleaning – at a cost of around $1,200 – a serious bacterial infection came to light in each of his ears.

After receiving treatment over the following five months, Tank wound up in the care of a specialist. He was in danger of losing his balance and even a rupture to either of his eardrums. Indeed, the condition had the potential to threaten his life.

“My kids were beside themselves,” Bell recalls. “They are very attached to Tank, and it was going to cost $1,500 for a scan and up to $10,000 for an operation.

“My son, on hearing this, was in tears.

He ran to his room, grabbed all his savings, and said: ‘You need to help Tank.’ So, we made the decision to have him treated.”

Tank recently underwent a procedure in which the vet anaesthetized him and flushed out his ears. It cost the Bells just under $7,000.

And, for four weeks after the procedure, Tank required medication by injection and in tablet form, all at further cost.

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“My son, on hearing this, was in tears.

He ran to his room, grabbed all his savings, and said: ‘You need to help Tank.’ So, we made the decision to have him treated.”

3. Labrador Tank at home. 4. Tank at home with Riley and Lachlan Bell. 5. Ashton, Kelly, Riley and Lachlan with Tank in the parklands.

He has maintained his balance and appears not to have ruptured either of his eardrums. But his routine now is a check-up every three months which comes at a cost of up to $380.

What the Bells have forked out to cover vet bills, in 2024 alone, has come to just under $10,000. And what Bell found a case of “crazy timing” was a phone call from Tina Hunt just 24 hours after the surgery on Tank.

Hunt had called to tell her about the idea, formation and purpose of Retired Police Dogs SA. “It was the day after we had just made this big decision to have a $7,000 procedure done,” she recalls.

“I just said to her: ‘Wow! That’s really good for the dogs.’

“We add up what Tank means to our family, and we pay what we can.

If we couldn’t have paid (for his procedure) up front, that would’ve been very stressful because that condition could’ve worsened and killed him.”

So, Bell and her family are solid supporters of the concept and establishment of the Hunt-inspired charity for retired police dogs.

“Even if it was just yearly vaccinations covered,” she says.

“If that was all our family received, that’s still very worthwhile. It’s a very, very good cause.”

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ELLY STILL WITH FORMER PARTNER

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olice dogs never actually want to retire.

Work is too much fun even for days off or annual leave. And the retired dog usually drops its head and looks clearly forlorn when it sees its handler head off to work with a new partner.

But 10-year-old black Labrador Elly settled into her non-work life “beautifully” in 2022.

From what her former handler and now carer, Brevet Sergeant (ret) Tony Potter could see, it was as if “she was ready” for retirement.

“If I was home all day, she was with me,” he says, “and she was happy. Initially, I thought: ‘Should I be doing something to stimulate her?’ But she didn’t need it.

“She was quite happy lying in the sun on the deck and going for walks with me and just hanging out with me and my wife.”

Potter and Elly had begun their working partnership in 2019. And, as with all Dog Ops partnerships, the two not only worked but also lived together.

So, when Potter came to retire after 12 years as a handler, and 21 years all up in policing, he was never going leave Elly behind.

“They go with you through so much,” he explains. “Whether that's a general dog (German shepherd) and all the hurly-burly, high-intensity stuff, or a drug or bomb dog.

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“We know through working with the dogs that anything can happen. It cost someone thousands recently for their dog that they loved.”

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You’re with them all day long so they’re your mates. They’re a part of the family.

“And there’s something about a Labrador. They’re great little characters. And because of the time you spend with them, training and caring for them, and because they live with you, their loyalty is through the roof.”

Elly retired, and remains, in good health. She handles a three-kilometre walk with ease and loves chasing a ball, although Potter is mindful of the impact of ball-chasing on her joints.

Still, no joint problems showed up in her most recent medical check-up.

Indeed, she emerged with a glowing report.

Potter has kept Elly on the same wellness plan she was on as a working police dog. It costs him around $40 per month.

“We get any first visit free,” Potter says. “Then, if there’s anything the vet has to do, that’s when the costs come into it.”

So, in Elly’s retirement, Potter has had no exorbitant vet bills to cover.

He feels “blessed” to have an older, former working dog in good health but knows that “that could change tomorrow”.

“We know through working with the dogs that anything can happen,” he says.

“It cost someone thousands (of dollars) recently for their dog that they loved.

“It went through some terrible medical problems which were extremely expensive. It wiped out a lot of their private savings and that was extremely sad to hear.”

And that is why Potter sees the establishment of Retired Police Dogs SA as a “wonderful initiative” and insists that Tina Hunt has “done a terrific job”.

But, unless Elly falls victim to injury or serious illness, and the cure requires many thousands of dollars, Potter does not intend to draw on the charity.

6. Elly with her former handler, Tony Potter.

7. Elly representing Retired Police Dogs SA during the City-Bay fun run. 8. At home on the deck. 9.

Relaxing indoors.

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“It's great to have it there,” he says, “but I'd be mindful of others who were in more need. If (with Elly) it was something I was financially able to take care of, I'd rather the funds go to those who really need it for larger vet bills.”

And that Potter generosity extends to the care of another dog beyond Elly’s time.

“Once Elly goes, that period of no responsibility might be nice,” he says.

“But the flipside is that I’d probably miss it (having a dog) terribly.

“So, if the dog unit reached out to let me know a handler couldn’t keep his or her retiring dog, I would certainly give it serious thought. Absolutely.”

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“I’ll just nurse him through the rest of his days. I think it’ll be a rapid decline with this thing.

I think maybe six or seven months is probably all he’s got.”

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Brevet Sergeant Neil Stevenson with Zeus.

he intensely sad reality for retired police dog Zeus, and those who love him, is that his time is limited. He has had just three months in retirement and might have only that same length of time to live.

Zeus, a 42-kilogram German shepherd, suffers from degenerative myelopathy.

The disease impacts on the spinal cord in dogs and causes progressive muscle weakness and loss of co-ordination. And it can take the life of a dog in as little as six months.

The first signs of degenerative myelopathy had appeared in Zeus late last year after he had recovered from an infection. He had broken into a run during a Dog Ops skills audit when his back end seemed to be “swinging around everywhere”.

It was clear to his then-handler, Dog Ops brevet sergeant Neil Stevenson, who would later take Zeus on in retirement. He now sees the effects of his dog’s condition every day. And the loss of sensation Zeus

“Big dogs tend to have joint issues and we do ask of lot of them in their working life.

They’re very physical and mobile, so things can happen, and big expenses do come up.”

suffers in his hind quarters is particularly obvious to Stevenson.

“When he runs around, his back end sort of floats around on its own,” he explains. “And he’s also worked out that he can’t physically jump into the car anymore.”

So, as Zeus can no longer jump, Stevenson has to lift him into the police car, in which he sometimes allows him to sleep.

“When I lift him down,” he says, “he almost goes into a sit (position). And then you can see him struggling to stand up and move off again.

“I took him for a walk last week and he only lasted about 10 minutes before he was pretty much done.

Moving around the backyard he’s getting slower too.

“He doesn’t feel any pain and there’s no treatment for it (his condition). So, it’s a matter of time and, when he can’t move anymore, we’re done.

“I’ll just nurse him through the rest of his days.

I think it’ll be a rapid decline with this thing. I think maybe six or seven months is probably all he’s got.”

Naturally, Stevenson finds the irreversible decline in Zeus hard to watch. The two began their working partnership in 2019 when Zeus was 10 months old.

So, Stevenson was never going to abandon his partner, a valued member of the family.

Although Zeus has settled into his non-work life, he was at first slightly confused when he saw Stevenson head off to work with a new dog. Now, however, he seems content to spend his days lying around in the backyard.

One of his companions at home is a Jack Rusell terrier, Poppy, with which he has no problems.

Another is a German shepherd puppy currently in training with Stevenson.

“Zeus is quite a good dog at home,” Stevenson says. “I still give him things to chew on and I spend time sitting with him outside.

“He hangs around while I’m doing the gardening so there’s still that interaction with him. I just don’t want him falling over and hurting himself.”

Stevenson speaks of Retired Police Dogs SA as “a brilliant idea” which he fully supports. But there are no costs the charity could cover for him. Life for Zeus is simply ebbing away. No veterinary treatment or medication is of any help to him now.

Of course, Stevenson is likely to take on another retired dog in the future and it, too, could come with a health problem. Were that the case, he would certainly consider the support of Retired Police Dogs SA. “German shepherds are notorious for health issues,” he says. “Big dogs tend to have joint issues and we do ask of lot of them in their working life. They’re very physical and mobile, so things can happen, and big expenses do come up.”

