A WA parliamentary question regarding the use of pepper spray on an 11-year-old child by police on school property. The response confirms a review was conducted, but its public release is subject to Freedom of Information and the Corruption and Crime Commission's discretion. No new instructions will be given to police regarding force.

AnsweredQoN 1146Legislative Council
Asked
4 December 2006
Portfolio
Police and Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

PEPPER SPRAYS - USE BY POLICE
I refer to the minister’s response to question without notice 517 of 22 June 2006. (1) Has the tactical use of force review been concluded? (2) If yes to (1), who conducted the review? (3) If yes to (1), will the findings of the review be made public? (4) If yes to (3), when? (5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(1) Has the tactical use of force review been concluded? (2) If yes to (1), who conducted the review? (3) If yes to (1), will the findings of the review be made public? (4) If yes to (3), when? (5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(2) If yes to (1), who conducted the review? (3) If yes to (1), will the findings of the review be made public? (4) If yes to (3), when? (5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(3) If yes to (1), will the findings of the review be made public? (4) If yes to (3), when? (5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(4) If yes to (3), when? (5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(5) If no to (3), why not? (6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(6) Given that the victim of the pepper spray was an 11-year-old child on Department of Education and Training property, will the government instruct the police and the Department of Education and Training to implement policies and practices whereby other methods of apprehension are used on schoolchildren in the department’s care? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer - (1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(1) Yes. (2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(2) A review of the internal investigation into the tactical use of force was conducted by the metropolitan regional support division. The review was conducted by Inspector Fergusson and oversighted by Superintendent Matson. (3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(3)-(5) The findings of the review are available upon application under freedom of information. Any decision to make the findings public is at the discretion of the Corruption and Crime Commission. (6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.
(6) It is my view that WA Police officers should use reasonable force when it is deemed necessary within the WA Police guidelines. Accordingly, no new instruction will be given to police.

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