Blueprint magazine Issue 2 2019

Blueprint SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE MAGAZINE

Driving home

the road safety message CYBERCRIME | FINGERPRINT BUREAU MISSING PERSONS | OPERATION PARAGON

2019, ISSUE 2

Blueprint SOUTH AUSTRALIA POLICE MAGAZINE

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Fingerprint Bureau

Community engagement:

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Road safety

> Staff profile:

Denis Sljivic

> Crime trend:

Cybercrime

> Case study:

Serina Amos manslaughter

> Operations:

Operation Paragon

© Copyright South Australia Police 2019

2019, ISSUE 2

From the Editor

Content

Our people:

Blueprint is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License .

SAPOL is also leading the way on cybercrime, by taking a proactive approach in dealing with the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving cyber environment and substantial growth of digital consumerism. This is highlighted by the recent establishment of the 90-member Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch which equips SAPOL with the investigational and analytical resources required to respond to the growing trend of crimes linked to mobile and electronic devices.

Also in this issue, we visit the Fingerprint Bureau and uncover the extensive knowledge, study, technical skills and meticulous work required to provide fast and reliable forensic evidence for investigations.

The fifth birthday of the MultiAgency Protection Service is another focus, with the nationally-recognised team making significant inroads into reducing the incidence and impact of domestic and family violence in the community. We then meet Brevet Sergeant Denis Sljivic and discover his incredible journey as a refugee who fled his Bosnia and Herzegovina homeland during the height of the brutal Bosnian War before eventually creating a successful new life for himself in Adelaide.

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t has been a devastating time on South Australia’s roads this year with more than 70 people killed and over 350 seriously injured.

SAPOL is confronting this sombre reality with consistent and highly visible enforcement of the ‘Fatal Five’ and educating the community.

SAPOL’s commitment to reducing road trauma is also exemplified through targeted media campaigns to influence positive behaviour and decision-making by South Australian road users.

Just like road trauma, illicit drug use is taking a devastating toll on communities, particularly in regional areas, with around 83 per cent of the state’s drug consumption being methamphetamine. SAPOL is at the forefront of the Joint Agency Ice Strike Team, an Australian-first initiative targeting the supply and distribution of methamphetamine in South Australia. The team is already achieving success in shutting down clandestine drug laboratories and dismantling local drug trafficking rings.

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• MATHEW RODDA

ISSN 1448-1855 Editor and writer: Mathew Rodda Editorial team: Assistant Commissioner Peter Harvey, Superintendent Christine Baulderstone, Karina Loxton and Mathew Rodda.

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Designed and printed by: Graphic Print Group

Photos: SAPOL Photographic Section; Serious

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COVER Senior Constable First Class Thewodros Wondimu conducts a breath test on a motorist.

Photo: Ian Myers, SAPOL Photographic Section.

and Organised Crime Branch; Forensic Response Section; Port Augusta CIB; Brevet Sergeant Denis Sljivic; South Australian Police Historical Society; Shutterstock.

Blueprint is produced by SAPOL’s Awards, Marketing and Events Branch, Police Headquarters, GPO Box 1539, Adelaide 5001 Internal Postcode: 120 Tel: 08 732 23294 – Fax: 08 732 23289 Email:dlpolicegazette@police.sa.gov.au

Views and opinions expressed by contributors within this publication are not necessarily those of South Australia Police, the Commissioner of Police or the Government of South Australia. Articles, photographs and other contributions are welcome from every SAPOL employee.

SAPOL treats Indigenous cultures and beliefs with respect. To many communities it is disrespectful and offensive to depict persons who have died. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are warned this publication may contain such images and references.

THIS PUBLICATION IS PRODUCED ON PAPER FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS AND PRINTED USING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEGETABLE BASED INKS BY GRAPHIC PRINT GROUP.

Despite our suite of enforcement and educational strategies targeting the ‘Fatal Five’, we are constantly frustrated by irresponsible road users.

Commissioner's foreword After such a significant reduction in the road toll in 2018, we are faced with more people dying on our roads, far in excess of the targeted reduction we were hopeful of achieving.

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espite our suite of enforcement and educational strategies targeting the ‘Fatal Five’, we are constantly frustrated by irresponsible road users. It must be acknowledged that most road users drive safely but everyone is susceptible to becoming complacent and making poor decisions.

In fact I believe one of the biggest issues impacting on driver behaviour is complacency – something that affects many people who probably consider themselves safe road users. We are on our roads so much, that the expectation of being involved in a serious injury collision or a fatal crash seems remote.

None of us head out thinking we are going to be killed, kill someone else, end up with – or cause – life-changing injuries. Complacency leads to poor decisions with potentially devastating consequences.

As you will see from our story on page five, reducing road trauma is driving our agenda more than ever as we seek to do our bit to keep our roads safe.

Targeting those factors we know contribute to crash risk is vital and as a result we have run an intensive enforcement campaign, Operation High Impact – F5, focusing on the ‘Fatal Five’, across the state in an effort to make road users think about their behaviour on our roads and to create conversations with people they care about regarding the consequences such bad decisions can have.

The State Government has also increased fines for speeding well above the limit; using mobile phones while driving; and drink or drug driving and I hope this acts as another deterrent.

The State Budget for 2019-20 also gave us the green light for a number of our major initiatives. Implementation of Stage 2 of the District Policing Model is underway and we will move to the new model in March 2020. This additional funding will enable us to restructure our frontline general duties in a way that will see a greater number of uniform members during times of peak demand. These changes will contribute to our commitment of providing a highly visible and accessible police presence across the

metropolitan area. The new District Policing Teams will be modelled on our successful Neighbourhood Policing Teams featured on page 10.

Another newly funded initiative soon to rollout is the new Security Response Section (SRS), enhancing our counter-terrorism capability.

The SRS will provide SAPOL with a rapid response capability by pre-deploying specially trained officers equipped with additional tactical options to areas of higher risk such as major events and crowded places.

Full implementation is scheduled for June 2020.

In closing I want to acknowledge Sergeant Darryn Conroy and his Police Dog (PD) Ice who both retired in July. I was honoured to

present Darryn with the SAPOL Leadership and Efficiency Medal (pictured above) for his services to Dog Operations Unit over 26 years. Darren is nationally recognised as an expert in this field and has trained over 30 members as handlers and more than 100 operational dogs, including six of his own.

PD Ice, who will remain with Sergeant Conroy as a family pet, was deployed 240 times, apprehended 39 offenders and cleared 153 offences. It is rare for a dog handler and his charge to retire at the same time and I want to commend them both for their exemplary service to the community of South Australia.

• GRANT STEVENS, COMMISSIONER BL UEPR IN T IS S U E 2 ~ 2 0 1 9

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> OUR PEOPLE

THE FINE PRINT TO SOLVING CRIME

First used as a law enforcement and forensic tool in the early 1890s, fingerprints continue to have an excellent reputation as a positive means of identifying persons of interest in police investigations.

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round 9000 fingerprints are submitted to SAPOL’s Fingerprint Bureau each year, resulting in an annual average of 1800 fingerprint identifications, with some relating to multiple prints. Suspects account for an estimated 1400 identifications, with the remainder mainly being complainants.

According to the Officer in Charge of Fingerprint Bureau, Senior Sergeant

Brevet Sergeant Steven Gresch studies fingerprints on tenprint cards. cards

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Darren Bails, fingerprints are still the fastest and most reliable source of forensic evidence.

“With a large searchable database of more than 5.8 million people, and turnaround time of potentially minutes, fingerprints are your best option for a quick response and robust forensic evidence,” he said.

“You generally have to be at the crime scene or handle an item to deposit a fingerprint so it’s a significant part of the investigative process.”

The introduction of the Forensic Register and data entry via mobile rugged tablets has transformed the way the Bureau operates and supports investigators.

“This has enabled officers to send fingerprints from the scene while the crime scene investigators are still there,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

“Potentially we can have identifications returned and uploaded to the Shield

system while still at the scene.

“We have recently had cases where we provided an identification and had investigators out searching for the suspect within 90 minutes of us receiving the job.

“Before the Forensic Register and digital cameras, we had an average turnaround time of 11 days for metropolitan Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Units and 27 days for country.”

At a recent incident at Payneham South, an offender broke into a property and stole firearms and jewellery.

Their fingerprints were uploaded during the night resulting in an identification within three hours of the team commencing work in the morning. All stolen items were located later that day, with the suspect presenting at a police station seven days later where they were arrested.

“At a number of jobs we have released our identifications quickly so investigators have the suspect’s name and can allocate resources to immediately commence the investigation process,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

The Fingerprint Bureau has also adopted a ‘fast track’ process, where each day CSI Section select up to five overnight jobs that have good evidence of high probative value, are part of a crime series or are high profile incidents that require urgent attention.

“These jobs are prioritised, with the aim of a 48-hour turnaround, which we are currently exceeding with an

average of one day,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

“The Bureau has also changed the way it handles the backlog of jobs by working on the most recent ones first. This has received positive feedback from investigators, with the faster provision of information leading to early arrests and the disruption of recidivist offending.

“We’ve gone from historically having a backlog peaking around 700 jobs in 2016, some up to a year old, to close to zero at times in recent months. This means we are processing volume crime jobs in real time.”

FINGER ON THE PULSE The 16-member team, featuring seven full-time fingerprint experts, two part-time retired experts and five trainees, performs a broad range of functions.

They attend crime scenes, run training for crime scene

Around 9000 fingerprints are submitted to SAPOL’s Fingerprint Bureau each year, resulting in an annual average of 1800 fingerprint identifications.

Brevet Sergeant Steven Field examines an exhibit for fingerprints with UV light after it was treated with cyanoacrylate fuming and florescent staining. Photos: SAPOL Photographic Section.

or mottled surfaces are problematic as they interfere with the ridge flow of the print. This makes it difficult to search for comparisons on the NAFIS database,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

“The Bureau’s lab contains a range of chemical treatments to use on different surfaces to enhance prints, such as super glue for non-porous surfaces like plastic bags and Amido Black dye to detect prints in blood at crime scenes.”

Some of the most common items examined for fingerprints include plastic bags (for drug cases), firearms, knives and ammunition, along with paper items, such as receipts, letters and magazines.

“Our lab also receives exhibits that are biohazards but still need to be treated, like paper with faecal matter on it, and sex toys,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

“Another challenging task is comparing digital images of hands and fingers where the suspect is holding drugs or firearms, and also where they have been involved in child exploitation and photographed their hand close-up holding something or someone.”

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

investigators and trainees, provide statements and testimony in court, and attend the mortuary to identify deceased people.