Spring 2024

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HAVOC IN THE COMBE FAMILY

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o Combe and her family are among the luckiest owners of retired police dogs. Their nine-year-old German Shepherd, Havoc, enjoys almost perfect health. His only physical issues are his somewhat ground-down teeth, his sensitive stomach, and a bit of stiffness after long walks.

If anything about him could qualify as a psychological issue it would be the same one that affects most dogs: thunderstorms.

But Havoc still came with the capacity to beguile prospective owners, just as retired Labrador Tank had with the Bell family. In fact, Combe and her family fell for Havoc before they had even met him. His photo had been enough to steal their hearts.

Combe and her husband found out about Havoc while out on a walk one day. They bumped into Dog Ops brevet sergeant Andrew Ludgate, whom they

knew through a family connection.

Talk came up about Havoc and his pending retirement, as well as his future need of a home.

Combe still remembers just how quickly she and her husband made their decision about Havoc joining the family.

“We continued on our walk that day,” she recalls, “and we said: ‘Yep, let's take him.’ We were looking for a dog and we decided then and there that, if Andrew would let us, we’d take him.”

But, at that point, Havoc still had a good chunk of his working life to fulfill. Indeed, a year had passed before Ludgate called with the news that Havoc was ready to retire. And he needed to know if the Combes still wanted him.

By then, Combe and her family had still not met Havoc but had at least seen photos of him. And they had remained desperate to welcome him into their family.

Says Combe: “Once Havoc had that retirement date, Andrew said: ‘We’ll start doing some meet-ups with him. You can get to meet him; he can meet you; and then we can make a decision from there.’

“But as soon as we saw him, we fell in love with him. We got him officially on July 1, 2022, so we’ve had him for two years.”

At first, it never took much to get Havoc excited. Just spotting members of the family was enough for him to charge toward them, enthused and panting.

“My husband had the first four weeks off at home with Havoc and he just followed him everywhere,” Combe says. “He was attached to him at the hip and just would not leave his side.

“But over the two years, he’s just become very relaxed. I think he’s settled into retirement, and we can actually cuddle him a little bit. He’s not the type to jump up on the lounge and cuddle with you but he’ll tolerate it.

“And he’s quite happy to have a sleep-in now in the morning and, at night, he settles quite happily after tea. He takes himself off to bed.”

In light of the good physical health Havoc enjoys, the Combes have not had to cover any eye-watering vet bills.

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“But if it came to his last chance, his only hope, then yes, I’d take the funding.”

10. Havoc enjoying some time at the beach.

11. Jo Combe and son Jarrad with Havoc in the parklands.

In his retirement, Havoc has only ever made around three visits to the vet for vaccinations and, once, a cut to his eye.

Naturally, Combe hopes that Havoc never needs complicated surgery or other treatment that costs thousands of dollars. But, even if he does, she will be reluctant to impose on Retired Police Dogs SA for financial help.

Her preference is to see the funding go to those in the greatest need.

“If I was desperate, and it meant life or death for Havoc, then I would probably take advantage of it,” she says. “But I would really try not to.

I would exhaust all other options.

“But if it came to his last chance, his only hope, then yes, I’d take the funding. Although, I’d try to pay it back at some stage as well.”

From the moment she first heard from Tina Hunt about the establishment of Retired Police Dogs SA, Combe guaranteed her “100 per cent” support.

That included tedious fundraising tasks like handing out flyers and stuffing envelopes.

“We’re definitely willing to help out,” she says, “because it’s a fantastic cause.”

PJ

Follow Retired Police Dogs SA on Facebook and Instagram.

All donations via the QR code go directly toward helping retired police dogs.

Spring 2024

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OTHER MEMBERS OF THE RETIRED POLICE DOGS FAMILY

Arnie

Farrah Georgie Zac

Lily Yoyo

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Police Journal

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Discover the TUCSON Hybrid today by visiting hyundai.com/au/tucsonhybrid.

Police Association Members are entitled to Hyundai National Fleet Pricing, contact your local Hyundai Dealer.

THIS IS THE LIGHT

IT WAS NEVER THE PLACE

BY BRETT WILLIAMS

SA cop John Hirst looked destined for employment oblivion until he connected with a transition programme which helped him into a brand-new civilian career.

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Police Journal

or the job in which severely injured motorcycle cop John Hirst thought he would end up working. A fly-in, fly-out role as a health and safety manager in outback South Australia, after 27 years in metropolitan policing, had seemed so unlikely.

But facility management company ISS saw value in Hirst, and his skills and experience, and took him on last December. Since then, he has called Far North mine sites Oak Dam and Carrapateena his workplaces.

Among his responsibilities at each of those sites are the health and safety aspects of workers’ accommodation and hospitality. At the Oak Dam site, an accommodation camp houses around 150 workers and, at Carrapateena, are rooms for more than 1,000.

Hirst, 51, is hands-on in the field where he observes and consults with the staff who maintain the accommodation. He checks for compliance with safe work practices and addresses problem areas.

“In regard to, say, manual handling, making up rooms, people are bending over, stretching, hyperextending,” he says. “So, you’re looking at those sorts of issues. How do we make the job better and easier but still make sure it’s safe and done to the expected standard?

“I go out and chat with the people and say: ‘How can we improve this?

What hazards are there? What controls can we put in place to eliminate them?’

“When I speak with them, I simply say: ‘I’ve gone home in an ambulance; I’ve been in hospital; I’ve been in rehab.’ I don’t want to see anyone else have to go out of a workplace in an ambulance.”

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Hirst had wound up hospitalized in 2017 after an on-duty crash on his motorcycle left him with devastating injuries. He lost an eye, fractured his skull and facial bones, broke his wrists, and tore his knee ligaments.

In the years that followed, Hirst worked slavishly to regain his status as a motorcycle officer but found SAPOL management endlessly and frustratingly indecisive about his future. Denied his old post, and others, he lost confidence, felt not valued, and could “see no light (at the end of the tunnel)”.

But, in early 2023, now-former Police Association president Mark Carroll called him to outline an opportunity.

He offered to connect Hirst with claims management company EML, which specializes in transitioning injured police officers into civilian careers.

It had run a pilot programme with the AFP and achieved a 60 per cent success rate as far as officers finding new employment opportunities.

The conversation with Carroll left Hirst to decide whether he would launch himself into what EML called its transition case management programme.

EML career coach Simon Bennett had worked extensively with injured AFP officers and New South Wales

police who were unable to return to their previous posts or employers.

“We help people with working out what skills they’ve got that are transferrable,” he says, “where they might add the most value and secure the highest salary.”

Coaching takes place chiefly online on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Among the tasks Bennett and others help clients with is assessing their transferable skills and rebuilding their confidence.

“We’ve got a suite of modules on a wide range of topics to help people with interview skills, résumé building, writing cover letters, responding to selection criteria,” Bennett explains.

“But there’s also (content) about wellbeing, adopting a growth mindset and how to react to change.

“Everything we do is tailored to the individual and what they want to achieve. It’s not about us trying to wedge somebody into a job where they’re not going to be happy. It’s about giving people the tools to secure a new position that’s going to be an interest to them, that’s going to be sustainable.”

A cautious Hirst took some time to think about involving himself in the EML transition case management programme. He concluded that, if he participated, he could establish the

“He told me about his work with military guys who had been either injured or looking to change (career) paths.

His credentials were out there then, and he kind of said: ‘Look, you're not the first person (to be injured) and this is what we can do.’ ” 1. The core processing dome at Oak Dam. 2. Hirst as he appeared in the Police Journal in 2019 (Post-crash indecision).

worth of the programme for himself as well as other injured SA police officers.

So, Hirst told Mark Carroll that he would “give it a run” and report back to him. And next came a call from Simon Bennett in March 2023.

“We had a bit of a chat,” Hirst recalls, “and it was almost like a counselling session – without it actually being a counselling session. He got some really good information out of me which, ordinarily, I wouldn’t put forward.

“He told me about his work with military guys who had been either injured or looking to change (career) paths. His credentials were out there then, and he kind of said: ‘Look, you're not the first person (to be injured) and this is what we can do.’ So, we started from there.

“I was worried about a lot of things at the outset because it brought up a lot of issues, like: ‘It’s a change. Am I prepared for this?’ ” Spring 2024

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3 4

“In lots of different roles and industries, though, it's common for people to underestimate the skills that they’ve (developed) …”

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5 6

Bennett well understood the trepidation in Hirst: he had not only worked with countless police officers but was also the son of one. So, to him, helping Hirst and others like him was, and is, personal.

“If you've been with the police for, say, 30 years, that's a big part of your identity,” he says. “In moving on from that organization, there might be a part of you that says: ‘Yeah, that's exactly what I need and want to do.’

