❓ Hon Dr Brian Walker questions the Minister for Police regarding the WA Police Force's discretion not to prosecute its own officers, comparing it to judicial discretion and implying a double standard.
AnsweredQoN 1361Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE —
DISCRETION — PROSECUTION OF POLICE
1361. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer the
minister to comments made by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner last year in
which he publicly condemned repeated
failures by WA Police to pursue criminal charges against police officers, with
the Western Australia Police Force opting instead to employ discretion
not to prosecute in favour of handling matters internally.
(1)
How often has such a discretion not to prosecute one of its own been exercised
by WAPOL in each of the last three years since the government came to power?
(2) Does the Cook Labor government have any plans to remove this
discretionary power?
(3) I f no to (2), will the government consider extending similar
discretionary powers to judges when, for example, considering drug trafficker
declarations or to magistrates when considering those charged with driving with tetrahydrocannabinol in their system yet without
evidence of impairment?
(4)
If no to (3), can the minister explain to the house why the government trusts
its police officers over and above judges and juries; is there one law for the
police and another for the rest of society?
DISCRETION — PROSECUTION OF POLICE
1361. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer the
minister to comments made by the Corruption and Crime Commissioner last year in
which he publicly condemned repeated
failures by WA Police to pursue criminal charges against police officers, with
the Western Australia Police Force opting instead to employ discretion
not to prosecute in favour of handling matters internally.
(1)
How often has such a discretion not to prosecute one of its own been exercised
by WAPOL in each of the last three years since the government came to power?
(2) Does the Cook Labor government have any plans to remove this
discretionary power?
(3) I f no to (2), will the government consider extending similar
discretionary powers to judges when, for example, considering drug trafficker
declarations or to magistrates when considering those charged with driving with tetrahydrocannabinol in their system yet without
evidence of impairment?
(4)
If no to (3), can the minister explain to the house why the government trusts
its police officers over and above judges and juries; is there one law for the
police and another for the rest of society?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable
member for some notice of the question. The Western Australia Police Force
advise that a response is not possible to be provided within the required
timeframes. An answer will be provided to the honourable member tomorrow.
member for some notice of the question. The Western Australia Police Force
advise that a response is not possible to be provided within the required
timeframes. An answer will be provided to the honourable member tomorrow.
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