The Bureau also runs a lab where exhibits are examined for fingerprints. However, tenprint data – finger and palm print images collected from individuals – and latent searching are the team’s most common tasks.

“Latent searching involves searching a finger or palm print recovered from a crime scene against the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) database. Each identification must be verified by additional experts prior to the result being released to investigators,” Senior Sergeant Bails said.

“We also check and index all tenprint cards that come in for arrested people and for civil purposes such as security clearances and visa applications. These are all searched across the NAFIS database, which occasionally

produces an identification against an unsolved print or an existing case.

“The success of our identifications is purely dependent on the quality of the tenprints taken on Livescan or via ‘wet ink’.

Taking fingerprints may be perceived as a mundane task but it’s absolutely critical to the investigative process.”

Unlike the TV shows where fingerprints are easily picked up on any item, the type of surface plays a crucial role in the quality of fingerprints.

“Anything smooth and non-porous is the best for fingerprints but textured

Fingerprint Bureau supervisor Sergeant Steve Potts says the team’s main job is to make the unseen visible.

“This requires a range of chemical treatments, imaging devices and light sources to examine an array of items,” he said.

“It is a challenging work environment as examiners cannot afford to make mistakes with identifications.

Furthermore, as a mid-size Bureau without distinct roles, team members have to be across all roles within the unit and also deal with the constant demand of clearing the backlog of jobs.”

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> O X XXX UR PEOPLE: FIN G ER P R I N T B U R EAU

Jennifer Ince identifies latent fingerprints via the NAFIS database.

BELOW: Brevet Sergeant Steven Field conducts chemical treatment of a porous paper exhibit.

BOTTOM: Tenprint cards. Photos: SAPOL Photographic Section.

Despite technology leading to vast improvements in the Bureau’s work, an individual’s skill is still paramount.

Since joining the Fingerprint Bureau in 2012, Sergeant Potts has gained valuable experience across roles in the chemical lab, latent processing and as a tenprint technician. Despite technology leading to vast improvements in the Bureau’s work, he believes an individual’s skill is still paramount.

“Eyes and a magnifying glass are ‘old school’ but sometimes still the best method for examining prints.

Nothing beats a human to compare prints, no matter how good a database’s matching algorithms are,” Sergeant Potts said.

“The inherent skill of a fingerprint examiner is being able to quickly see the patterns in a print and comparing that to other prints for possible matches, and then looking deeper into the print to compare some of the finer detail.

“This skill takes years to develop and is the ‘X factor’ in being a fingerprint examiner.”

It takes around four to five years to become a certified fingerprint expert.

“This involves extensive onthe-job training while studying a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Investigation

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(Fingerprints) before undertaking a stringent final assessment,” Sergeant Potts said.

“Once certified, fingerprint experts must undertake a yearly proficiency test and a five-yearly recertification process which was introduced this year by the Australasian Forensic Science Assessment Body.

“They also need to maintain a sound knowledge of contemporary issues in forensic evidence and keep track of court cases involving fingerprint evidence.”

Becoming proficient requires countless hours of analysing prints and being able to see the minutiae in them and then comparing prints to find a match.

“It still amazes me to see the comprehensive work and expertise demonstrated

by Bureau members in comparing and identifying fingerprints,” Sergeant Potts said.

“It isn’t another extension of normal policing – it is a totally new field involving a huge amount of knowledge, study, technical skills and meticulous work that needs to be learnt.” 

> COMMUNITY ENGA GEM ENT

DRIVING HOME THE ROAD SAFETY MESSAGE Diving with sharks, base jumping, conquering Mount Everest – these are some of the riskiest activities in the world that only the brave tackle. Many of these daring pursuits typically come with intensive planning, mandatory training and safety

checks, protective equipment, and usually after signing a waiver of some sort. All a testament to the risks involved.

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et for most of us though, getting behind the wheel of a 1-2 tonne projectile travelling at speed is one of the riskiest things we will ever do, however we do it every day, in all sorts of conditions with little more than a seat belt as protection, and giving little thought of the risks or consequences if something was to go wrong.

Officers target one of the ‘Fatal Five’ – drink and drug driving. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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> COMMUN ITY EN G AG EM EN T : R O AD SAF ET Y

Whether it’s a false sense of invincibility, ignorance or plain apathy, most motorists are essentially playing Russian roulette when they take to the roads. And sadly the odds have not been good this year. More than 70 people have died on the state’s roads to date, compared to 45 at the same time last year, which is a trend that is frustrating police nationally.

Over the past 30 years South Australia has seen a substantial reduction in the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by road crashes. However, there is still a long way to go to achieve the target of zero road deaths – the aim of South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy 2020.

“Road crashes cause grief, suffering and loss to not only the immediate family and friends of the victims, but to the entire community. The effects last long after the scene has been cleared and the physical wounds have healed,” said the Officer in Charge of Traffic Support Branch, Superintendent Bob Gray.

“While road safety is everyone’s responsibility, SAPOL is pressing hard to drive down the trauma on our roads by tackling it on two fronts – enforcement and education.

“We focus heavily on the enforcement of the Fatal Five – the five biggest contributors to fatal and serious injury crashes – those being drink and drug driving, speeding, distraction, seat belts, and dangerous road users.”

Between 2016 and 2018, 266 lives were lost and 2015 people suffered serious

SAPOL is pressing hard to drive down the trauma on our roads by tackling it on two fronts – enforcement and education.

injuries as a result of crashes on South Australian roads.

The leading cause of fatalities was drink/drug driving (87 deaths) followed by speeding (38) and seat belts (35), with 172 of the 266 fatalities occurring in regional areas.

“We recently launched the South Australia Police Road Safety Strategy 2019-20 which sets out a clear vision for preventing death and serious injury on South Australia’s roads,” Superintendent Gray said.

“SAPOL is committed to building a holistic community responsibility towards road safety. We aim to achieve this by improving existing collaborations and building new working relationships with other road safety stakeholders and the community.

“Every road crash is avoidable therefore it is essential that police, government and the public work together to to reduce the suffering on

our roads.”

SAPOL’s annual corporate road safety initiative, Operation Safe Roads, plays an essential role in improving road safety by integrating education and public information campaigns with consistent, highly visible enforcement.

“A broad range of road safety operations are being conducted throughout the year focusing on road users in both metropolitan and regional areas,” Superintendent Gray said.

“There has been an increase in operations relating to speed and inattention as recent crash analysis has highlighted these as the primary contributing factors in fatal crashes.

“We also continue to focus heavily on intelligenceled deployments based on evidence and target recidivist road users that are creating dangerous situations on our roads.”

SAPOL recently conducted Operation Home Safe, a month-long state-wide campaign aimed at enforcing road safety legislation, educating road users and increasing driver awareness of road trauma and its impact on the entire community. During the operation police issued 1615 expiation notices, 817 expiation cautions and 460 vehicle defects, and recorded 483 detections for drugs and 287 for alcohol.

Sergeant Jane Tan conducts a random breath test. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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SAPOL has also united with The Advertiser to conduct the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign aimed at reducing the road toll and serious injuries between now and the end of the year. The targeted media partnership aims to encourage greater community buy-in to the need for safe driving behaviours and vigilance.

“The campaign’s focus is on highlighting the human cost of every serious road crash,” Superintendent Gray said.

“This includes the families and friends of those seriously injured; the emergency workers affected by the incidents; and the doctors, counsellors and physical therapists, who often spend years helping to rehabilitate victims. There is also a strong focus on the life-long education we undertake.

“Leveraging all available resources and adopting a multi-disciplinary approach enhances our ability to reduce the incidence and severity of road trauma.”

ROAD SAFETY – A LIFE-LONG LEARNING EXPERIENCE Effective enforcement is crucial – but it is only one part of a multi-layered road safety program. Education and training also plays a vital role.

In the last financial year, Road Safety Section conducted 1039 training sessions, educating and promoting road safety messages to approximately 74 800 people from diverse age, cultural and regional demographics. Around 9000 school children attended the Road Safety Centre to learn the crucial first steps in becoming confident and safe road users.

“SAPOL’s road safety programs are innovative, free and focus on the Fatal Five,” said the Officer in Charge of Road Safety Section, Senior Sergeant Susan O’Connor.

“They are tailored for vulnerable road users including young people,

seniors, country, Indigenous and new arrivals. There are also programs for cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and heavy vehicle drivers.

“Our road safety educators develop and apply research findings, in conjunction with road safety research bodies, to ensure that best practice principles are used to achieve road safety benefits.”

Public education is also at the forefront of SAPOL’s inaugural podcast highlighting the distress caused to all those affected by a fatal crash. Launched in June 2019, the first in the ‘Fatal Five True Stories’ podcast series featured the story of 18-year-old Nicholas Holbrook whose life was tragically cut short in a crash on West Lakes Boulevard, West Lakes on 11 June 2009. Nick was a passenger in the vehicle driven by his friend Phillip who survived the impact with only minor injuries.

“It is a confronting and compelling podcast with Nick’s parents speaking openly about their loss and the ongoing pain they still experience 10 years after the crash. Phillip also shares his anguish in learning that he had killed his mate from Nick’s father while he was in hospital,” Senior Sergeant O’Connor said.

“Narrated by Sergeant Peter Benn, the podcast also includes insights from SAPOL members who attended the fatal crash scene and audio from police radio transmissions and triple zero calls.”

The podcast has been wellreceived with more than 2360 plays. It is currently available for streaming via SoundCloud (where it’s hosted), Spotify, iHeartRadio, Stitchr and TuneIn, and can be added manually to Apple Podcasts.

“Podcasts are trending right now and this is a new way for SAPOL to be engaging directly with road users.

SAPOL will be developing more stories suitable for podcasts to build on the

success of the first one and further promote road safety to South Australians,” Senior Sergeant O’Connor said.

With young drivers being over-represented in road toll statistics, SAPOL will be expanding its already prominent role in the annual Schoolies Festival at Victor Harbor by funding this year’s free bus service.

“SAPOL, under the Safer Journeys umbrella, will be the principal partner. The Schoolies Festival Safer Journeys Bus Service will provide safe transportation for participants throughout the event and minimise the risk of young drivers putting themselves or their friends in vulnerable or potentially life-threatening situations on the road,” Senior Sergeant O’Connor said.

“Our partnership with Encounter Youth will build on last year’s success when there were more than 22 000 boardings on the free bus service.

“This contributed to there being no reported serious injury or fatal crashes, and zero drink or drug driving detections, involving school leavers in the Fleurieu Peninsula region during the Schoolies Festival.” 

ABOVE: The promotional image for the Nicholas Holbrook podcast.