But that's not the case for everyone, and then it's pretty daunting.

“In lots of different roles and industries, though, it's common for people to underestimate the skills that they’ve (developed) and the value of those skills to other employers.

“And somebody can try a new employer or a different career for six months or 12 months with a safety net. They can say: ‘That's not worked out for me; I can go back to my previous employer.’ But most people don’t need to.”

So, for the six months to October 2023, Hirst underwent the transition programme. Bennett observed a degree of scepticism in him at first but total openness later to “new ideas and approaches”.

Hirst still remembers their discussions in which he outlined his background, workplaces and experience. He found that it was just like “catching up and having a chat” but could, at the same time, see a clear structure to the programme.

Hirst soon learned that his police experience and transferrable skills could open many doors on the employment front. And a field in which he showed interest during the programme was workplace health and safety.

Says Bennett: “It wasn’t the core element of what he had done in the police, but we identified it as something to go for. We identified some qualifications he could achieve, and he ended up with an advanced diploma in workplace health and safety, along with a few other qualifications.”

Hirst, now equipped to take on a role completely divorced from police work, went on the lookout for job opportunities. He wanted work that

“It’s been a life-changer and a lifesaver. It gives you a sense of belonging and a sense of belief.” would afford him good rostering and a good work-life balance. These were benefits he could see in the fly-in, flyout mining industry, in which his son worked.

“I found a two-week-on, two-weekoff roster system which was ISS,” he says. “I thought that could work.

It would give me the opportunity to put in a good effort for those two weeks and assimilate into what I'm doing.

Then it'd give me two weeks to come back, reflect, and have some downtime.”

Hirst, with support from Bennett, prepared a résumé, applied for two positions and, after an interview, wound up with a letter of offer from ISS. His response to the opportunity came with great excitement but also a measure of apprehension.

“What if I don’t fit in?” he asked himself. “What if this job isn’t for me?

What if I’ve got an expectation that’s not going to be met? Have they got an expectation I can’t meet?”

But Hirst knows now, after nine months with ISS, that he need not have worried. He calls his job a “workplace hardening opportunity” and speaks of ISS account manager Mat Smith, and others, as “superb”.

“Mat was very understanding,” Hirst says. “In our initial conversation, I said: ‘Look, my ambition is to return to SAPOL in my pre-injury duties, or similar duties. Here’s a list of my injuries that I suffered as a consequence of the accident.’ He said: ‘I'm good with that.’

“I got the job pretty much there, on the spot, in that interview. I got sent off for my medical and, up there, they’re really accepting of what I can and can’t do. But there hasn’t been anything I can’t do up there, on a physical or mental basis.”

Always available to Hirst was a 12-week support programme which EML provides participants settling into their new employment after the transition programme.

From the success of the programme, Hirst and Bennett have emerged with great regard for one another.

“Simon is an absolute ambassador for EML,” Hirst says. “He’s a compassionate, understanding and consummate professional. And the EML programme is one that I highly recommend. It’s been a life-changer and a lifesaver. It gives you a sense of belonging and a sense of belief.”

Bennet insists that great credit belongs to Hirst for the way he overcame his scepticism and ultimately embraced the programme.

“We want to help people, and this (programme) is the best way we can do that,” he says. “To see John, with so much to offer, get back into the workforce and get his life back on track was fantastic. His new employers are obviously impressed with him, too.”

An ongoing contract with ISS remains in play for Hirst. He is yet to decide if he will apply to SAPOL for a further 12 months’ leave from December to continue working at the mine sites. The issue for him is whether SAPOL will allow him to return to his pre-injury duties, or similar ones.

Meanwhile, his advice to other physically or mentally injured police officers is clear.

“Where they see no light at the end of the tunnel,” he says, “this (programme) is the light.” PJ

3. The Oak Dam café and accommodation area.

4. The Oak Dam site. 5. Hirst (right) with colleague Josh Higgins on a rig operating in Oak Dam. 6. Outback twilight at Oak Dam.

See related cover story Post-crash indecision, Police Journal, August 2019

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Posthumous recognition for Jason “Doigy” Doig

BY NICHOLAS DAMIANI

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REVET SERGEANT JASON DOIG has been posthumously awarded both the SA Police Bravery Medal and the Leadership & Efficiency Medal.

The announcement came at a plaque unveiling for Brevet Sgt Doig, held at the police academy in early September.

Brevet Sgt Doig was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call-out at Senior in the state’s upper South East in November 2023.

He confronted an armed offender at the scene, along with Sergeant Michael Hutchinson — who sustained injuries — and Constable Rebekah Cass.

Brevet Sgt Doig was the first SA police officer in 21 years to be killed in the line of duty, and the 62nd member to have made the ultimate sacrifice since 1847.

The memorial plaque was positioned on the SAPOL Wall of Remembrance, while the medals were presented to members of the Doig family.

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Police Journal

Police chaplain Tim Klein spoke of the plaque as a fitting tribute to Brevet Sgt Doig’s actions of last November.

“For those who do stop, this will be a reminder of the bravery, the service and the sacrifice that Jason, along with other members of our police force, make in serving our community,” he said.

“Maybe for some, it will serve to encourage them in similar willing service for the sake of others.”

The death of Brevet Sgt Doig, 55, had been deeply felt, even beyond his immediate family.

His colleagues spoke of their devastation soon after he fell last year.

“There was immense sadness,” Yorketown brevet sergeant Mark Stuart told the Police Journal. “It became apparent very quickly that ‘Doigy’ had crossed paths with a lot of police officers and so his passing touched a lot of people.

“Everyone I spoke to was extremely saddened.

And there was anger as well because no one deserves that (to die in a shooting). He certainly didn't.”

Senior Sergeant First Class Simon Nappa spoke

of working closely with Brevet Sgt Doig at Port Lincoln in the late 1990s.

He recalled that, when there was a need for support on the front line, Brevet Sgt Doig was “always there, always by your side, ready to back you up if things got heated”.

Police Association president Wade Burns, who had written about the lasting impact of the Doig death (Police Journal, autumn 2024), attended the plaque unveiling.

“I wish there had never been the need to unveil a plaque,” he said. “If only deaths in the line of duty were not a reality we have to face.

“But we operate in the real world, just as Jason did, so we do have to face up to the ultimate sacrifice in policing. And, for most of us, it’s just not possible to do that without each other’s support.

“My regard couldn’t be any greater for the mental and emotional strength I’ve seen in not only the Doig family but also our members.

“And, as for Jason, he deserves every credit and honour we can bestow upon him. He will live on in our hearts and memories.”

Brevet Sgt Doig began his police career as a 19-year-old with Course 32 in 1989. Among his postings were Unley and Christies Beach patrol bases, Port Lincoln, Cleve, and Robe.

In 2011, he took up his last post as OC of Lucindale police station.

Jaydn Stimson, who is charged with the murder of Brevet Sgt Doig, remains in James Nash House and is seeking a mental incompetence defence. PJ

1. Police Association president Wade Burns lays a wreath at the unveiling. 2. The plaque in remembrance of Jason Doig. 3. The Doig funeral cortege on King William Road last December.

Images 1 and 2: Andrew Challen, courtesy SAPOL. Image 3: Steve McCawley

“… he deserves every credit and honour we can bestow upon him.

He will live on in our hearts and memories.”

2

Awards and recognition – Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig • • • • • • • • •

SAPOL Service Medal 20-year clasp to the SAPOL Service Medal National Medal First clasp to the National Medal National Police Service Medal 30-year clasp to the SAPOL service medal SAPOL Emergency Response Active Service Medal South Australia Police Bravery Medal South Australia Police Leadership & Efficiency Medal

3

Spring 2024

31

Letters

E-mail your letter to the editor to editor@pasa.asn.au

Course 16 to reunite Course 16 was started in late March 1966. It was drawn from reserve cadets who were approaching, or had celebrated, their 17th birthdays and, in this case, our birthdays ran from mid-January to mid-April.

The greater proportion of our course entered Fort Largs police academy on either December 29, 1965, or January 4, 1966, which was before the introduction of decimal currency.

Course 16 was the second course to start in 1966, following Course 15 in January, Course 17 in late June and Course 18 in late September.

Each course numbered around 25 to 30 cadets.

The three-year course would end as those who had successfully completed it were turning 20 and were eligible to be sworn in as probationary constables.

The three years were divided into five phases.

The first phase of nine months at the academy was live-in Monday to Friday, learning the basics of those statutes to be used on the road, plus marching – courtesy of instructor Fred Knight – physical fitness training, equestrian and anything else that was deemed suitable to knock us into shape.

