❓ A parliamentary question regarding the police response to an incident involving the member for Innaloo, questioning the necessity of five police cars for a minor offense that only warranted a caution. The response defends the police officer's discretion and explains the presence of multiple cars.
AnsweredQoN 658Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I have a supplementary question. If the member for Innaloo’s offences were so minor that they warranted only a caution, on what basis were up to five police cars called to the incident? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS
AnswerView source ↗
For some members who may not have heard Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts speak on the radio this morning about the caution, I think the following paragraph probably summarises best the Police Service position. John McRoberts said - I am satisfied, and there’s been substantial enquiry put to the officer as to the reason why he chose to exercise his discretion, and I have to say that discretion is something that is exercised by police officers hundreds of times each day. There is nothing untoward, and it’s a well recognised system of dealing with minor offences that police officers exercise their discretion. Now I’m satisfied that on this occasion the officer considered the circumstances and felt that the matters that he observed could be adequately dealt with by cautioning Mr Quigley. To further answer the question from the member for Kalgoorlie, the officer was alone, it was of an evening, and he called for assistance. It just so happened that there were at least five cars in the area.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: For some members who may not have heard Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts speak on the radio this morning about the caution, I think the following paragraph probably summarises best the Police Service position. John McRoberts said - I am satisfied, and there’s been substantial enquiry put to the officer as to the reason why he chose to exercise his discretion, and I have to say that discretion is something that is exercised by police officers hundreds of times each day. There is nothing untoward, and it’s a well recognised system of dealing with minor offences that police officers exercise their discretion. Now I’m satisfied that on this occasion the officer considered the circumstances and felt that the matters that he observed could be adequately dealt with by cautioning Mr Quigley. To further answer the question from the member for Kalgoorlie, the officer was alone, it was of an evening, and he called for assistance. It just so happened that there were at least five cars in the area.
For some members who may not have heard Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts speak on the radio this morning about the caution, I think the following paragraph probably summarises best the Police Service position. John McRoberts said - I am satisfied, and there’s been substantial enquiry put to the officer as to the reason why he chose to exercise his discretion, and I have to say that discretion is something that is exercised by police officers hundreds of times each day. There is nothing untoward, and it’s a well recognised system of dealing with minor offences that police officers exercise their discretion. Now I’m satisfied that on this occasion the officer considered the circumstances and felt that the matters that he observed could be adequately dealt with by cautioning Mr Quigley. To further answer the question from the member for Kalgoorlie, the officer was alone, it was of an evening, and he called for assistance. It just so happened that there were at least five cars in the area.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: For some members who may not have heard Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts speak on the radio this morning about the caution, I think the following paragraph probably summarises best the Police Service position. John McRoberts said - I am satisfied, and there’s been substantial enquiry put to the officer as to the reason why he chose to exercise his discretion, and I have to say that discretion is something that is exercised by police officers hundreds of times each day. There is nothing untoward, and it’s a well recognised system of dealing with minor offences that police officers exercise their discretion. Now I’m satisfied that on this occasion the officer considered the circumstances and felt that the matters that he observed could be adequately dealt with by cautioning Mr Quigley. To further answer the question from the member for Kalgoorlie, the officer was alone, it was of an evening, and he called for assistance. It just so happened that there were at least five cars in the area.
For some members who may not have heard Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts speak on the radio this morning about the caution, I think the following paragraph probably summarises best the Police Service position. John McRoberts said - I am satisfied, and there’s been substantial enquiry put to the officer as to the reason why he chose to exercise his discretion, and I have to say that discretion is something that is exercised by police officers hundreds of times each day. There is nothing untoward, and it’s a well recognised system of dealing with minor offences that police officers exercise their discretion. Now I’m satisfied that on this occasion the officer considered the circumstances and felt that the matters that he observed could be adequately dealt with by cautioning Mr Quigley. To further answer the question from the member for Kalgoorlie, the officer was alone, it was of an evening, and he called for assistance. It just so happened that there were at least five cars in the area.
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