BELOW: Senior Constable First Class Rob Grinter educates children at the Road Safety Centre. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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> COMMUN ITY EN G AG EM EN T : R O AD SAF ET Y

Creative ways to change road behaviour O

n 1 July SAPOL assumed the crucial role of road safety campaigning, with some of the extensive knowledge and expertise of the Motor Accident Commission (MAC) joining SAPOL to form the Media Road Safety Unit (MRSU).

Established at a devastating time on South Australian roads, the unit is responsible for producing mass media and digital media campaigns aimed at influencing positive behaviour and decision-

making by South Australian road users.

“Bringing this road safety campaign capability into SAPOL puts us in a better position to integrate and leverage our operational, enforcement and educational capabilities in tackling road trauma,” said MRSU Manager Richard Blackwell.

The first campaign delivered by SAPOL is a regional safe driving campaign, acknowledging that in the first half of 2019

nearly 65 per cent of fatal crashes occurred on our state’s regional roads.

Launched in July, the ‘Think About Who You’ll Leave Behind’ campaign is being communicated on 59 billboards throughout South Australia, and across metropolitan and regional television, regional radio, regional press and online.

“The campaign is based on research conducted amongst regional drivers that identified some drivers

THINK ABOUT WHO YOU’LL LEAVE BEHIND. Slow down.

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let their behaviour slip when they’re driving by themselves, thinking “I’m only risking myself”,” Mr Blackwell said.

“The campaign aims to make these drivers think twice before making a bad decision by pushing them to think about those who will be hurt, even if they’re not in the crash – their children, partners, mates and all loved ones.

“Post-campaign tracking after the campaign was first introduced indicated that 84 per cent of respondents felt that the campaign made them consider how family or friends would be impacted if they were harmed in a crash.”

Such research plays a crucial role in road safety campaigns.

The campaign aims to make these drivers think twice before making a bad decision.

A motorcycle officer provides a strong visible presence on a country road. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

“A great deal of research is done up front to craft a message so it’s relevant to the people who we actually need to see it,” Mr Blackwell said.

“If you want to change behaviour, you need to understand the behaviour – that doesn’t mean permissiveness, sympathy or turning a blind eye but, in simple terms, understanding the touch points of your customer.”

‘Think About Who You’ll Leave Behind’ follows on from the ‘MateMorphosis’ and ‘Bromance’ road safety campaigns which also targeted regional driving.

The two campaigns were based on thorough research focusing on country residents in their own homes, front bars and footy clubs in

regions across the state.

“The research identified a reluctance to speak up when a mate was about to make a bad decision on the road that could have a devastating impact on that community, so we gave mates the language and tools to intervene without feeling awkward,” Mr Blackwell said.

“The result was two memorable campaigns that, love them or hate them, people still talk about today.

“Campaign analysis found that 60 per cent of respondents said ‘MateMorphosis’ encouraged consideration to intervene while ‘Bromance’ built on this to 75 per cent. This was particularly strong as no message or intervention like this had been delivered before.”

You can view a range of road safety campaigns on the SAPOL website at www.police.sa.gov.au/roadsafety-campaigns

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> T EAM PROFILE

NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING A strong commitment to policing at a local level is paying rich dividends in the southern suburbs, with the visible and accessible Southern District Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) providing an effective and proactive response to community needs.

Southern District NPT members (left to right): Senior Constable (SC) Eric Schwenke, Brevet Sergeant Edward Seto, SC Michael Smith, Sergeant Craig Fowler, Senior Constable First Class (SC1C) Scott Allison, SC Mark Wallis, SC1C Jodie Ashenden and SC Andron Abdul.

Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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he team of eight officers, led by Sergeant Craig Fowler, is responsible for a range of suburbs including Aldinga, Christies Beach, Christie Downs, Hackham West, Huntfield Heights, Morphett Vale and Seaford.

“The team provides a frontline uniform presence that is responsive to local concerns and maintains a focus on reducing crime,” Sergeant Fowler said.

“Team members work in partnership with the community and government agencies to improve the quality of life for residents and deliver outcomes that improve community confidence.”

Each NPT member is assigned to a specific suburb in which they are expected to be highly visible, accessible, locally known and knowledgeable about their areas. They deal with

neighbourhood concerns mainly involving issues such as antisocial behaviour, drugs, property damage, car thefts and interference, graffiti, house breaks, hoon driving and affordable housing.

“We have an important role in ensuring that efficient and effective service delivery supports the community to deal with safety and social issues,” Sergeant Fowler said.

“Positive engagement by each NPT member enables them to understand local needs at the grass roots which increases public confidence in police.

“Working closely with neighbourhoods to identify and resolve the problems which have the greatest impact on them generates significant improvements to the sense of community wellbeing and the public’s assessment of the quality of local police services.”

The key to successfully addressing issues in the NPT’s designated suburbs is establishing strong partnerships with residents, government agencies, businesses and schools.

“The neighbourhood policing model has been very well received by our major stakeholders such as the City of Onkaparinga council, Housing SA, Department for Education, and Junction Australia,” Sergeant Fowler said.

“Our coordinated multiagency approach has created a more reassured public who are appreciative of our efforts in reducing crime and making people feel safe.”

We have an important role in ensuring that efficient and effective service delivery supports the community to deal with safety and social issues.

SHOWS STREET SMARTS COMMUNITY POLICING IS A TWO-WAY STREET As an inaugural team member in 2010, Senior Constable Eric Schwenke was attracted by the dedicated community focus and ‘country style’ policing nature offered by the then-new concept.

“The NPT allowed an expansive approach from what was generally seen by the public as police being primarily reactive and punitive, to that of having a commitment to community engagement, support, guidance and leadership,” he said.

“There has always been that tactical aspect but the NPT offers a more diverse and flexible model.”

Senior Constable Schwenke, along with colleague Senior Constable Michael Smith, focuses on Morphett Vale where they adopt a proactive intelligenceled policing model to deal with antisocial behaviour and local persons of interest.

“We identify neighbourhood concerns and deal with them promptly and effectively to prevent them from becoming bigger issues thereby circumventing the need for regular patrol attendance,” Senior Constable Schwenke said.

“We view the resolutions as joint actions with the community. This often involves developing partnerships with council, government agencies, businesses and other local stakeholders.

“This greater interaction within Morphett Vale has led to decreased crime rates and a greater sense of safety.”

The Morphett Vale duo was recently responsible for the arrest and relocation of several drug offenders from a group of units operated by Housing SA. “We collated intelligence from a variety of sources highlighting the offenders’ involvement in a spree of shop thefts, theft from motor vehicles as well as illegal use, house breaks and drug activities over several months,” Senior Constable Schwenke said.

“In conjunction with Housing SA we formulated strategies to mitigate the effects of their activities, resulting in the arrest, removal and relocation of those responsible.”

There is a strong awareness of the NPT’s role amongst Morphett Vale residents, with the team’s innate knowledge of local issues and the individuals that may cause them enabling the development of strategies

tailored to the area.

“I am always encouraging the community to become more involved in joint decision-making and to accept more responsibility for actively engaging in issues,” Senior Constable Schwenke said.

“This creates safer and more enjoyable neighbourhoods, reduced concerns about crime, and a more positive relationship with police.”

Recognising the success of the NPTs in the suburbs where they operate, the next stage of implementing SAPOL’s District Policing Model will see NPTs evolve into District Policing Teams (DPTs) and their reach will be extended so every metropolitan suburb will be assigned a DPT. 

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> T EAM PROFILE: SO U THER N D I STR I CT N EI G HBO U R H O O D PO L I C I N G T E A M

New avenues for community policing S

enior Constable First Class (SC1C) Jodie Ashenden joined the NPT in January this year after a period of maternity leave.

“It’s a family friendly position, where I have an opportunity to be proactive and be a valuable member of the community in reducing crime,” she said.

Her past experience as a general duties member in the APY Lands managing local communities provided a suitable grounding for

this role, where she covers Huntfield Heights.

“My role involves targeting local problem areas, people and crime sprees, and having a visible presence within the community,” SC1C Ashenden said.

“Being allocated to a particular suburb enables me to develop local knowledge of persons of interest and addresses, and build relationships with not only community members for assistance but also as an external resource.

“It provides the suburb with a contact point and a familiar face that is regularly seen in the area when there have been ongoing issues. This creates more trust in police and encourages residents to discuss their concerns with me.”

SC1C Ashenden enjoys the positive crime reduction nature of her role and finds it extremely rewarding when issues are resolved after investing days, weeks or even months on them.

“There was recently an ongoing issue in Huntfield Heights where a person of interest was constantly causing

disturbances, being racially abusive and occasionally threatening neighbours,” she said.

“It constantly tied up patrols on unnecessary taskings with minimal or no outcome on each occasion.

“I liaised with Housing SA as the person was a tenant in their property, and spoke with numerous neighbours, obtaining statements and collecting evidence.

“I arrested the person each time an offence was committed. I continued my investigation then had the matter heard before the Housing Tribunal where the person was evicted from the property. Since then there have been no further issues within the street or area.” 

SC1C Jodie Ashenden.

Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

It’s a family friendly position, where I have an opportunity to be proactive and be a valuable member of the community in reducing crime.

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> OUR PEOPLE

FINDING THE MISSING More than 38 000 missing persons reports are submitted to police across Australia every year. While around 98 per cent of missing people are located, and almost all of those found are alive and well, it can be a harrowing experience for the families and friends of those whose whereabouts are unknown.

T

his is particularly the case for the loved ones of the 1600 long-term missing persons across the nation, as they endure constant fears for their safety and welfare, while holding out hope that police can make a vital breakthrough.

In South Australia, the diligent work of Missing Persons Investigations

Section (MPIS), based within Major Crime Investigation Branch, and the recently implemented Missing Persons Teams in each of the four metropolitan Districts, is crucial in rapidly locating those reported missing.

Senior Constable Robyn Ferraro is one of the four MPIS members who assist the Districts and regional Local Service Areas with external agency checks, investigational advice and direction, and liaison with interstate police.

“We review all reports at the four and 10-day mark to ensure the investigation is progressing and provide suggestions if needed,” she said.

“If after 30 days the person has not been located and all avenues of enquiry have been exhausted, MPIS will take over responsibility of the investigation from the District teams and Local Service Areas.

“There remain 136 long-term missing person investigations in South Australia dating back to 1956. These are people missing for 60 days or more, mainly missing at sea, non-suspicious cases, and

Senior Constables Robyn Ferraro and Andrew Fraser meet with a relative of a missing person. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

declared major crimes.”

South Australia has the highest rate of missing person reporting per capita in Australia. In the 2018-19 financial year SAPOL received 13 250 missing person reports (more than 30 per day), with 13 246 of these people located.

Children under the guardianship of the Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection made up 9039 of these reports, with around one third of them going missing more than once.