First phase cadets wore green shoulder tabs which pretty well summed up what we were.

Sergeant Max Wagner was in charge of the stables and equestrian training at the academy.

Horses I remember were Ashen, Vicuna and Warrego. They had retired 32

Police Journal

from active duty. I was well aware that the horses trained us.

The second phase of nine months was spent living away from Fort Largs and operating out of various postings within headquarters at No. 1 Angas Street. These included Firearms, Radio Ops and Modus Operandi.

Third nine-month phase was again a live-in arrangement. The rubber really hit the road then and was far more intense in all aspects.

This group wore blue shoulder tabs.

Fourth phase was six months and again spent out of the academy.

Postings were mainly to country headquarters and their satellite stations but this, for two members of the course, included Oodnadatta.

Fifth and final phase was over three months and was very intense.

Red tabs and lanyard, peak caps and every conceivable activity to thoroughly prepare us for postgraduation.

Course 16 graduation day came and 30 newly minted probationary constables were released on an unsuspecting public and, as they say, the rest is history.

Just to add to the drama, we were very aware that the national service ballot was looming large in the near future.

There were no women in any of the courses except for around 10 who were sworn in after completing a truncated course. None of them were included in our formal graduation.

We acknowledge Superintendent ECS Meldrum.

And Sergeant Gordon Hore, Inspector Wally Budd, Instructor Norman Dawes, Sergeant Max Wagner and Instructor Fred Knight persevered with, at any given time, around 225 16- to 20-year-olds.

We are now 75 years old, and time moves on.

For those interested, I have pre-booked the Hoopman Room at the Vine Inn, Nuriootpa, from 11am.

Payment for food and drinks will be as you go. Partners are welcome.

Available dates in November are 6, 7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24.

Most preferred date wins.

Jon Richards 0427 400 215 rondar@adam.com.au

Behaviour never seen before Never in police circles have I seen the kind of behaviour which has played out in the recent weeks and months.

It has come in the form of self-serving attacks on nowPolice Association president Wade Burns.

It reached its zenith when, as a non-member of the association, Darren Cornell made his star appearance on the A Current Affair programme. He had by then lost his bid for the presidency and his association membership.

How could Cornell, who was now a twice rejected candidate for elected office within the association, decide to go anywhere near what was a vile ACA hit piece?

I wondered when it became acceptable for a police officer to help a colleague be attacked on primetime national television – or anywhere else in the mainstream media.

I wondered if our ethos as a police family had truly come to this. I feared that, if it had, we would eventually see the death of our renowned camaraderie and respect for one another.

And that, of course, could well give way to a substitute culture in which serving oneself, even at the expense of mates, would be the standard.

Cornell had already tried to secure political advantage by demonizing Wade during the election campaign for president with his comments to The Advertiser and on social media.

Police don’t expect candidates for high office within their union to campaign meekly. Campaigning can, and should, be robust but this surely crossed the line.

To play the man rather than the ball, Cornell had to go seven years into the past to drag out an old, finalized internal police matter.

But the information he so boldly and repeatedly broadcast was, and is, subject to the confidentiality provisions of the Police Complaints and Discipline Act, not that that seemed to trouble Cornell.

I trust that the Police Association committee and delegates will keep Cornell barred from association membership. It would not be in the interests of either the union or its members to readmit him – or anyone else whose behaviour is destructive rather than constructive.

And whether aligned with Cornell or not, other members and non-members have also acted destructively throughout the whole anti-Wade saga. To me, this sort of disloyalty and misjudgement is staggering and ought to be condemned.

Those who have worked against the interests of their fellow association members must be held accountable.

Then there is the former tabloid journalist and now MLC, Frank Pangallo, who cuts a sad, irrelevant figure in his upper-house seat.

Under parliamentary privilege, he has regurgitated the details of grubby allegations against association officials.

And, of the matters behind those allegations, he has virtually zero personal knowledge.

He took no steps to fact check the information provided to him or even speak with the people that he was about to attack. He was happy to simply impugn people's character and integrity from his safe haven within Parliament House.

Pangallo’s charade should be called out for what it is: political grandstanding.

The media has also played its role in this saga from day one. The Advertiser has been only too ready to publish whatever vicious allegations it was given.

Reporters need not wonder why the association and the targeted officials are less than enthusiastic to respond to requests for comment. I hope that, unless by miracle we enter a new era of fair and balanced reporting, those officials continue to refuse to comment.

Call me old-fashioned but I believe in the concepts of democracy and free and fair elections. And that’s what association members got with the election of Wade Burns as president.

Even as I edge closer toward the end of my career, after more than 41 years in policing, I still care about positive outcomes for other members.

My advice to association members is not to buy into this madness and other anti-association movements. To anyone with ideas of replacing Wade, and that could only be with a novice, I can only say: good luck. You’ll need it.

Guy Buckley Superintendent Spring 2024

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Critical Incident Response Industrial staff on call 24/7 and ready to support you

A S S O CI A

TI

S

OU

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OF

A

P

ICE

ON

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T H AU S T R

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POLICE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Working for you P: (08) 8212 3055 (all hours) www.pasa.asn.au

Steve Whetton Assistant Secretary Police Association

INDUSTRIAL

Accurate remuneration not too much to ask F

ailings clearly exist insofar as communication between SAPOL and Payroll/Shared Services. The Police Association is frequently informed of them and how they impact on members’ receipt of appropriate remuneration.

In a letter to SAPOL in July, the association highlighted failures in applying rank salary increments upon anniversary and appropriate allowances under the 2021 enterprise agreement (clause 21).

In one case, a member was entitled to progress to brevet sergeant level 6 on his anniversary of appointment in 2021. Correspondence with SAPOL confirmed this entitlement which was not implemented.

Increment progression remuneration recognizes and financially rewards members for their lengths of service and is a vital element of staff retention.

Another member was promoted to the rank of sergeant (June 2023) and, to date, has not been paid the sergeant general-duties allowance under the 2021 enterprise agreement (clause 21). Another allowance created to retain and attract experienced general-duties supervisors.

Correspondence between the member and SAPOL confirmed the entitlement.

These matters have been referred to Shared Services for escalation.

The ongoing staffing crisis intensifies the impact of the failure to remunerate members appropriately.

In a letter to SAPOL in May, the association indicated that, under the Enterprise Agreement 2021 (clause 18), a member had received the rotational

shift allowance for long-term patrol officers (RSA-LTPO).

But SAPOL representatives advised the member that the payment should have ceased owing to the inability to conduct the full span of shifts.

Of concern, is that those representatives have indicated that the member will receive an overpayment from Payroll/ Shared Services because the member is only working a two-week roster as opposed to a four-week roster. The overpayment backdates to March 2023.

The SAPOL public transport policing model (2019) indicated that district public transport policing teams (PTPT) had a sergeant and 14 ordinary ranks working a four-week roster.

Owing only to the staffing crisis, this particular district PTPT was reduced from a four-week roster to a two-week roster consisting of a sergeant and six ordinary ranks.

SAPOL response (July) indicated that the rosters have been amended and now meet the RSAPTPOA requirements and that it is seeking further advice as to whether an overpayment is required.

The association wrote to SAPOL in April 2020, after the implementation of the district policing model. The letter concerned the eligibility of district public transport policing teams (PTPT) for the RSA-LTPO. In its response two months later, SAPOL indicated that the payment of the RSA-LTPO would be extended to response members who received the allowance before the implementation of the district policing model.

SAPOL must ensure that it has robust humanresources software and good communication with Payroll/ Shared Services.

Only in this way can it ensure appropriate remuneration and earn employees’ confidence.

In the Enterprise Agreement 2021, the Rotational Shift Allowance for Long Term Patrol Officers (clause 18) was modified to include the district public transport policing team: 18.2.2 (a) be allocated and working an approved indicative roster which requires the employee to rotate through shifts which cover 7 days a week, and which cover a full 24 hour cycle, or (b) be allocated and working in a shift work position within a Response Team or District Policing Team or Public Transport Policing Team where the employee is required to work an indicative roster that rotates through more than two shifts (i.e. combination of day shift, afternoon shift and night shift); and 18.2.3 have completed a minimum of eight cumulative years working in a uniform general duties position that has worked a 24 hour rotation.

Further review of the criteria for the rotational shift allowance for long-term patrol officers should, as Police Association president Wade Burns has indicated, take place during the current round of enterprise bargaining.

The responsibility to staff roster lines rests with the SAPOL executive, not the member.

Members require the accurate and consistent remuneration to which they are entitled to address cost-ofliving increases and other pressures.

