Pubdate: Wed, 17 Nov 1999
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Author: Peter Clack

INJECTING CLINICS NOT SAFE FROM POLICE

Australian Federal Police officers would refuse any orders to ignore
drug-users going into so-called safe injecting clinics to shoot up, the AFP
Association warned last night.

The association threatened that police would ignore orders to turn a blind
eye to heroin use and would enter any 'shooting gallery' in Canberra to
arrest those carrying heroin.

Anyone who tried to stop them carrying out their duties would be arrested
for hindering police, even other police.

The association's ACT branch secretary, Scott Rowell, said officers would
not obey directives to 'ignore their duty' and they would 'uphold the law'
if a shooting gallery went ahead in the ACT.

'Every sworn member of the AFP has a duty to uphold the law without fear or
favour,' he said.

'No police officer in the ACT will abrogate this responsibility under any
circumstances. Any attempt to stop members from carrying out their duty
could be met with a charge of hinder police in the performance of their duty.'

The stand taken by the association was strongly endorsed last night by
Independents Paul Osborne and Dave Rugendyke, both former police officers.

'Police have got to do their job,' Mr Osborne said. 'I support the
association; shooting galleries are finished.'

Mr Rugendyke said Health Minister Michael Moore had advocated allowing drug
users to carry half a gram of heroin. This represented 20 hits, 2 times a
trafficable amount.

Mr Rowell said it was important that community confidence in the police was
preserved. Any move for police to ignore illicit-drug crimes undermined
this confidence

'We have heard today proposals in Victoria to establish supposed
safe-dealing zones,' he said.

'This is a totally unacceptable risk to the community and not the direction
the AFPA would like to see followed in Canberra.

'While the Assembly may pass legislation to set up a shooting galleries,
AFP officers still have a duty in relation to the Customs Act.

'Commonwealth statute outweighs state and territory statute, as we have
seen with euthanasia Bills in recent times.

'As far as the AFPA is concerned, if you are carrying illicit drugs, you
should expect to be locked up.'

Police had a duty to protect life and property and, in relation to drugs,
they were obliged to prosecute drug users for their own safety.

'If police ignore this duty, they may be found culpable if they haven't
taken action when someone they have dealt with overdoses,' he said.

'The AFPA understands the complexity of these issues and . . . is not
satisfied that a shooting gallery is an appropriate way to go.'

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