“Most cases are solved quickly with the person found safe and well. Around 46 per cent of all those reported missing to SAPOL are located within the first day, rising to 90 per cent found within 10 days and 99 per cent of cases solved within a month,” Senior Constable Ferraro said.

“An estimated 60 per cent of missing person reports is juveniles, often due to reasons such as seeking independence, rebelling against discipline or responding to pressure from peers.

“The remainder of missing persons are sparked by a variety of reasons including relationship problems, financial difficulties, dementia, domestic violence and mental health issues. Some are unintentionally missing as they have neglected to let someone know what they are doing or just want to take time out from their lives.”

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> OUR PEOPLE: MIS S ING PERS ONS INV ES T IGA TI O N

Senior Constable Ferraro says it is important to remember that going missing is not a crime and that people do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone as missing.

“If you have concerns for someone’s safety and welfare, and their whereabouts is unknown, you can file a missing person’s report at your local police station,” she said.

“Our ultimate objective is to locate the missing person as soon as possible to minimise trauma to the person and their loved ones.”

MPIS works closely with a range of government and non-government agencies to resolve reports, including missing persons teams in interstate jurisdictions, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Interpol regarding South Australians missing overseas. The section also has a strong working relationship with the Australian Federal Police’s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC).

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“The NMPCC assists us in communicating missing persons cases to the public via the website, social media, posters and the annual National Missing Persons Week, along with producing age progression photography to create ‘before and after’ photos of long-term missing persons,” Senior Constable Ferraro said.

“We also work directly alongside Major Crime Investigation Branch detectives and Operation Persist members to support them in solving outstanding cases where a person’s disappearance has been declared a major crime.”

LOST AND FOUND A Missing Persons Team is located in each of SAPOL’s four Districts, with three general duties members per team. Introduced as part of the District Policing Model, the teams have had an enormous impact in reducing the time taken to locate people.

Senior Constable Fiona Kerrish is a member of the Southern District Missing Persons Team which commenced in October 2017.

“All members perform the same roles across a seven-day roster of day and afternoon shifts,” she said.

“We usually deal with an average of 10-15 missing persons reports per day.

Most are found within a short period of time, as social media and mobile phones mean that very few people are completely off the radar.

We also use bank checks, CCTV, known associates and phone locations to locate people.”

The majority of the team’s missing persons reports relate to children under the guardianship of the Chief Executive, Department for Child Protection, followed by mental health, in particular those on detention orders that leave hospital.

“We are an extremely proactive team and have formed strong working relationships with the Department for Child Protection and nongovernment organisations, particularly placement staff and social workers,” Senior Constable Kerrish said.

“We reinforce the Memorandum of Administrative Arrangement to ensure that these other agencies are also doing as much as they can to locate the missing person.”

The team invests a significant amount of time on around 30 guardianship children who are regularly reported missing in Southern District.

“These are difficult cases where the children have experienced a traumatic upbringing and had very poor family support and networks,” Senior Constable Kerrish said.

“Team members support guardianship children by attending care plan meetings and the bi-monthly meeting of the local interagency liaison group.

“This provides us with a working knowledge of the children and the risks connected to them, their family members and associates.”

In Southern District missing persons reports account for around 20 per cent of all policing jobs, with the District responsible for up to 60 per cent of the state’s total reports.

“Having a designated team ensures that investigations into low and medium risk missing persons are conducted in a timely and professional manner,” Senior Constable Kerrish said.

“The team is a valuable information source and support for patrol sergeants, helping to reduce their workload. We also provide an important contact point for those making reports to receive updates or provide new information without going through the call centre.” 

Our ultimate objective is to locate the missing person as soon as possible to minimise trauma to the person and their loved ones.

Senior Constable Andrew Fraser views South Australian long-term missing persons online at missingpersons.gov.au.

Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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> STAFF PROFILE

A PLACE

Brevet Sergeant Denis Sljivic.

Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

TO CALL HOME As a boy living in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the early 1990s, Brevet Sergeant Denis Sljivic witnessed events and endured hardships that no-one should experience.

F

ortunately his family escaped relatively unscathed from the Bosnian War, Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War I, which saw 100 000 people killed and more than two million displaced during a brutal battle lasting from 1992 to 1995.

Fleeing war-torn Bosnia with his family in March 1993, the then 13-year-old embarked on a new journey with his family, moving to Germany before uprooting again six years later to settle in Australia.

As Bosnian Croats, the Sljivic family was in an ethnic group that represented around 17 per cent of Bosnia’s population of four million.

Their idyllic life turned to devastation in early 1993 when the war reached their home town of Vares in central Bosnia, after starting the previous April when Bosnia declared independence from Yugoslavia.

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My family lost everything in the Bosnian War and we left everything behind a second time when we departed Germany in our quest to find a better life in Australia.

Denis as a child with his parents Branko and Jadranka and younger brother Marko.

“There were barricades and soldiers everywhere, with towns and villages being burned to the ground by opposing armies,” Brevet Sergeant Sljivic said.

“Gun fights, heavy artillery fire, genocide and persecution of different ethnic groups were a daily occurrence.

Random gun violence, unrelated to war activities, was also common.

“Food, water and electricity supplies were extremely limited, with food supplies restricted to United Nations convoy food deliveries which were distributed to us by humanitarian organisations operating in the area.”

The inhumane surroundings was a world away from the safe and carefree environment Brevet Sergeant Sljivic was accustomed to.

“Growing up in Bosnia before the war was something I wish every child and teenager could experience,” he said.

“There were plenty of opportunities for young people to develop themselves in various aspects of life.

Through schools and social clubs we were encouraged to be ambitious, work hard, get educated and achieve our goals.”

The onset of war dramatically changed the country he had once loved.

“The war saw the socioeconomic structure fall apart, with people becoming more

self-centred rather than community conscious due to the need to survive,” Brevet Sergeant Sljivic said.

“Hatred, greed and religious intolerance became a major part of everyday life on top of the armed conflict which engulfed most of the country.

“The country was divided into three groups – Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs – and the intolerance between those demographics was increasing by the day which resulted in some horrific war crimes.

Bosnia became the most dangerous place on earth.

“We managed to flee to Croatia, but on the way our bus was stopped by the Croatian army. A soldier gave me the choice of a gun or handcuffs – I chose the handcuffs.”

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY The Sljivic family escaped Bosnia in March 1993 and headed to Croatia for a week before moving to Germany on a refugee visa. During their six years there Brevet Sergeant Sljivic’s parents worked in a Lindt chocolate factory while he did an apprenticeship with Phillips as an industrial mechanic.

“My family lost everything in the Bosnian War and we left everything behind a second time when we departed Germany in our quest to find a better life in Australia,” Brevet The idyllic Vares in winter before the war.

Sergeant Sljivic said.

“However, we rarely discuss this as we are more hurt by leaving our family and friends behind and not seeing some of them for years. My parents sacrificed everything to get me and my younger brother out of Bosnia. Material things are irrelevant when it comes to saving your life.”

Arriving in Adelaide in January 1999, the then 19-year-old initially found it challenging to adapt to a new language and lifestyle.

He immediately enrolled in English classes and started making new friends, however his homeland occupied his thoughts.

“I often found myself feeling very sad and withdrawn. I kept thinking about my relatives in Bosnia which made it difficult to get motivated,” Brevet Sergeant Sljivic said.

With his parents encouraging him to make the most of his new life in Australia, Brevet Sergeant Sljivic began studying at TAFE and then Flinders University, where he achieved a Bachelor of Cultural Tourism in 2004.

He combined study with part-time work fruit-picking and then a role in the SANFL catering department at AAMI Stadium.

Inspired by the many stories told by his police officer uncle while growing up in Bosnia, Brevet Sergeant Sljivic joined SAPOL in May 2005. So began a policing career that has spanned patrol, CIB and Volume Crime Team roles at Holden Hill Police Station and

since 2016, a senior general duties position in Golden Grove patrols in Northern District.

“I wanted to be a police officer from a very young age but when I first came to Australia I thought the language barrier would make it impossible. However, through determination and dedication I realised my dream,” he said.

“I enjoy working for SAPOL due to the strong ethical and professional values. This enables police to fairly and effectively address issues in communities, which was not always the case with the Bosnian police force, particularly during times of conflict.”

While Brevet Sergeant Sljivic is now living the Australian dream with his wife and son, he often reflects on his arduous life journey as a refugee.

“My experience has taught me not to take anything for granted and to appreciate everything I have in life. I try to not think of what might have been if I hadn’t left Bosnia, but sometimes the sadness sets in and nostalgic thoughts take over,” he said.

“With my son now the same age as I was when we fled Bosnia, not a day goes by when I don’t compare my upbringing with his and think how I can ensure that he makes the most of growing up in a peaceful country.” 

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> CRIME PREV EN T I O N

ADOPTING A

CAUTIOUS APPROACH A new SAPOL initiative is having a profound impact on low-level criminal offending in South Australia.

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ince its introduction in December 2016, the adult cautioning scheme has resulted in more than 13 200 adult offenders being cautioned instead of prosecuted for a range of minor offences.

Modelled on the cautioning process for juveniles over the past 25 years, the scheme is seeing almost one in every 13 apprehensions resulting in an adult caution, with around 45 per cent being minor theft or public order offences. Other offences settled with cautions include fraud and deception, low-level weapons, property damage, licencing, and breaches of bail.

According to Assistant Commissioner (AC) Philip Newitt the scheme ensures adult offenders are managed commensurate with their level of offending.

“Adult cautioning enables more efficient use of police resources in quickly and appropriately managing minor offending, while allowing operational and prosecutorial staff to concentrate on more serious matters deserving of criminal sanction,” he said.

“Freeing up time from matters subject to an adult caution provides police with an opportunity to spend more time in the community or work on other investigations.

“Adult cautioning is designed to provide an immediate but proportionate response to low-level crime and divert minor offending

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Senior Constable First Class (SC1C) Aaron Parsons discusses an incident with a member of the public. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

from the courts, which in turn reduces the stigma for people committing such offences.

“The majority of offences captured by the model cause significant churn in the justice system and typically result in no conviction, court costs or a small fine or similar penalty.”

In the vast majority of cases the individual being cautioned has never had any interaction with police previously.

“Many low-level offenders who are cautioned by police are unlikely to reoffend so dealing with them in an evenhanded manner is an effective deterrent,” AC Newitt said.

“We cannot arrest or prosecute our way out of all situations, and not all offences we detect should necessarily go to court.

“This model empowers cautioning officers to make decisions based on what they see, hear or know about a situation or suspect and apply common sense to deliver outcomes that are proportionate, fair and consistent.”