The association strives to attract and retain members. SAPOL must ensure that it has robust human-resources software and good communication with Payroll/Shared Services. Only in this way can it ensure appropriate remuneration and earn employees’ confidence.

Spring 2024

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H E A LT H

Dr Rod Pearce

Not even South Australia free of mpox M

onkeypox, now known as mpox, is a viral disease caused by infection from the mpox virus. It is part of the same family of viruses that cause smallpox.

A resurgence of cases has occurred in Australia this year. SBS reported on September 2 that, as of August 29 this year, Australia had recorded 353 cases of mpox.

This is more than double the number during the global outbreak of 2022 when Australia recorded 144 cases, which peaked in August and then declined.

Three locally acquired cases have come to light in SA this year but none in 2023. During the 2022 global outbreak, however, two cases were reported in SA. The spread this year has been associated with an increase in women, and in turn their children, suffering the virus. Mpox can pass to the foetus via the placenta during pregnancy.

Patients initially presenting with mpox in 2022 were mainly men who had sex with men. However, anyone who has close contact with someone who is infectious can catch mpox, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease, which means it can spread between animals and humans. Historically, it has mostly occurred in the tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa but has spread to other regions.

The first case of mpox in Australia was reported in May 2022 before a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance was declared.

Most cases in Australia this year have been acquired within our borders and a small number have been in people who were fully vaccinated.

Signs and symptoms of mpox infection can include a distinctive rash and lesions (bumps that turn into pimples, blisters or sores and might burst to form ulcers or scabs).

Protection after full vaccination (two injections) seems to be very effective for two years but declines with time, or if a person is immunocompromised.

Still, mpox illness is usually mild and people typically recover from it within a few weeks.

Signs and symptoms of mpox infection can include a distinctive rash and lesions (bumps that turn into pimples, blisters or sores and might burst to form ulcers or scabs).

The disease is usually associated with swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, and joint pain like other viral illnesses.

The rash goes through different stages before forming a scab and falling off. It can appear as lesions which vary in size and number from as little as a single lesion to several thousand.

The lesions look like blisters, like chickenpox but larger. It can be a painful rash and rash/symptoms begin five to 21 days after exposure to the virus.

Anyone with mpox is thought to be infectious from the time he or she develops symptoms until all scabs have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This might take several weeks.

Within four days after first exposure to mpox, a vaccination can provide a high chance of avoiding the disease.

The transmission is with direct and close contact with rashes, blisters or sores on the skin and body fluids, including respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. The virus lasts for a short while on linen and towels and can be transmitted through contaminated objects.

People who have mpox should isolate themselves from others until the sores

fully clear and members of the household should avoid physical contact with the infected person. This includes any objects, such as linen or towels, which have been in contact with that person.

Careful hand and respiratory hygiene are important for the infected person and everyone in the household. Simple washing of hands with soap and water is effective to remove the virus as is alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Mpox is diagnosed with a simple swab and subsequent confirmation by laboratory testing.

It is generally a self-limited infection.

Most cases will not require specific treatment other than supportive management or treatment of complications, like antibiotics for secondary cellulitis. If more severe, antiviral therapy should be initiated.

Spring 2024

37

Pricing Alfa Romeo Tonale hybrid Ti $49,990, Hybrid Veloce $56,400, Veloce PHEV Q4 $77,500 (all plus ORC).

Power/ Ti and Veloce hybrid variants performance 118kW power, 240Nm torque, 0-100km/h 8.8 seconds. Veloce PHEV Q4 208kW power, 270Nm torque, 0-100km/h 6.2 seconds.

Fuel and Hybrid models 55-litre tank, emissions 5.6 litres/100km, 129 g/km (C02).

PHEV Q4 42.5 litre tank, 1.5 litres/100km, 34g/km (C02).

Standard All models – wireless phone features charger, dual-zone climate control, power tailgate, Tom Tom 3D satellite navigation, DAB+ audio, ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety Six airbags, auto high beam, front and rear parking sensors, driver-assistance and crashavoidance technologies.

Warranty/ Five-year unlimited-kilometre service warranty, eight-year 160,000km battery warranty, service every 15,000km or 12 months.

Jim Barnett

MOTORING

Honda CR-V The new sixth-generation CR-V offers a perfect balance of spaciousness, performance, handling, technology and safety, according to Honda.

Six petrol variants come with either five or seven seats and FWD or AWD (model dependent). These run a lively 1.5-litre (140kW/240Nm) turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a CVT automatic transmission with manual mode.

Topping out the model list is CR-V e:HEV RS (hybrid) which runs a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine coupled to two electric motors, one to deliver power to the wheels and the other to act as a generator. Combined output is 152kW with 335Nm of torque.

Slightly larger than its predecessor,

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Police Journal

new CR-V features a bold new grille with narrow LED headlight assembly.

An athletic profile reveals roof rails (most models) a shark-fin antenna and powered tailgate with lip spoiler.

Inside is comfortable seating for five or seven in two or three rows.

All models score an eight-way poweradjustable driver’s seat and, with the exception of VTi X, a powered passenger seat with seat heaters.

Second-row seats are roomy enough for adults and feature 60/40 split fold and recline functions.

All models score a wireless phone charger, one USB-A, three USB-C ports, and two 12-volt sockets. Central is a nine-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation (except VTi X), DAB+ radio, Android Auto and wireless Apple

Perfect balance

DESIGN AND FUNCTION CarPlay. It’s hooked to eight speakers with premium models featuring a 12-speaker Bose system.

New CR-V scores well on safety: all models feature 10 airbags, Honda’s Sensing safety system with a full suite of crash-avoidance and driverassistance technologies, front and rear parking sensors, multi-view camera, driver-attention monitor and tyrepressure monitoring.

DRIVING The top petrol spec VTi LX is rewarding to drive. Its dash layout includes splashes of woodgrain while its 10-inch LED instrument cluster is clear and easy to read. Honda has fitted switchgear for air conditioning

Alfa Romeo Tonale

Ti and Veloce hybrid each feature a 1.5-litre turbo petrol four and modest 15kW electric motor driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dualclutch transmission.

Veloce PHEV Q4 has a 1.3-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine coupled to a 90kW electric motor, driving all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

All models feature plenty of tech, including Level 2 Autonomous Driving and Alfa Connected services with the ability to operate and monitor car functions from a smart phone.

Alfa Romeo has taken the name of the Italian mountain pass Tonale for its hybrids as it enters a new era of connectivity and electrification.

Released in Australia in 2022 were Tonale Ti and Veloce hybrid models and, in late 2023, the more powerful Tonale Veloce Q4 PHEV (plug-in hybrid).

A small, sporty-looking five-seat SUV, Tonale stands out in a crowd.

Up front is an unmistakable Alfa grille and innovative 3+3 Matrix LED headlights. Unique five-circle 18-, 19- or 20-inch (model dependent) diamond-cut alloy wheels feature along with a sloping roof line and stylish LED tail-light assemblies.

Tonale has a comfortable interior with sufficient room for four adults.

Its 60/40 rear seat features a ski pass (for long items) and easily drops to enhance cargo space.

and volume controls eliminating the need to troll through menus.

The driving position is commanding and the driver’s seat comfortable.

Push-button start features along with a small sporty steering wheel fitted with paddle shifters for manual gear shifting.

The spirited 1.5-litre turbo four has plenty of get-up-and-go. It’s smooth and relatively quiet until pushed hard. Highway cruising is effortless as is overtaking. Ride quality is good and cornering never feels awkward.

New era

DESIGN AND FUNCTION

DRIVING Sporty on the inside, Tonale is very driver-focused. Its small, leatherbound sports steering wheel feels good and includes various function buttons including the start button.

A customizable 12.3-inch instrument cluster provides a myriad of information.

Central is a 10.25-inch touchscreen with easy-to-navigate menus. Alfa has

included switchgear for climate and audio functions and a stubby gear selection lever has a manual mode with big paddle shifters on both Veloce models.

In the default (Normal) drive mode, Veloce hybrid can feel a little docile off the line shifting quicker as revs build.

Selecting Dynamic (Sports mode) makes a big difference, providing faster throttle response and the ability to rev higher in each gear.

By contrast, Veloce PHEV is much quicker out of the blocks. Selecting Dynamic drive mode makes this car very engaging to drive. Fully charged, it’s capable of up to around 60km of silent EV driving, with its petrol engine only coming online when the battery is depleted or harsh acceleration is required.

Steering tends to be quite light and the ride relatively smooth in the default drive mode. Selecting Dynamic firms the steering. The ride is much firmer and cornering sharp.

