Pubdate: Fri, 16 Mar 2001
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  GPO Box 3771, Sydney NSW 2001
Fax: 61-(0)2-9282 3492
Website: http://www.smh.com.au/
Forum: http://forums.fairfax.com.au/
Author: Linda Doherty , David Humphries

POLICE TO GIVE DRUG USERS A MOVE ALONG

A new law allowing police to move drug users off the streets and put them 
"out of sight" will be put to work in Cabramatta today, the area's police 
chief says.

As the failure of police to clean up Cabramatta's heroin problem continues, 
the Premier said yesterday he would outline a new strategy for the area 
next month.

Assistant Commissioner Clive Small said the changes to the Intoxicated 
Persons Act would allow the police to remove from the streets people 
affected byillicit drugs and drunks.

"What that will allow us to do is ... essentially to take them off the 
street and take them out of sight and to put them into at least a temporary 
form of treatment," Mr Small told 2GB.

The Upper House MP Mr Peter Breen, of the Reform the Legal System party, 
criticised the changes, saying they were a "throwback to the old loitering 
laws".

Mr Small agreed with the criminologist Dr Don Weatherburn that two years of 
internal revolt at the Cabramatta local area command had meant "the police 
effectively took their eye off the ball for a time".

This contrasts with statements a year ago by the Police Commissioner, Mr 
Ryan, that Cabramatta's police station had been downgraded because "we've 
reclaimed the streets" and the suburb was "no longer regarded as dangerous".

Yesterday Mr Ryan said he wanted a "total State agency response" to the 
serious drug and violence problems of Cabramatta. Mr Carr has told him to 
review policing strategies in Australia's heroin capital.

Mr Small wants the Cabramatta police station upgraded so it can attract 
more police and extra funding.

The Opposition spokesman on police, Mr Andrew Tink, said"violent crimes, 
especially shooting crimes, have skyrocketed" since the station was 
downgraded in September 1999.

Mr Carr said: "I will have for you a very strong statement on Cabramatta 
before too long. A major statement by the Government on Cabramatta."

Mr Small, meanwhile, has ordered police to investigate a claim by Mr Ross 
Treyvaud, a high-profile anti-drugs campaigner, that a police officer had 
threatened his life.

Mr Treyvaud, a local publican and the president of the Cabramatta Chamber 
of Commerce, said an officer told him several years ago to "shut up, to 
back away" or police "would organise for gangs to kill me".

Mr Treyvaud was attacked under parliamentary privilege last week by two 
Labor MPs, Ms Reba Meagher (Cabramatta) and Mr Kevin Moss (Canterbury).

Ms Meagher said police should be on the beat, not sitting in a courtroom 
"arguing the pros and cons of why fewer people are in the chamber 
president's pub putting their weekly wage through his poker machines".

This was a reference to planned legal action by local shopkeepers who claim 
their trade has suffered due to a lack of government action and resources. 
The chamber is not funding the legal action.

Mr Moss said the "ego-driven" Mr Treyvaud was a "pusher of drugs" because 
his hotel sold cigarettes and alcohol.
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