Factors taken into consideration for issuing a

caution include examining the history of the individual, if they have committed the same or similar offences previously, whether they have learnt from previous mistakes and whether they are the subject of any relevant court orders. Victims must also be consulted before an adult caution is issued.

“If there is a victim in the offence their perspective is taken into consideration when deciding the best course of action,” AC Newitt said.

“In making their individual assessment the cautioning officer also considers factors such as any injuries inflicted and the value of any property stolen or damaged.”

The adult cautioning scheme is regularly reviewed, with a number of modifications made since its introduction, including the removal of assault police and offences described under the Children’s Protection Act 1993. These join violencerelated and sexual offences, serious and organised crime matters, stalking, controlled drugs and indictable and

aggravated offences as being excluded from the scheme.

“It is important both our officers and the broader community understand that a caution is not a substitute for either a full police investigation or police having insufficient evidence to take the matter to court,” AC Newitt said.

“It is one of a range of outcomes available after the arrest or report of a person.”

SAPOL’s focus on increasing efficiencies in the prosecution process is also being highlighted in the current police summons trial. This involves issuing an accused person with a police summons at the time of being reported, instead of preparing, issuing and serving a summons at a later date.

“This substantially improves the rate of service, and reduces the amount of time spent by police making multiple attempts to locate an accused, who may not wish to be found, for the purpose of serving a summons,” AC Newitt said.

“It lessens the delay in bringing report matters to court, as the court date will be set at the time of offending and governed by policy.”

Police summonses will

reduce the necessity for a police officer to attend an accused’s home or work to serve a summons, thus reducing embarrassment for the accused. The initiative also involves trialling in-car

printers which allow officers to serve a summons upon an accused at the point of interaction with them.

“These measures will lessen the churn in our prosecution areas and courts,

freeing up time for matters deserving closer attention,” AC Newitt said. 

Cautionary tales The following cases all resulted in the offender receiving an adult caution.

• An 18-year-old woman with no criminal history stole $27.50 worth of baby clothing from a department store. She returned the items and apologised.

• An 86-year-old man stole sausages and mints valued at $7.85.

The man had never been in trouble with police previously, and his wife had died several weeks earlier – a fact that he was struggling to come to terms with. After being spoken to by police, he paid for the items.

• A 21-year-old man with no criminal history was arrested for disorderly behaviour after being caught kicking over traffic cones.

• A 55-year-old man was found to be in possession of a Viagra tablet without a prescription. The item was seized and he was cautioned.

• A 54-year-old woman walking on Days Road at Croydon Park was seen carrying a .303 rifle cartridge in her hand.

The item was seized by police as the woman did not have a firearms licence. She had no similar prior offending. 

The scheme ensures adult offenders are managed commensurate with their level of offending.

Probationary Constable Elizabeth McErlean and SC1C Aaron Parsons investigate a low-level criminal offence. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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> C R IME TR END

UNTANGLING THE WEB OF CYBERCRIME The rapid growth of digital consumerism has seen a significant increase in the integration of mobile and electronic devices into everyday life.

While this has many positives, there exists a more sinister side, with a raft of traditional and new crimes now committed in this rapidly evolving cyber environment.

T

he low-risk, high-reward domain of cybercrime is attracting criminals from all over the world who easily exploit weaknesses in technology, legislation and lack of public awareness created by the myriad of technologies that have pervaded all aspects of our working and personal lives.

Cybercrime is costing the Australian economy up to $1 billion annually in direct costs alone. One in four Australians, or 6.09 million people, were hit by cybercrime or cyberenabled crime last year with malicious software, unauthorised bank access and unauthorised email access the top three offences.

Small businesses were targeted in 43 per cent of cyber-attacks, with an average cost of $10 000.

As Officer in Charge of SAPOL’s new Financial and Cybercrime Investigation

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Branch, Detective Superintendent Paul Yeomans has seen the full range of cybercrimes, from fraud, online scams and identity theft, through to ransomware, malware, cyberstalking and child sexual exploitation.

“Many traditional forms of crime such as identity theft, extortion and child sexual exploitation have been augmented through new technologies, while emerging crimes such as gaining entry to restricted access computers and denial-ofservice attacks are becoming more prevalent,” he said.

“Established crimes such as robberies are being replaced with large scale volume cybercrimes, particularly involving identity theft which wasn’t as common five years ago.

This creates challenges for legislation to keep pace with the rapidly evolving nature of cyber-related crime.

“It is also a challenge for police as cybercrime investigation is not like traditional crimes where you can rely on CCTV, witness statements, DNA and fingerprints. The major issue is finding the person behind the technology who is committing the offence.”

Today’s average Australian household is estimated to have 24 internet connected devices, a massive rise from nine in 2015. Mobile phone usage in Australia has also increased to an estimated 20 million users, up from 16.6 million in 2011, with online messaging applications becoming the fastest growing online behaviour in the past five years. Digital content has become ingrained in people’s

lives, with data easily accessible and affordable, however many Australians are often apathetic about their digital security, freely giving out their personal details online.

“This provides a targetrich environment for cyber criminals, with it becoming easier for them to perpetrate tech-enabled offences,” Detective Superintendent Yeomans said.

“Cybercrime is not purely digital. A significant proportion of a cyber criminal’s work is invested in social engineering to support victimisation, as they need to understand specifics about their targets such as their personal details, what devices they use, and what vulnerabilities there are to exploit.

“Cybercrime occurs when cyber security fails. People need to change their digital habits and become more aware of digital privacy to reduce the possibility of making them a target.”

CRACKING THE CODE OF CYBERCRIME SAPOL has a proactive and targeted approach to cybercrime investigation, devoting significant resources and investment to increase the cyber capabilities for investigation, intelligence and data collection across all areas.

This focus is underpinned by SAPOL’s Cybercrime Strategy 2018-2020.

“The strategy positions us as a leader in the detection and disruption of cybercrime by increasing investment in our capability to keep pace with this evolving field of policing,” said Detective Sergeant Martin Burke from Cybercrime Investigation Section.

“It focuses on meeting the challenges of the cyber environment through the use of technology-enabled initiatives, a well-trained and capable workforce, partnerships with business, and strong community engagement.”

Education and awareness are vital in mitigating the threat of cybercrime.

“It’s crucial for police to identify how these crimes are occurring, disrupt where possible, and provide education through prevention and awareness strategies to limit the financial and emotional impact on the community,” Detective Sergeant Burke said.

“We need to harden the community as a target – the more educated and aware they are, the less chance of them becoming victims.”

SAPOL is developing stronger working ties with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and other jurisdictions due to the borderless nature of cybercrime.

“By working collectively we can ascertain best practices and better exchange information and intelligence in an ever-changing environment,” Detective Sergeant Burke said.

“We recently conducted an operation for remote desktop scams where we visited

victims and ran software over their computers to identify evidence then forwarded it to the AFP and international counterparts.

“This was vital in assisting their intelligence collection so they could focus globally on addressing the origin of the offending.”

Developing well-trained and capable staff is integral to SAPOL’s tenacious approach to cybercrime.

“SAPOL has invested heavily in training, not only in staff within the Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch, but in expanding general officers’ awareness, knowledge and skills in how to deal with cybercrime,” Detective Sergeant Burke said.

“Branch members attend national cyber investigation courses and also regularly deliver presentations to members of various courses across SAPOL.”

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CRIME TREN D: C CY B ERC ER CR IME > C R IME TR END: YB RIM

SCAMS DELIVER A WAKE-UP CALL Total combined losses reported to Scamwatch and other Australian government agencies in 2018 exceeded $489 million – an increase of $149 million on the previous year.

Investment scams were the most financially devastating scams at $86 million, an increase of more than 34 per cent compared with 2017.

Dating and romance scams also represented significant losses increasing from $42 million in 2017 to $60.5 million in 2018. Business, investment and employment scams and upfront payments and advanced fee frauds were also prevalent. In 2018 Australian businesses reported losses exceeding $60 million after being targeted by sophisticated ‘business email compromise scams’.

“These extraordinary losses show that scammers are causing significant financial and emotional harm to many Australians,” said Sergeant Jonathon Newman from Cybercrime Training and Prevention Section.

“However, this is just the tip of the iceberg as many scams and cybercrimes are not reported to authorities and some are never detected by their victims.

“Under-reporting is often due to the exposure being embarrassing or commercially inconvenient to victims. By staying silent, police are unable to obtain

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the full picture about how cyber criminals are operating thereby hindering our efforts to stop them.”

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, more than 378 000 scam reports were made in 2018, an increase of 44 per cent from the previous year. Just over 53 per cent of scam contacts were made by email, social media, mobile apps or the internet, highlighting the trend of scammers utilising new technologies to reach potential victims and obtain personal information.

“Scammers are adapting old scams to new technology, seeking payment through unusual methods and automating scam calls to increase their reach to potential victims,” Sergeant Newman said.

“Scammers are increasingly asking for money via iTunes cards, Google Play cards and cryptocurrencies to avoid the anti-scam measures employed by banks and money laundering detection systems.

“While some scams are alarmingly sophisticated, most scammers are still using simple strategies to exploit people’s tendency to trust and to overlook the details. They misrepresent themselves as being from a position of authority and implement short time frames in order to coerce victims into taking action before they have time to step back and do their due diligence.”

Unsuspecting scam victims can be any age and from any background and are often tricked into parting with their money by a combination of technology and pressure and fear tactics.

“Scammers strike once they have lulled people into a false sense of security.

Complacency often leads to identity theft and financial loss,” Sergeant Newman said.

“Through banking, social networking and dating, a great deal of people’s lives exist online so once personal information has been stolen, it can be almost impossible to reduce the impact. Therefore prevention is the best option.”

SAPOL recently launched the ‘Know the scam’ page on the SAPOL website to raise awareness of the latest scams and educate the community on how to avoid becoming a victim.

“Recognising current scams and having up-to-date information on scammers’ methodologies is the best way to protect yourself,” Sergeant Newman said.

“Lack of awareness can make you vulnerable so it’s important to stay on top of the latest trends.

The webpage will help you identify deceptive behaviour.”

‘Know the scam’ provides a vast range of resources and information about scams along with useful tips to safeguard people from identity theft and potential financial losses.

“SAPOL makes a significant effort to educate people on the dangers of online scams, however it’s ultimately up to individuals to be savvy and approach online interactions with caution,” Sergeant Newman said.

“While caution may take a few extra minutes, it will save hours of emotional and financial strain down the track.”

Check out ‘Know the scam’ at www.police.sa.gov.au/ scams Cyber safety information and tips are also available at www.staysmartonline.gov.au and www.cyber.gov.au 

Many scams and cybercrimes are not reported to authorities and some are never detected by their victims.