Pricing Petrol variants from $44,500 (VTi X five-seat FWD) to $57,000 (VTi LX five-seat AWD), Hybrid e:HEV RS $59,900.

Cargo space Seven-seat models 150 litres (all seats in use), 472 litres (third row folded) and up to 1,488 (rows two and three folded), five-seat models between 581 and 1,671 litres.

Towing Five-seat up to 1,500kg, seven-seat up to 1,000kg and Hybrid up to 750kg (braked towing).

Fuel All models have a 57-litre tank and use 91 RON unleaded fuel, petrol variants combined fuel economy between 7.1 and 7.7 litres per 100km and Hybrid 5.5 litres per 100km.

Warranty/ Five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, eight-year battery warranty (Hybrid), servicing servicing every 12 months, 10,000km or when oil monitor light illuminates (whichever comes first).

Spring 2024

39

Low Rate Car Loan Same Day Money^ “I’ve been given some very good advice about how I can manage my accounts a lot better, which has led to me saving a lot of money on my home loan.”

It’s easy, apply by 10am and have the money by 5pm.

PLATINUM MEMBER BENEFIT

NO PACKAGE FEE* SAVE AN EXTRA $295

Above: Alex and Nicole Thomson receive a $10,000 cheque from Paul Modra

Call 1300 131 844, email us at platinum@policecu.com.au, head to policecu.com.au/platinum or visit a branch.

Police Credit Union Ltd (PCU) ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending criteria apply. Full details upon request. All information is current as at 08/07/2023 to 01/12/2023 and subject to change. Minimum loan amount of $20,000. New Lending only. PCU reserves the right to withdraw or amend product features at any time. ^ Same day money: Conditional approval and funding valid business hours only Monday to Friday if applications are submitted prior to 10am with required identification and information documents.

Please refer to the Car/Personal Loan Required Documents List. Please consider if the product is right for you. *No further discounts apply.

ADVERTORIAL

Future-proof your finances D

o you find yourself staring at your bank account wondering where your money has gone? With the rising cost of living, it’s important to stay on top of your banking, expenses and budget so you know exactly what to expect when you open your accounts.

Understanding your financial position means you can set goals and create strategies to maximize your money now and into the future.

A regular financial health check or a Your Money Plan conversation at Police Credit Union could benefit you.

Track your spending There’s rarely a day that goes by that we aren’t tapping our wearable device, phone or card, be it buying our morning coffee, petrol on the way to work or a chocolate bar to help with the afternoon slump. While these amounts might seem small each time, it’s important to track these expenses so you can understand where your money is going.

The best way to start tracking your spending is by reviewing your transactions with Online Banking or your Banking App or check your monthly account statements. This will give you a great idea of where you are spending your money, and where you could be saving.

Analyse your services such as utilities, internet, insurances to determine whether you’re getting the best possible value for money.

TIP: check for regular payments you’ve

forgotten about, like that streaming subscription you don’t use anymore.

Creating an effective budget helps you allocate your income towards necessary expenses, savings and discretionary spending, ensuring that you can live within your means.

Budget By gaining an understanding of where your money is going, you’ll be able to create a budget. Creating an effective budget helps you allocate your income towards necessary expenses, savings and discretionary spending, ensuring that you can live within your means.

Regularly reviewing it will help you stay on track and adjust as needed to accommodate changes in your financial situations. For example, swapping purchased coffees or lunches with homemade options.

To get you star ted, visit policecu.com.au/calculators and use our Budget Planner calculator.

Inputting your earnings and expenses will show you how much you are spending not only weekly but also annually and what’s left over for savings.

Make sure those savings are sitting in a high-interest savings account to maximize your money. Police Credit Union has a range of savings accounts with no monthly accountkeeping fees, with some that reward bonus interest. Visit our website to find out more.

TIP: do you have an offset account linked to your home loan? Most Police Credit Union variable home loans are eligible for a free offset account, which allows you to offset up to 100% of your loan, reducing the amount of interest you pay on your loan.

Optimize your interest rates Conducting a regular financial health check is a great way to review your current interest rates. Consider exploring refinancing options to lower your interest and pay off your loan faster.

If you don’t have a home loan with Police Credit Union, hop onto our website at policecu.com.au and use our Home Loan Calculator to compare your current interest rate to our Low Rate Home Loan Special Offer to see if you could be saving.

TIP: consider changing from monthly repayments to fortnightly to reduce the amount of interest you pay over the life of your loan.

Manage and reduce debt A financial health check gives you the opportunity to review any debt you might have, particularly if you have a high-interest credit card. Reducing this debt could help you increase your savings and improve your credit score.

Continued page 54 Spring 2024

41

Free Legal Service for Police Association Members, their families and retired Members.

Leading Adelaide law firm, Tindall Gask Bentley is the preferred legal services provider of the Police Association, offering 30 minutes of free initial advice and a 10% fee discount.

To arrange a preliminary in-person or phone appointment contact PASA on (08) 8212 3055

CRIMINAL & DISCIPLINARY • All criminal matters • Intervention orders • Internal investigations (misconduct/discipline) • Coronial Inquiries (deaths in custody)

• • • •

Commissioner’s Inquiries Significant Incident Investigations ICAC (corruption) investigations Reviews of workplace decisions (suspension, admin orders, working restrictions)

Luke Officer

Daniel Weekley

Gary Allison

Amber Sprague Denise Abfalter

Hanna Rogers

Kevin Raison

PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS • Work injury compensation • Motor vehicle accident injury compensation

• Public liability • Income Protection and Superannuation (TPD) claims

FAMILY & DIVORCE Matrimonial, De Facto and Same-Sex Relationships • Property settlements • Children’s issues

• Child Support matters • Pre-nuptial style agreements Dina Paspaliaris Rebecca Zanol

Isabelle Russell

Sarah Mitchell

Michael Arras

Lauren Roberts

Lauren Roberts

Sam Michele

Caitlin Shervill

WILLS & ESTATES • Wills & Testamentary Trusts • Enduring Powers of Attorney • Advance Care Directives

• Advice to executors of deceased estates • Obtaining Grants of Probate • Estate disputes

BUSINESS & PROPERTY • General business advice • Real estate & property advice

• Business transactions • Commercial disputes

Adelaide | Reynella | Salisbury | Gawler | Mt Barker Murray Bridge | Port Lincoln | Mannum | Whyalla Perth (WA) | Darwin (NT) | Brisbane (QLD) 42

Police Journal

tgb.com.au | (08) 8212 1077

Sam Michele

Scarlett Grose Associate Tindall Gask Bentley Lawyers

LEGAL

Legally binding property settlements M

y marriage or de facto relationship has broken down. Why should I seek a legally binding property settlement?

As a family lawyer, I am asked this question all the time, and there are four very compelling reasons.

Prevent your ex from “double dipping” If you and your spouse or de facto partner (your ex) separate and you agree to divide your assets informally (without a legally binding property settlement), there is nothing preventing your ex from making a claim against you to obtain further assets in the future.

There are no informal agreements or "handshake agreements" in family law. Informal property settlements are not binding.

Protect your future wealth If you do not formalize your property settlement so that it is legally binding, the other party might have an interest in the assets you obtain in the future.

For example, you and your ex might have a house, two cars, nominal savings, and some superannuation at the time of separation.

Say your financial circumstances improve post separation, because: • Your income increases.

• You receive inheritance from a deceased estate.

• You combine your assets with the assets of a new partner.

• You win the lottery.

Then your ex might decide to resurface and make a claim on the

assets you hold at the current time, rather than what you had at the time of separation.

This generally happens if you are (or are perceived to be) in a better financial position than your ex.

A legally binding property settlement provides you with the security you need to protect your future wealth.

Stamp duty exemptions If you formalize your property settlement so that it is legally binding under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), there are stamp duty exemptions.

This can save both parties a significant amount of money.

Peace of mind Once you have a legally binding property settlement in place, you can move on from your past relationship with clarity about your financial circumstances.

This will allow you to plan your life, and to take steps to build your personal wealth without fear.

A legally binding property settlement A legally binding property settlement can only be achieved by an application for consent orders and a minute of order, or a binding financial agreement.

These can both be attained by seeking advice from a family lawyer.

Statutory declarations, handwritten agreements, or other agreements are not enforceable in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

There are no informal agreements or "handshake agreements" in family law.

Informal property settlements are not binding.

Legal advice If you have gone through a separation and are yet to formalize your property settlement, it is important that you seek advice from a lawyer who specializes in the area of family law.

I offer an initial 30-minute free appointment, which can be conducted in person or over the phone.

During this appointment, I will explain the process of obtaining a binding property settlement to you, and I will give you a breakdown of the legal fees to reach an agreement.

