SteelRedux,

The report (written words) that accompanied the video.

No one was a winner in the example that you give, but one could provide plenty of instances of like happenings, such as home invasions where the victim was injured by the criminal, and was thus the loser and the police were not there to protect said victim.

What I want for Australia is sane gun laws, not the mish-mash of so called National Gun Law which sees it as an offence in WA to possess an inert brass cartridge case, i.e, one that has been fired or has never been fitted with a cap, whereas in other states it is not an offence at all and one is free to use one on a pencil or as a whistle.

No comment on the unlawful possessing an umbrella for self defence against an irate magpie?

How about a reference or two to your earlier assertions?

I agree with you completely IS MISE; there should be total regulatory consistency with all types of weapons. Including firearms and other 'proscribed weapons' of all descriptions, types and configurations. In order they may be properly regulated and policed. Your example of an unfired case, is quite typical of the 'mish mash' legislation that currently exists from State to State.

As an example edged weapons:- Most of the States permit the ownership of double edged knives, save for Victoria, where it's been deemed through regulation, a 'proscribed weapon', thus illegal. Therefore one may possess a double edged knife in Albury, however should he cross the Murray, he can be locked up for possession? National consistency is the most sensible answer? Yet the annual Police Commissioner's conference, fails to address such anomalies leaving police with a haphazard set of laws with which to operate?

Less social functions, all at the taxpayers expense, and more time dedicated to establishing machinery to make policing just a little easy to accomplish, without all the red tape that currently exists now.

It should be noted, edged weapons of all types and all configurations are now the weapons of choice for most youths, louts and gang members, all out to intimidate and stand-over others in the community. I'm sure all of you can recognise just how dangerous these weapons are, even in the hands of someone totally untrained in their respective uses.

Dear o sung wu,

You wrote;

“It should be noted, edged weapons of all types and all configurations are now the weapons of choice for most youths" ... "I'm sure all of you can recognise just how dangerous these weapons are, even in the hands of someone totally untrained in their respective uses.”

A couple of years ago I attempted to go to the assistance of a policeman who was dealing with chap late at night who turned out to be a psych patient drugged out his mind. He was flailing away though I thought the copper was handling the situation really well. I went for this blokes arm and held it for a bit, but I lost my grip when the copper tried to swing him to the ground. To cut a long story short neither the policeman or myself realised in the dark he was actually being stabbed with that very arm. Neither of us saw the knife. The copper nearly lost his life.

The policeman was in uniform but unarmed. To this day I struggle with what happened, thinking how I might have done more to stop him being hurt. I now know what a stabbing action looks like and it isn't what you see in the movies. I also know how quickly things can escalate, when a seemingly benign situation turns to life-threatening in seconds, and how thoroughly dangerous knives are.

You have talked about your battle with PTS. I have had a small glimpse of it after this event where one moment I would be fine then the next I would be a mess, absolutely rock bottom, seemed to come in waves. Really struggled for a month thinking I had failed the officer. Was offered psychological help but declined. It was my cousin, also copper, who talked me through it and I will be forever grateful.

I understand yours is far more long term and orders of magnitude greater than what kicked me around and I found it really brutal going, so I can only imagine what you've dealt with.

My opinion is, people only need to service each others needs by a fewer number of people in predominately unskilled industrial machinery society. Left over employment needs are hamburger industry workers. After fast foods, left over employment fend for themselves crime, ice selling drugs and other illegal activities.

A society of everyone has a gun US America, frustration of an unfulfilling life, rage media, my description of a service industry economy.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=7167&page=7

Hi there STEELEREDUX...

From what you've said you've nothing whatsoever to reproach yourself about, concerning the level of aid you provided the copper. In fact there are many instances where the police are left on their own whenever there's a need to apprehend a violent offender, with many people preferring to just stand around idly watching as the events escalate. I guess it's down to human nature, not to get involved, when the physical stuff arises.

I suppose as humans we always wonder whether we could've done more in such circumstances? I was on day shift (detectives) doing a 'foreigner' and the radio called for the 'closest member' to attend a small suburban park.

Being just up the road, I (reluctantly) called it in. There, I saw this bloke in his fifties, well attired in a dark business suit, laying at the base of a tree, apparently insentient. There also was a middle aged woman kneeling by his side holding his hand. She told me she had seen him exit this well known restaurant across from the park, and he appeared to have stumbled and fell, whereupon he started vomiting until he lost consciousness. She wasn't in his company nor did she know him.

I did the usual - checked vitals; absence of a pulse at the neck and wrist; placed him in the coma position; loosened clothing at his neck; quick check of his airways; an onlooker called the Ambo's. while I commenced CPR. When the Ambulance attended, they took over, and he was later conveyed to hospital.

Enquiries later revealed the man died, as a result of suffering a myocardial infarction. Complicated by a partially blocked airway? Some remnants of food were later found lodged at the back of his throat, and had not been properly cleared prior to commencing CPR. Though evidence taken at the Coronial enquiry revealed this partial blockage, no mention of culpability or carelessness was attributed to anyone, nor was it 'stated nor inferred'. But I knew the truth?

o sung wu,

It was once the legal duty of citizens in NSW to go to the aid of a policeman if need be, a few years back this law was removed from the books.

Back in the early 1960s a soldier (who was later a Sgt/foreman alongside me; he had the Fitting Shop and I, the Machine Shop), and his mate went to the assistance of a Constable who was getting the worst of it from 5 or 6 thugs, near Town Hall Underground. The two diggers waded in and evened things up but the 'troops' arrived and bundled them into the paddy wagon along with the attackers.
Fortunately the Constable came to and said something to the effect that the diggers saved him.
The were quickly released, with apologies, and subsequently received a commendation from the Commissioner along with a copy of the letter that he sent to AHQ requesting that their actions be noted in their records.