Branching out to disrupt cybercrime A

n extensive review of the areas responsible for investigating cybercrime and financial fraud has resulted in the establishment of the Financial and Cybercrime Investigation Branch (FCIB).

Operational since July this year, the branch comprises 90 sworn and non-sworn staff, including forensic accountants, digital analysts and expert investigators.

“This branch equips SAPOL to meet the increasing demand for investigational capabilities in a wide range of crime types, along with data analysis,” said the Officer in Charge of FCIB, Detective Superintendent Paul Yeomans.

“The new structure is about positioning SAPOL for the future and the growing trend for phones, devices

and computers to be used to facilitate crime or to assist in a crime.

“The future plan for FCIB is to assist other areas of SAPOL with investigations, data extraction and specialist digital work.”

FCIB has absorbed a range of sections formally encompassed in the Commercial and Electronic Crime Branch. The new branch incorporates a number of sections: Cybercrime Investigation, Digital Evidence, Confiscation, Forensic Accounting, Intelligence, and Serious and Organised Financial Crime Investigation.

Thirteen additional full-time positions have been created, with 10 of those tasked to the Digital Evidence Section for the analysis of electronic

devices. This is expected to alleviate issues with analysing the terabytes of data from the ever-increasing number of mobile phones, computers, hard drives and memory sticks seized by police.

“The influx of staff will provide valuable assistance with reviewing the technical aspect of our work and will enhance our mobility,” Detective Superintendent Yeomans said.

“Until now a lot of our work has been performed in the CBD. In the future we will be looking at having mini-digital evidence hubs scattered around the state.”

In addition to its investigations and analytical components the new branch has a strong emphasis on intelligence, training, crime prevention and community

engagement. The Cybercrime Investigation Section provides an investigation team and crime prevention capability to respond to the expanding nature of cybercrime.

“The section has a crime prevention mandate, identifying new scams and contacting potential victims before they can send money out of Australia, often beyond the reach of state and federal law enforcement,” Detective Superintendent Yeomans said.

“We know that prevention is the best option with regard to scams – when the money is filtered overseas we have little chance of recovering it, so our aim is to stop that offending occurring in the first place.” 

South Australian victims • Charles from Mount Barker answered a call on his mobile phone from a person claiming to be a telco technician. The alleged technician told Charles that he had a virus on his computer and to fix the issue he needed to unlock the computer and follow a link provided by the technician. Concerned that he had a virus, Charles followed the instructions allowing the technician access to his computer.

He has since discovered that nearly $10 000 has been withdrawn from his personal bank account.

The caller turned out to be a scammer and not a representative of any telco.

Shortly after, Craig was contacted by scammers with attachments containing video footage and photographs of him engaging in acts from the day before. He was threatened to pay $2000 or the footage would be released to all of his social media friends.

• Scammers recently gained access to the servers of a large notfor-profit organisation by using software that tried various combinations of usernames and passwords, until a combination was successful. Once in, ransomware was installed, locking the organisation

out from accessing all of their information and data across multiple states and territories. They were ordered to pay a ransom by the scammers to have their data decrypted but refused to pay. Consequently the organisation lost a significant amount of its data which affected day-today operations. 

• Craig received a friend request from an unknown person on social media.

He accepted the request and exchanged messages with his new friend.

The following day, this evolved into engaging in intimate acts.

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> NEW INITIATIVES

NEW TEAM SENDS A

CRYSTAL CLEAR MESSAGE Australia is facing a new ‘ice age’ with methamphetamine posing by far the greatest threat to the community of all illicit drugs.

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ce – the purest and most potent form of methamphetamine – is being produced on an industrial scale, with around 65 per cent of the nation’s highest risk criminal targets now

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involved in the production of this insidious drug which can get users addicted with just one hit.

SAPOL is at the forefront of a specialist multi-agency team formed to target the supply and distribution of methamphetamine in South Australia and reduce its significant and often devastating impact on the community.

Established in February this year, the Joint Agency Ice Strike Team (JAIST) is Australia’s first multi-agency taskforce formed to target groups producing, importing or trafficking drugs in both metropolitan and regional areas.

Led by SAPOL, the Adelaide-based team comprises members of the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), Australian Taxation Office, Department of Home Affairs, and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).

Manager of SAPOL’s

Drug and Organised Crime Taskforce, Detective Chief Inspector Tony Crameri believes the JAIST gives police a competitive edge over criminal groups.

“SAPOL has made significant progress in reducing the supply of methamphetamine to our community, from shutting down clandestine drug laboratories to dismantling local drug trafficking rings, however there is still an insatiable demand for the drug,” he said.

SAPOL has made significant progress in reducing the supply of methamphetamine to our community.

“This team builds on SAPOL’s achievements by targeting criminal networks, particularly offshore in Asia and the United States, and working our way down the supply chain to regional areas where the impact of methamphetamine can be magnified.”

SAPOL has a strong representation on the JAIST, with a supervisor, three investigators and an analyst.

Additional members from Serious and Organised Crime Branch are called upon as needed depending on the operational requirements of particular investigations. This experience and knowledge has been integral to the taskforce’s early success.

“More than 50 kilograms of methamphetamine along with other illicit substances such as 520 litres of 1,4-butanediol and seven kilograms of other illicit drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis have been seized,” Detective Chief Inspector Crameri said.

“The JAIST has also made 14 arrests, with the team able to prosecute people under both state and Commonwealth legislation.”

SEIZING THE INITIATIVE The JAIST builds on the exceptional work undertaken during Operation Vitreus in 2017, where SAPOL, along with all state and territory police agencies, worked with the AFP, ABF, ACIC and AUSTRAC to detect an array of drugs being distributed via the Australian postal service, including 40.6kg of methamphetamine.

In February 2018 JAIST member agencies also worked together to prevent the importation of more than 300kg of methamphetamine into South Australia.

“The team uses the skills and resources of each member agency to effectively target the importation and trafficking of border controlled drugs into South

Australia via air and sea cargo and domestic and international mail,” Detective Chief Inspector Crameri said.

“Each agency also conducts separate investigations into the manufacture and trafficking of controlled drugs.

“The JAIST allows member agencies to further develop their established and strong, productive working relationships and exchange intelligence and ideas.

Their shared expertise and resources sends a strong message to those who are manufacturing, selling or trafficking illicit substances through the postal streams that there is a high risk of being caught.”

With the unwanted title of ‘Australia’s ice capital’, Adelaide is the ideal location to trial the first JAIST. According to the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report, South Australia has the highest average capital city consumption of methamphetamine in Australia. The report estimates that 1159.5kg of methamphetamine is consumed across South Australia annually, with around 83 per cent of the state’s drug consumption being methamphetamine – the nation’s second highest percentage. Of particular concern is the alarming rise in the use of the drug in South Australian regions including Mount Gambier, Barossa Valley and the Riverland.

Worryingly, this is a trend replicated in many areas around the nation, with intelligence compiled by ACIC confirming Australia’s dubious status as the world’s leading ice nation. Australia is the most lucrative ice market with one gram of ice fetching up to $1200 — the highest price in the world. This has led to ice shifting from a local cottage industry to a sophisticated global network of organised criminals thereby necessitating a dedicated multi-agency response.

While the JAIST is currently in a trial phase, significant

results could lead to similar teams being rolled out across Australia to make inroads into the estimated 9.8 tonnes of methamphetamine consumed nationally each year.

“The JAIST is wellequipped to effectively deal with international supply chains, highly organised drug syndicates, sophisticated clan lab activity and ever-changing concealment methods,” Detective Chief Inspector Crameri said.

“This is about using and sharing our intelligence, technology and resources to disrupt and dismantle the methamphetamine market and reduce the devastation felt by the community.”

ABOVE: Scenes from recent significant methamphetamine seizures at properties across Adelaide. Photos: Serious and Organised Crime Branch.



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> CAS E S TUDY

TRAGEDY

IN THE OUTBACK

Serina Amos was an outgoing and well-liked young woman who was part of a closeknit Aboriginal community living in the small South Australian outback town of Oodnadatta.

However, the 34-year-old’s open and friendly nature changed almost immediately when she began a relationship with Danny Lloyd Ferguson in mid-2014.

F

amily and friends soon began to notice a woman who was withdrawn and would wear sunglasses at odd times when she did go out in public and would often pull her hair to one side in an apparent attempt to conceal bruises to her face.

Many of them suspected that the young mother was experiencing domestic

Bloodstained jeans; and right, a note written

by Serina Amos.

Photos: Forensic Response Section.

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violence at the hands of Ferguson (pictured left), who had a reputation for being violent towards women.

Tragically, Ferguson’s propensity for violence was not reported to police by Ms Amos or her loved ones.

Their tumultuous relationship ended on 3 July 2015 when her unresponsive body was driven to the Oodnadatta Health Clinic by Ferguson, her sister and brother-inlaw. The mother-of-one was pronounced dead 20 minutes later, having succumbed to blunt force trauma and contributing ischaemic heart disease. Her autopsy listed 56 injuries all over her body, causing her to bleed internally and suffer acute kidney failure.

Port Augusta Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) was notified of Ms Amos’ death and immediately flew members to Oodnadatta.

Detective Sergeants Wayne Roberts and Scott Dawe and Senior Constable Callan Everlyn from Port Augusta CIB led the investigation, assisted by Major Crime Investigation Branch members Detective Sergeant Brian Swan and Detective Brevet Sergeant Shaun Osborn.

“Ferguson and Ms Amos had been at a campsite near Oodnadatta on the edge of the Simpson Desert. Ferguson had beaten her repeatedly over several days,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“Ferguson then drove his lifeless partner’s body from the campsite to her sister’s house in town, where she then accompanied them on the trip to Oodnadatta Health Clinic.

“At around 3.30 pm on 3 July 2015 they arrived at the clinic with Ms Amos’ dead body in the fully reclined

passenger seat in Ferguson’s red Toyota Tarago van.

“He told clinic staff that she had stopped breathing.

They noticed severe bruising to most parts of the victim’s body including two black eyes and abrasions to her arms and legs. CPR was unable to revive Ms Amos, with staff believing she was already deceased upon arrival.”

Ferguson lied about what had occurred, telling several people, including Ms Amos’ sister and nurses at the clinic, that another man had raped and bashed her. He also said that she had taken an overdose of pills.

“He claimed that he had evidence in a plastic bag which would prove that the man had raped her,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“Our enquiries revealed that the man named by Ferguson had a clear alibi and could not have committed the crime.”

TRACKING DOWN FERGUSON Realising his partner was dead, Ferguson fled into the bush on foot, sparking a widespread manhunt involving Aboriginal trackers, police dogs, four-wheel-drives and aeroplanes.