At our first appointment, I can also assist you with any children's matters which might have arisen from the breakdown of your relationship.

Please contact our office on (08) 8212 1077 to organize an initial appointment with me. I look forward to working with you to finalize your family law matter.

Spring 2024

43

BOOKS

Buckham's Bombers Mark Baker Allen & Unwin

The untold story of one of the finest Australian air crews in World War II, and one of the most dangerous missions of the war in Europe.

Bruce Buckham was captain of one of the finest Lancaster crews in World War II. The Australians were famous for their exploits in the air and infamous for their hijinks on the ground.

Buckham's crew flew night after night against heavily-defended targets in Germany – including during the Battle of Berlin, the bloodiest campaign of the war for Australians.

But their biggest and most dangerous operation was yet to come. The greatest battleship ever built, and the pride of Hitler's fleet, lay in a remote fjord in Norway's far north.

Time and time again, Tirpitz had evaded her hunters while continuing to threaten vital Arctic convoys and, by late 1944, her destruction was a top priority for Churchill.

Because of their exceptional skills and bravery, Buckham's crew was hand-picked for the dramatic raids that finally sank The Beast.

Journalist Mark Baker tells for the first time the full story of one of Australia's most highly decorated World War II pilots and his crew.

Win a book, an in-season movie pass or a DVD! For your chance to win a book, an in-season movie pass (courtesy of Wallis Cinemas) or a DVD, send your name, phone number, work location and despatch number, along with your choice of book, movie and/or DVD to giveaways@pj.asn.au

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Police Journal

Storm Child

Michael Robotham Hachette Australia

The most painful of Evie Cormac's memories have been locked away, ever since she was held prisoner as a child – a child whose rescue captured hearts and headlines.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven's mission is to guide her to something near normality.

But today, on a British beach, 17 bodies wash up in front of them. There is only one survivor, with two women still missing. And Evie's nightmares come roaring back.

Whatever happened all those years ago lies at the core of this new tragedy. Because these deaths are no accident. The same dark forces are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm.

Evie must now call upon Haven's unique skills, and her own, in their search for the missing pieces of this complex and haunting puzzle. But will that be enough to save them?

And who will pay for the past?

The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop Neil Mercer Allen & Unwin

Roger Rogerson and Neddy Smith continue to exert a powerful fascination for the Australian public. Our most notorious corrupt policeman, and the drug importer and murderer that he protected and enabled, led interwoven careers that were truly stranger and more compelling than fiction.

Their multiple crimes were committed against a backdrop of a changing Australia from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, as Australia's social fabric stretched to adapt to a more global world, and money – and drugs – poured into the country.

In New South Wales, police, judges and even the media were up for sale, and Rogerson and Smith were the princes of this violent new world.

A compelling crime novel, The Kingpin and the Crooked Cop is filled with colour, violence and inside stories the public hasn't seen or read before.

Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel

Sophie Green Hachette Australia

Mornington Peninsula, 1999. Wife and now grandmother Joan has checked into the grand old Duchess Hotel to find herself again, after 35 years of being who her husband and family have wanted her to be.

Peninsula local and soon-to-be octogenarian Frances is distracting herself from getting old and avoiding her self-interested son.

Her daughter, Alison, is trying to manage significant disruptions at home while hoping to prove finally to her mother that she's just as worthy of love as her brother.

Hotel maid Kirrily is struggling to balance bills and work and family, and keeping thoughts of how there must be more to life.

With its old-world glamour, the Duchess Hotel might just be the place to help the women rediscover who they are and bring some spark back to their lives.

When Joan decides to pick up a brush and start painting for the first time in decades, she inspires Frances and Kirrily – and, eventually, Alison – to join her.

They will learn that new friends can give you the courage to live life on your own terms.

Spring 2024

45

BOOKS

CINEMA

The Protector

Tony Park Pan Macmillan Australia

Professor Denise “Doc” Rado is South Africa's expert on pangolins, busting poachers and, in elaborate undercover stings, freeing the endangered anteaters.

After a risky operation backfires, Doc's life is shattered, but she still has to lead an eclectic group of donors on a wildlife tour of southern Africa.

But there's a target on her back.

As the safari ventures deep into Africa, Doc fears they're being followed and she will do anything to keep them all safe – especially Ian Laidlaw, a handsome Australian businessman turned accidental philanthropist.

Is Doc being hunted by the poachers she once fought, or is there some other bloodthirsty predator prowling the wilderness?

Venom: The Last Dance Released October 24

Sheltered

Melody Horrill Ultimo Press

Sheltered explores the power of love between people and their adopted animals, and how those individual animals have changed and enriched people’s lives.

There’s Kaylee the kelpie cross who had been mistreated so badly she’d lost all trust in people before a family’s love, patience and devotion restored her faith in herself and humanity.

Marvin, rescued from a violent home as a kitten, who became an unlimited source of joy for his human family but amazingly also a carer and “guard cat” for puppies and pregnant horses.

Ollie, a timid staghound, transforms into an outgoing “goofy pooch” who inspires his human rescuers to help other animals in need.

And a pony, Creature, who becomes a hero for horse welfare and proves to his rescuer that happy endings happen, even against the odds.

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Police Journal

Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy.

Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo is forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie’s last dance.

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock), Juno Temple (Dr Payne), Peggy Lu (Mrs Chen).

The Wild Robot Released September 19

The Wild Robot follows Rozzum 7134 (“Roz” for short), a futuristic robot that washes ashore on a deserted island. A tale of survival and discovery begins when she becomes the unexpected protector to an orphaned gosling, which she names Brightbill.

Together they struggle to survive the harsh environment, and only succeed with the help of a close-knit group of misfit animals, who become first friends, then family.

Ultimately, Roz and company save the island from a robotic invasion by Roz’s manufacturer, looking to bring her back to civilization by any means necessary.

Cast: Catherine O'Hara (Pinktail, voice), Mark Hamill (Thorn, voice), Bill Nighy (Longneck, voice) Lupita Nyong'o (Roz, voice), Ving Rhames (Thunderbolt, voice).

Joker: Folie à Deux

Released October 3

Faile d come dian Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated in Arkham State Hospital.

Upon his release, the two of them embark on a doomed romantic adventure.

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix (Arthur Fleck), Lady Gaga (Harley Quinn), Zazie Beetz (Sophie D umond), Br endan Gleeson (Arkham), Steve Coogan.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Released September 5

Three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life soon gets turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter discovers a mysterious portal to the afterlife.

When someone says Beetlejuice's name three times, the mischievous demon gleefully returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

Cast: Willem Dafoe (Wolf Jackson), Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), Monica Bellucci (Delores), Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz), Jenna Ortega (Astrid), Danny DeVito (Janitor).

Spring 2024

47

DVDs

Babylon Berlin Series 4 564 minutes, $34.95

Series four is set in 1930s Berlin, just after the Golden Twenties culminated in the global stock market crash and the Great Depression – and the Nazis’ march to power is in full swing.

The story centres on detective Gereon Rath (Volker Bruch), and his ambitious colleague Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries).

As Gereon’s investigations lead him into the boxing milieu – and politically, uncomfortably close to Hitler’s militant supporters – Charlotte risks her job to help her homeless sister, who roams the streets of Berlin with a group of young peers, fighting for survival.

Complete set, series 1 to 4, for giveaway.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live 300 minutes, $39.95

The love story between Rick and Michonne. Changed by a world that is constantly changing, will they find themselves in a war against the living or will they discover that they too are the walking dead?

