When a "brief of evidence" is presented by police to a coroner, it may be totally factual, it could well be a thorough and complete investigation. containing witness statements and other material of great benefit to the coroner. There is also opportunity for deception, fabrication and omission on the part of police in preparing that brief. It cuts both ways.

As recently as September, Victorian coroner Caitlin English was scathing in her assessment of police in relation to her order to provide a competent officer to give evidence during the inquiry into the "death in custody" of Aboriginal woman Tanya Day in 2017. “This witness (superintendent Sussan Thomas) was asked at my direction to come to court,” said English. Despite being given 6 months notice that they (the police) would be required to provide a senior officer as a witness into police policies, procedures and training in regards to aboriginal confinement. Thomas was only notified two days before the inquest was scheduled to conclude. Her 14-page statement was only received at 9.51am on the final day. Super Thomas admitted under examination this was not really her area of expertise.

Peter Morrissey SC for the Day family was indignant.

“The witness has been put here specifically because she doesn’t know,” he said.

Earlier he said the witness, superintendent Sussan Thomas, had been appointed as a “decoy”.

Coroner English agreed, and called an immediate conclusion to proceedings.

Inquests into deaths in custody follow a pattern.

First the officers directly involved, police or prison, give evidence about their involvement with the deceased, pertinent details of which they cannot recall.

Then comes the medical evidence and opinions from expert witnesses, who say the care of the deceased person was inadequate.

The situation in the north of Australia with regards deaths in custody is now such an explosive topic that local police have admitted that whenever possible, they won’t pick arrest heavily intoxicated or drug afflicted people, even if they are a risk to themselves or others, because of the risk they may die in a cell.
This means those drunk or drugged people are free to beat their partners and others or die in the gutter because there is no one watching them.
So, whilst deaths in custody may reduce, the rate of assaults or drug/alcohol related deaths outside prison increases.
Nobody wins here.

Folks think with me back to that unfortunate death in Redfern of that young kid
I think Loudmouth told it much like it was
BUT do we remember that ABC documentary? the one showing police live?
A raw young female bragging on camera about free food for cops
The sniggering and damning insult used against a then NRL footballer?
Now back to today, *it appears police some at least, take on a closed personality within their ranks*
Everyone'is a suspect everyone a criminal, nothing those few cops do is wrong
We are headed down hill toward an AMERICAN style policing that is? you tell me, tell the hundreds of killed unarmed African Americans or kids murdered because they had a plastic gun

Hi Belly,

"that unfortunate death in Redfern of that young kid I (Belly) think Loudmouth told it much like it was" Joe was probably cosy in his bed in SA at the time.

Well no he didn't, he gave you more or less the official copper spiel, which was fed to the media, and they ran with it, particularly the Murdoch press.

I was on the ground in Redfern at the time, people there knew what really happened. SO Do I.

Take this on board, when the call went out for witnesses to come forward, an aboriginal woman who eye balled the whole incident went to the Redfern coppers to offer assistance. The duty office took her name and address, and a brief as to what she was doing there. With the promise of "someone will contact you" she left. No copper every came around to get an official statement from the woman. Later they claimed to have had enough witness statements, they didn't need hers.

I say the coppers never intended for the boy to die, or come to any harm, it was a case of a couple of older juveniles (the coppers) having a bit of fund with a younger juvenile (T.J Hickey), as was common in Redfern at that time, the coppers knew all the kids, if you weren't known to the coppers then there was something wrong with you. Unfortunately that bit of juvenile behaviour had tragic consequences for the boy. I suppose the coppers involved went on to have fulfilling and rewarding careers, I don't know if they did or not!

Fair enough Paul except your view but did you see that redfern doco?
You know I am a ham radio operator but do you know we quite legal, once heard every word on their radio? Local*star* constable always named his victims scumbags
Long time ago but he GOT ARRESTED for drug dealing
Police should not investigate police ever

Hi Belly,

Back in the good old days in Refern, kids were constantly in trouble, in the streets breaking into cars, stealing etc, young kids. One afternoon I returned to my car parked in Chalmers St, to find the passenger door wide open, and a young aboriginal girl about 12, going through the glove box. I said; "What are you doing?", her reply "F Off!" Me; "I can't, cause there's a little kid sitting in my drivers seat, pretending to drive."...."Your car mister?"...."Yep, afraid so!"..."sorry"..."I've got the sits with you, you've broken my door lock..."sorry mister"..."Ok, how about you take your little brother and go home, and we'll forget it."...ÖK mister, got any smokes?"..."Nah don't smoke, got anything I can keep the door shut with, while I drive home?"...."Nah!"

With cooperation between the police and the community, most of the petty crime has stopped in Redfern, these days.