“Ferguson went to his brother’s house while no-one was home. He left his boots behind and stole

his sister-in-law’s ugg boots, a backpack, two-minute noodles, water and a large kitchen knife and then departed in a north-west direction towards Finke,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“We used two teams of trackers and two vehicles. We would get a direction to travel and would jump the second team ahead about 500-1000 metres to find Ferguson’s tracks and then leapfrog the first team ahead of the second and so on.

“At one stage we lost his tracks for about two hours but tracker Jamaal Witchen found a faint impression of a quarter of a sole print of an ugg boot in rocky ground confirming direction of travel up to that point.

“We put the police aeroplane about 10-30 kilometres in front of the trackers to try to get Ferguson to go to ground giving police a chance to catch up with him, however he managed to avoid being spotted by the plane.”

Community Constable Dean Walker, a 15-year veteran of Coober Pedy policing renowned for his tracking knowledge and skills, joined trackers Jamaal Witchen and Matthew Lynch in supporting and guiding police in the search for Ferguson. The search was particularly emotional for Community Constable Walker as Serina Amos was his niece.

Ferguson’s Toyota Tarago; and below, items found inside the vehicle.

Photos: Forensic Response Section.

While travelling on the Finke to Oodnadatta Road, Community Constable Walker saw Ferguson run into the bush and out of sight. He then tracked him for four days covering around 115 kilometres before Mr Witchen found Ferguson in a dry creek bed about seven kilometres north of Hamilton Station on 7 July 2015. Ferguson approached police brandishing his knife but upon realising they were armed he put the knife down and complied with directions.

He was then arrested by Port Augusta CIB and Major Crime detectives and charged with the murder of Ms Amos.

“The trackers did an outstanding job. They got up at 5.30 am each day and worked to dark with little to no rest,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“They played a vital role to ensure Ferguson was caught

before he could cross the Northern Territory border.

It was a challenging ordeal due to the remoteness, with no mobile phone service and radio contact only available via the police aeroplane.”

While Ferguson was being tracked, his Toyota Tarago was searched, with police finding a broken and bloodied axe handle, a long-handed shovel as well as bloodstained clothes and bedding. Analysis of the axe handle found DNA belonging to both Ferguson and Amos.

“Ferguson showed no remorse for his ruthless violence,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“While he declined to officially answer any questions he did explain how he had travelled the entire 115-kilometre journey by foot and that he kept moving at night and only rested for two hours at a time.”

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> CAS E S TUDY : S ER I N A AM O S M AN SLAU G HTER

SAPOL pilot David Usher, Detective Sergeant Wayne Roberts and Detective Brevet Sergeant Shaun Osborn at Angle Pole near Oodnadatta.

The ‘humpy’ built by Ferguson, where he was hiding at the time of his arrest.

Photos: Port Augusta CIB.

Community Constable Walker saw Ferguson run into the bush and out of sight.

He then tracked him for four days covering around 115 kilometres before Mr Witchen found Ferguson in a dry creek bed about seven kilometres north of Hamilton Station.

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Detective Sergeant Roberts and Detective Brevet Sergeant Osborn returned to Oodnadatta with Ferguson, where they received a hostile welcome from locals.

“Upon arrival our vehicle was attacked by a group of 20 – 30 people who wanted to exact revenge on Ferguson,” Detective Sergeant Roberts said.

“We had to drive through the pack with them hitting the car with sticks, rocks and fists and trying to smash the cage windows, and escape to the airport where we then flew to Coober Pedy.”

PUNISHED FOR HIS BRUTALITY At the time of his apprehension Ferguson was the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Northern Territory Supreme Court on 3 June 2015 after he failed to appear on the third day of his trial for serious offences committed in October 2013 against a woman who at the time of offending was his partner. The trial continued in his absence and on 4 June 2015 Ferguson was found guilty in absentia of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent and one count of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison with a non-

parole period of 11 years.

In October 2016 Ferguson faced a murder trial in the Supreme Court at Port Augusta. The 36-year-old was found guilty by a jury of the lesser charge of manslaughter after pleading not guilty to the murder of Ms Amos.

Ferguson’s lawyers argued Ms Amos had a heart condition that may have killed her and Ferguson was not aware of the extent of the damage he was doing to his victim. During sentencing, Justice Ann Vanstone did not place as much significance on Ms Amos’ heart condition and was critical of the lies Ferguson told to cover up her death.

On 13 October 2016 Justice Vanstone sentenced Ferguson to 15 years’ imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 years. She remarked that it was an extremely serious case of manslaughter resulting from a prolonged period of violence and degradation. She also said that Ms Amos must have died in a state of profound fear and pain and was powerless to escape from Ferguson who had inflicted the injuries.

While relieved that Ferguson was no longer a risk to the community, Detective Sergeant Roberts lamented

Detective Sergeant Wayne Roberts arrests Danny Ferguson. Photo: Port Augusta CIB.

the manslaughter verdict.

“The presiding Supreme Court judge generally tries to avoid allowing the use of photographs of deceased people and doesn’t believe jurors should see them,” he said.

“In this case a schematic was used instead which I believe was unable to portray to the jury the extensive injuries and torture caused to the victim like photographs would have.”

Ferguson will be eligible for parole in 2034. 

The expansive and desolate terrain faced by the trackers.

Photo: Forensic Response Section.

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> O PERATION S

PARAGON OF VIRTUE Described as “dangerous” and “filthy” by a local councillor, Hutt Street has drawn undue attention for a perceived rise in antisocial behaviour, tarnishing its reputation as a thriving main street with a village feel.

Probationary Constable Elizabeth McErlean and Senior Constable Antuan Dolgitskiy chat with a city business owner. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.

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n the past couple of years there has been mounting debate about issues within the city’s Hutt Street precinct, particularly alleged violent and threatening activity involving homeless people.

In September 2018, SAPOL responded with Operation Paragon, deploying additional police resources to reduce crime and the fear of crime in the area.

“Operation Paragon members are responsible for developing and implementing proactive crime reduction

strategies, targeting recidivist offenders and performing mobile and foot patrols in priority areas,” said the Officer in Charge of Eastern District, Superintendent Craig Wall.

Operation Paragon comprises eight officers, including diverse Community Constables, led by a Sergeant.

Members are paired, with each pair assigned one of four specific Central Business District (CBD) areas. The teams provide a high visibility police presence in the Hutt Street precinct and other priority areas including Whitmore Square, Rundle Street and the Adelaide

Park Lands.

“The teams actively engage with residents, traders, community groups and support agencies within the Adelaide CBD to address local issues and foster communication to achieve positive outcomes,” Superintendent Wall said.

“We have been working with groups including Adelaide City Council, Hutt Street Centre, Australian Hotels Association (AHA), SA Health, Housing SA and Street to Home to deal with a range of issues involving vulnerable people, including homelessness, begging and excessive alcohol consumption.

“Paragon creates a stronger connection between police and the community and promotes the reporting of all unlawful activity to police, which had been lacking in the past.”

Chief Inspector Matt Nairn embodies the proactive community engagement approach by regularly venturing into Rundle Street to interact with homeless people and listen to their concerns.

“They know me and know they can talk to me on a different level compared to the average police officer.

It’s important to interact with them, ask how they’re going and allay their fears,” he said.

“We’re not policing homeless people out of the city or arresting our way out of the issue. It’s about

engaging with those people who are having a hard time, which may be due to mental health or drug use, and connecting them with support agencies that can assist them.”

HOMING IN ON COMMUNITY SAFETY Operation Paragon is making significant inroads into homelessness in the CBD. “We have assisted numerous people on their pathway from homelessness to finding suitable accommodation, including one gentleman who had been homeless for 17 years,” Chief Inspector Nairn said.

“We first met him when he was living in his car. He then lived on Rundle

Street and in a doorway of a city building and degenerated into drug and alcohol abuse and started committing crimes.

“Officers kept in contact and encouraged him to start a new life. He eventually agreed to move into housing provided

by Housing SA’s integration housing program. He is now off drugs and learning new skills through Hutt Street Centre’s Aspire program.

“This is a positive policing outcome, as he is no longer engaging in drugs, begging and antisocial behaviour.”

From the commencement of the operation until 30 June 2019 there were 209 arrests, 150 reports, 73 drug diversions, 216 cannabis expiation notices and 306 general expiations and cautions, mainly for dry zone breaches.

The teams actively engage with residents, traders, community groups and support agencies within the Adelaide CBD to address local issues.

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> OPER ATIONS: OP ERA T ION PA RA GON

Senior Constable Darren Linton, Probationary Constable Elizabeth McErlean and Constable Nicholas Skinner patrol the South Park Lands.

Paragon has seen an increased police presence in Whitmore Square, ensuring compliance with dry zones and reducing behavioural offending linked to excessive alcohol consumption.

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Senior Constable Antuan Dolgitskiy with Hutt Street Centre CEO Ian Cox. Photos: SAPOL Photographic Section.

“Paragon has seen an increased police presence in Whitmore Square, ensuring compliance with dry zones and reducing behavioural offending linked to excessive alcohol consumption,” Chief Inspector Nairn said.

“We have worked closely with the AHA to limit cask wine purchases within the CBD and surrounding areas. Restricting alcohol consumption leads to a decrease in domestic violence and other violence and robbery related issues.”

While Operation Paragon covers the Adelaide CBD, the Hutt Street precinct remains a significant focus. Officers and Community Constables conduct regular patrols of the area, and a strong rapport has been created between police and both the Hutt Street Traders and Residents Association and Hutt Street Centre.

“The Hutt Street precinct represents around two per cent of CBD crime, with a handful of people, generally those affected by drug or mental health issues, causing trouble,” Chief Inspector Nairn said.

“We have seen no evidence of an escalating problem with violence in the area, however there has been increased media coverage of violence and antisocial behaviour.”

SAPOL is in daily contact with the Hutt Street Centre to resolve street problems and organise support for people in need. Hutt Street Centre

CEO Ian Cox says Operation Paragon has emphasised the strong, constructive working relationship the Centre has enjoyed with SAPOL. “Right from the outset we have engaged in very positive discussions with the Paragon team,” he said.

“The Paragon officers have been exceptional in their communication, availability and willingness to visit and assist Hutt Street Centre, both proactively and in response to any community concerns which has reinforced our zero tolerance policy to antisocial behaviour.

“At all times, they have been empathetic, compassionate and understanding of our clients and their challenges.”

Operation Paragon members have worked with Hutt Street Centre to establish the safety of missing persons and assist rough sleepers in the inner city, particularly with street outreach.

“This has led to many successful housing and case management outcomes for numerous rough sleepers in the city,” Mr Cox said.