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Police Journal

ON SCENE

Graduates’ Dinner: Course 69/2023

1

2

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SkyCity SouthWest Suite June 15, 2024

1. Kellie Dennis and Tommy Newberry.

2. William Smyth and Shanaya Matthews.

3. Jessica Hill and Chantelle Reed.

4. Kai Tamakuni-Keast, Daniel Jagla and Oliver Williams.

5. Connor Furness and Jaycob Page.

6. Luke French and Lauren French.

7. Birdie Inns, Dylan Smith and Kayla Cox. 8. Gerald Jones and Gemma Dixon.

9. Mankirat Singh and Chand Madaan.

4

6

5

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Graduation dinners are sponsored

by Health, Wealthy and Wise

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9

ON SCENE

1

Graduates’ Dinner: Course 70/2023

2

3

4

SkyCity SouthWest Suite July 13, 2024

1. Jayden and Kayla Lefevre.

2. Matthew Jury.

3. Tamara Johns and Cody Connor.

4. Rosi Reschke and Vince Scotland.

5. Craig and Amy Gurskis.

6. Hannah Midgley and Shannon Osborne.

7. Luke Gray, Joshua Clark and Matt Demey.

8. Brianna Buckley and Ryan Highet.

9. Bridget Fabbro and Ryan McNiell.

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6

7

Graduation dinners are sponsored

by Health, Wealthy and Wise

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Police Journal

8

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Graduates’ Dinner: Course 71/2023

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SkyCity SouthWest Suite August 10, 2024

1. Taylor Andrews, Luke Young and Chloe Cleasby.

2. Luke Butler and Alexandros Kokkinoplitis.

3. Seth O'Shaughnessy and Lucy White.

4. Celia Haumesser and Josh Thompson.

5. Sophie Jones and Kyle Oxlade.

6. Sophie Sharpe and Sophie Burns.

7. Tiffany Warne.

8. Mitchell Kraemer and Sarah Norton.

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Spring 2024

51

The Last Shift

For the full version of The Last Shift, go to PASAweb at www.pasa.asn.au

Senior Sergeant 1C Kym Laube

James Blandford Andy Brewer Phil Clague Ricky Dixon Kym Laube Andrew Mensforth

State Operations Support Branch 43 years’ service Last Day: 16.06.24

Detective Superintendent James Blandford EMR 44 years’ service Last Day: 24.07.24

Comments…

“I thank the association for its work over the past 44 years in gaining better pay and conditions for police. If there is one issue I hope both the association and SAPOL resolve, it is the equitable staffing, structure of, and attraction to, country policing.

“Holistically, country police and their communities have for too long been on the backburner, but the effects of crime and feelings of safety continue to be impactful because of isolation and vulnerability.

“Country policing has an amazing connection with its community, and it has been the greatest highlight of my 44 years to have served the Far North, Mid West and Murray Mallee communities.

“I thank all the amazing people I have worked with, and for, over the years. You are magnificent and have been such great company and generated so many laughs and incredible work efforts.

“The South Australian community is generally well served by its police, and I wish only the very best for the forthcoming generations to keep up with the demands on them.

“My thanks always to my wife, children and family for their support over the years.”

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Comments…

“As I reflect on my career, I look back with thanks for the opportunities that working for SAPOL presented me.

I have really enjoyed my work and, at times, actually couldn't wait to get to work to start my shift.

“The uniqueness of policing can expose you to horrific incidents but also you get to see (if you look) the great things about humans and life.

The job provides excitement, boredom, frustration, pressure and laughs.

“I was lucky to work with fantastic colleagues. I had great support and camaraderie at every posting that I worked at.

“Being a street copper was exciting and interesting, but I grew as a person when I was lucky enough to be successful in winning a position at STAR Force.

“At this posting I was exposed to a wide variety of exciting activities and jobs. I witnessed great leadership, accountability for performance, friendship, support, persistence, courage, work ethic, confidence, being positive, not fearing failure, teamwork and communication skills.

“This part of my life probably had the most profound influence on who I have become.

“To all my bosses and supervisors: I thank you for your support and guidance. Those people do not get recognized enough and I know the difficulties of managing the needs of the organization as well as supporting the individual circumstances of our staff. Some of you I view with the utmost respect and admiration.

“To those who have worked alongside me: I thank you for the laughs, the chats, the beers and getting the job done.

“There are those who I have worked with who have had my back. To those people: you are the greatest and I thank you so much for what you have done for me.

“I also thank SAPOL and its leadership.

The job constantly changes, and I accepted early on in my career that change was a constant.

“I commenced as a young man who has grown to be a more empathetic and understanding person who is aware of the complexities and difficulties that many in our society face. This was due to the education and exposure that I was presented with during my career.

“Finally, to the association: knowing that your support was available was reassuring.

I thank you for your advocacy for better pay and conditions and may this continue.”

Sergeant Ricky Dixon

Operational Safety Training Team 37 years’ service Last Day: 01.07.24 Comments…

“My 37 years in the job have had the expected ups and downs creating some great memories and friendships.

“I thank the association for its ongoing efforts to assist members and wish those still serving every success and happiness for the future.”

Sergeant Andy Brewer

Christies Beach Station 43 years’ service Last Day: 25.07.24 Comments…

“I thank all the past and present members of the association for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring the pay and conditions that we have today.

I will happily become a retired association member.

“I thank all members at my last posting, South Coast LSA, for their comradeship and support. I continue to admire their dedication and professionalism. Look after yourselves and keep fighting the good fight.

“Of the members of Course 77 from 1981, some moved on to other careers over the years, some are retiring as well, and a couple soldier on. You always have my friendship, love and respect.

“I have enjoyed my police career immensely, and the great times far outweigh the difficult. But it's time to hang it up. Bags is base complete. All the best and kind regards.”

Sergeant Phil Clague

Sturt police station 19 years’ service Last Day: 07.06.24 Comments…

“I am eternally grateful to both SAPOL and the Police Association for affording me the opportunity to live in South Australia.

I was one of the very first UK recruits to take the plunge back in March 2005.

“I haven’t looked back and consider it one of the best decisions I have ever made.

It was difficult transitioning over to SAPOL after working for almost 11 years in one of the largest police forces in Britain.

“I remember my interview with (then) Inspector Linda Williams telling her that the one square mile I worked in, in Liverpool centre, had more robberies in one month than the whole of South Australia had in one year.

“I was expecting South Australia to be a lot quieter than my old stomping ground.

I found that was not the case as I have had the opportunity to experience a swathe of different situations while in SAPOL. “In January 2012, I was promoted to sergeant and won a patrol supervisor position at Murray Bridge. After one week there, I was tasked to an airplane crash at a small airfield outside Murray Bridge.

I had to clarify with comms what a 901 was (I had never heard of it).

“While at Murray Bridge, I had to run my team, the front station, the cell complex, manage several outstations and perform

numerous other duties such as audits, property and the impound shed. I took on a new appreciation of what it meant to supervise people and the complexities that go with it.

“I then transferred to the city and did a six-month stint at the watch house. I had a great time there and later ran teams at Grenfell Street for more than five years.

“I then moved to Netley DPT and later finished off my career at Sturt police station front counter.

“Other than two years in CID in the UK, I have been a uniformed street cop.

I take off my hat to every front-line sergeant as I believe the sergeant role is one of the most difficult and stressful within the organization.

“I also believe that uniform patrols are the solid foundation of any police force and, without that foundation, the organization would crumble into chaos.

“So, to you my brethren, I give my humble thanks for the years of support, laughs and extraordinary times I have experienced alongside you all.

“I wish you all the best and promise to shout at the TV when you are criticized for doing a job that few people understand and appreciate.”

Brevet Sergeant Andrew Mensforth

Telecom Interception 43 years’ service Last Day: 14.08.24 Comments…

“I started at the police academy on June 11, 1981, and have been fortunate to have met and worked with many wonderful people over the past 43 years, and it has been a great ride.

“I thank the members of Course 77 and all the people I have met and worked with throughout the years.

“I also thank my family for their tolerance and understanding while I completed this incredible journey.

Now it is time to spend more time with them and enjoy the wonders of life.

“Finally, I also thank the Police Association for its continued fight to make things better for all members.”

Spring 2024

53

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Police Credit Union Ltd (PCU) ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. Terms, conditions, fees, charges, lending and membership criteria apply. Full details upon request. All information is correct as at 06/08/2024 and is subject to change. PCU reserves the right to withdraw offers or amend product features at any time. The results from these calculators should be used as a guide only. Results do not represent a recommendation, quote or pre-qualifications for the product. Information such as interest rates quoted and default figures used in the assumptions are subject to change. Please consider your own circumstances and the Information Statement available from Police Credit Union. PCU does not give financial planning advice. PCU only gives advice in relation to basic deposit products (including term deposits), non-cash payment facilities, general insurance products and credit products which are issued or distributed by PCU itself. Any advice given is based on information you have given PCU and information PCU already holds about you when the advice is given (e.g. your PCU account information). You must ensure the information you give PCU is accurate and complete. If it is not, the advice may be based on inaccurate or incomplete information about your objectives, financial situation or needs. You must therefore assess whether it is appropriate, in the light of your own objectives, financial situation or needs, to act upon PCU’s advice.

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A S S O CI A

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Owing to a Supreme Court decision, the Police Association no longer uses the GLI beneficiary forms. Existing forms held at the association have been destroyed.

Now, in the case of the death of a member, the GLI benefit (currently $300,000) will be paid to his or her estate.

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54

Police Journal

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Police Credit Union Ltd (PCU) ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending criteria apply. Full details upon request. All information is current as at 02/11/2022 and subject to change. PCU reserves the right to withdraw or amend product features at any time. Please consider if the product is right for you. *No further discounts apply.