“We look forward to our close relationship continuing to deliver positive outcomes for both our clients and the local community.” 

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> CRIME PREV EN T I O N

MAPPING OUT A RESPONSE

TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE A multi-agency team making significant inroads into reducing the incidence and impact of domestic and family violence in the community has recently celebrated its fiveyear anniversary.

I

ntroduced in July 2014, the Multi-Agency Protection Service (MAPS) is a SAPOLled integrated information sharing model responsible for managing domestic violence and related child protection matters across South Australia.

The 32-member team includes five sworn and five non-sworn SAPOL employees, along with representatives from the Department for Health and Wellbeing, South Australian Housing Authority, Department for Education, Department for Child Protection, Department for Correctional Services, and Women’s Safety Services (SA).

Officer in Charge of MAPS, Detective Senior Sergeant First Class (SS1C) Walter Conte believes this coordinated approach has reduced the risk and harm for domestic violence victims and improved perpetrator accountability.

“By co-locating participating agencies under one roof we facilitate realtime information sharing, risk assessments and allocation of responses to minimise threats to victims and vulnerable people,” he said.

“Working closely with police in the field and our partner agencies MAPS has identified and intervened in

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situations that could easily have escalated and resulted in harm to those involved.

“The outstanding success of this model has been recognised nationally, with other states and territories looking to replicate it.”

A key member of SAPOL’s Public Protection Branch, MAPS receives an average of 349 domestic violence referrals per week. Around 21 of these are deemed high-risk. Over its first five years, MAPS has received more than 88 200 reports and issued over 51 800 actions involving information sharing or intervention.

“There has been a sustained and constant reduction in the number of domestic violence matters reported to police annually since the inception of MAPS,” Detective SS1C Conte said.

“From 1 January 2019 to 31 May 2019 there were 8055 domestic violence matters reported to police, which is a significant reduction from the 9005 referrals received in the same period in 2018.

“While MAPS has played an integral role, the reduction in referrals can also be attributed to a range of SAPOL initiatives. These include the Family and Domestic Violence Section, which is responsible for

the development of policy and training; Family Safety Framework; Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme; and the Multi-agency Hub which comprises experienced Family Violence Investigation Officers and Women’s Safety Services SA.” MAPS processes have continued to evolve over the years, with a stronger focus on intervention actions, including perpetrator accountability, instead of merely information-sharing.

“A significant achievement for MAPS has been the development and implementation of the common risk assessment tool now in use across all government and nongovernment agencies to assess the risk level for domestic violence victims,” Detective SS1C Conte said.

“MAPS has also benefited from co-locating multiple agencies with staff building positive, professional partnerships to promote a collaborative approach to information sharing and establishing necessary workflow systems to facilitate the ‘mapping’ process.

“This enables the initiation of proactive strategies within each member agency to mitigate the risk of domestic violence and assist in the

ongoing management and support to victims and their children.”

Arman Abrahimzadeh is a strong supporter of the MAPS concept. His mother Zahra was callously murdered by her husband Zialloh in 2010 despite having taken out apprehended violence orders against him after she and her three children were subjected to decades of abuse.

“Over the past five years I have seen MAPS grow from its infancy to the complex and effective unit it is today.

MAPS has dramatically improved the way we tackle domestic violence and made a significant difference to the way it is policed,” he said.

“The multi-agency system enables a more holistic approach to domestic violence. The communication between the agencies is more effective and allows for fewer gaps for victims to fall through.

“MAPS is a prime example of what effective teamwork can achieve. It has come a long way, and I’m sure with the right leadership it will continue to grow and prevent more senseless deaths from domestic violence.”

DISCLOSING THE THREAT The success of MAPS has been complemented by the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme. This allows South Australians worried that they or a family member or friend may be at risk of domestic or family violence to apply to SAPOL to ascertain if their current or former partner has a history of violence.

From its implementation in October 2018 until 30 June 2019, there were 186 applications for information about a current or former partner. Of these, 62 applications were assessed as not meeting the eligibility criteria and have been referred to Women’s Safety Services SA to enable advice and counselling to occur. There have been a total of 124 applications which have been approved as meeting the disclosure criteria, with 12 of those people assessed as being at imminent risk of harm.

“Around 58 per cent of applications concerned a former partner, and 39 per cent of all applications were lodged by a concerned third party,” said Senior Constable Vivian Pitman from Family and Domestic Violence Section.

“This highlights a genuine need for a service that enables early intervention by strengthening the ability of police and other

agencies to provide appropriate support to those at risk.”

To find out more about the DVDS, or to make an application, visit www. police.sa.gov.au/yoursafety/dvds

OPPOSITE PAGE: MAPS members and stakeholders with the team’s Certificate of Merit acknowledging five years of success. Photo: SAPOL Photographic Section.



The outstanding success of this model has been recognised nationally, with other states and territories looking to replicate it.

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> C OMMUNITY ENG A GEM ENT

COMMUNITY RECEIVES FRINGE BENEFITS

SAPOL’s Blue Light program is at the forefront of efforts to engage with the 2300 people spread across the APY Lands.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: SC1C Mary Skeldon shows a new style of community engagement; and below, local children feel a cut above the rest.

Covering more than 102 000 square kilometres, the remoteness of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, combined with the cultural differences of the many Indigenous communities, demands a different approach to policing in the Far North Local Service Area (LSA).

S

APOL’s Blue Light program is at the forefront of efforts to engage with the 2300 people spread across the APY Lands, with a particular focus on enhancing the prospects of young people.

Increasingly, the 25 police officers and three Community Constables permanently stationed in the Indigenous communities of Mimili, Marla, Amata, Murpatja, Umuwa and Ernabella are finding that Blue Light events are an ideal way of engaging with local youth.

“Blue Light has traditionally been involved in the APY Lands through community youth discos, movie nights, camps and fun runs. They

also worked with Bike SA and the Palya Bike Project in recycling unclaimed bikes from SAPOL property which are then donated to local children,” said Senior Constable First Class (SC1C) Mary Skeldon.

“Blue Light activities have been instrumental in helping police gain the confidence of local youth and encouraging closer interaction with them.”

In the past two years, Blue Light has partnered with government agencies and service providers to engage with young people in the APY Lands. In March 2017, a ‘hair project’ activity was conducted for at-risk young women, involving an all-day health check and hairdressing service aimed at providing them with a positive environment for interacting with police and health workers.

“Professional hairdresser Marco De Francesca volunteered his time to provide beauty services not normally available to young women in local communities,” SC1C Skeldon said.

“Through the positive engagement with the Nganampa Health Centre staff who volunteered on the day, the young women were encouraged to have a health check and receive constructive living messages.”

As a community group, young women, mothers, aunties and grandmas came together to share in an uplifting day.

“In a safe and friendly environment, led by the

healthcare workers and police volunteers, the women discussed relationships and what strategies they could implement to keep themselves safe,” SC1C Skeldon said.

“The women relished a rare opportunity to be pampered and were delighted with their transformations.

“A carnival atmosphere spread throughout Amata, with the smiles and laughter contagious as locals noticed the increasing number of brightly coloured, spiked and dyed hair in the colours of their local football team as the event progressed.”

Due to the resounding success, a similar event was held in October 2018 with a focus on children. It concentrated on developing better relationships between police and young offenders following a spate of break-ins at the local school and store.

Inspector Alison Macgillivray, Senior Sergeant Julie Brown and Cadet Elise Sexton joined SC1C Skeldon and hairdresser Karen Dowd to run the activity held over two days.

“Volunteering police quickly learnt the art of being an apprentice hairdresser as the line of eager clients extended out the door and into the outback,” SC1C Skeldon said.

“Energetic, rowdy children sat perfectly still when it was their turn to be transformed with colours, clippers and razors. They were mesmerised by the change a little colour and cut can bring, as looking into the

full-length mirror they left the hairdresser’s chair walking taller, laughing with friends and posing for selfies.

“Nganampa staff were onhand to provide healthcare, hygiene advice and care packages. Minor ailments previously neglected or undetected were treated in a respectful and nonjudgmental environment with the emphasis on overall wellbeing.”

The success of both events emphasises the strong collaboration between SAPOL, Blue Light, sponsor agencies and local communities in the APY Lands.

“It was a terrific team effort that created positive interactions with police and brought a lot of fun and beneficial outcomes to young people living in remote areas,” SC1C Skeldon said.

“Events like these ensure Blue Light continues to make a significant impact, not only on the young people of the APY Lands, but on the entire community.” 

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Moments in Time

REMEMBERING A POLICING PIONEER On 8 April this year, a decorated chapter in SAPOL’s history closed with the passing of pioneering policewoman Dorothy Pyatt OAM. The 100-year-old was renowned for her dedicated service to the community – both as an officer and then as a volunteer.

Dorothy Pyatt celebrates her 100th birthday with Commissioner Grant Stevens and Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams.

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Ms Pyatt at Adelaide CIB in 1978; and above right, near Lake Phillips in 1954.

orn in London in 1918, Ms Pyatt emigrated to Adelaide with her family in 1926. She joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service towards the end of War War II, before joining SAPOL as a Woman Police Constable (WPC) in 1947. At that time the women police were a separate branch from the male officers, with the majority of their work linked to criminal or welfare matters involving women and children.

In 1951 she joined the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) in Port Augusta covering the Far Northern Division – one of the largest policing districts in Australia.

As Port Augusta’s first female police officer, Ms Pyatt was quite a novelty with people coming to the police station window to peer at her.

She continued to break ground for women, becoming the first WPC

to obtain an operator’s certificate in radio telephony and the first WPC to obtain a permit to drive a police Land Rover. She also received two Commissioner’s Commendations in 1951 and 1957 for “zeal and attention to duty”.

Ms Pyatt was recalled to Adelaide in 1967, and after finding city life was not to her liking, resigned from SAPOL and returned to England where she joined the Women’s Voluntary Service. She came back to Adelaide and rejoined SAPOL in 1972 as a Woman Police Auxiliary (responsible for administrative work) and was posted to Adelaide CIB, a position she held until retirement in 1983.

Ms Pyatt was an inaugural member of the South Australian Police Historical Society in 1977 and was made a life member in 1986. She was the driving force behind the collection, restoration and preservation of the Society’s 31 000 photos and was also heavily involved in locating the burial places of police officers in cemeteries across the state and the renovation of their graves. Ms Pyatt was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2007 for her outstanding contribution to police history in South Australia. She continued to volunteer with the Society until early 2018, just months shy of her 100th birthday.

Ms Pyatt (last on right) with Port Augusta CIB members in 1958. All photos: South Australian Police Historical Society and SAPOL Photographic Section.