Police News May - New Zealand Police Association

May 2004 Police News The Voice of PolicePain lingers over detective’s bombing deathBy Brett Williams in AdelaideFor Jane Bowen-Sutton, only one thing was worse thanhearing of her husband’s murder. It was telling her sons,seven and five, their dad would never come home. Sheremembers it as a “shocking experience”, and has alwayscarried it with her.“You read about child grief, and I thought I’d done thisterrible thing to my sons: told them that their dad had beenkilled,” she said recently. “I’ll never recover (from that).”The boys’ father, WA detective sergeant, Geoffrey Bowen,died in the National Crime Authority bombing of March1994. He had worked in the NCA’s Adelaide office on asecondment for two years.Lawyer Peter Wallis survived the blast but sufferedextensive burns, and lost his sight in one eye.Memorial serviceLast March, on the 10 th anniversary of the bombing, MrsBowen-Sutton and her sons, Matthew and Simon, now17 and 15, returned to Adelaide. There, they paid tributeto their murdered husband and father in an emotionalmemorial service on Waymouth St, outside the former NCAoffices.That March 2 day was the 19 th anniversary of Mrs Bowen-Sutton’s marriage to Det Sgt Bowen.Senior SA Police chaplain, Rev David Marr, conducted theservice with his WA counterpart, Rev Barry May.Officials from the Western Australia Police Union and thePolice Association of South Australia joined the Bowenfamily, and scores of serving police, at the morning ceremony.Mourners laid wreaths and flowers over a brass plate in thefootpath, in honour of Det Sgt Bowen.DignitariesAmong the congregation were Police Federation of Australiapresident, Peter Alexander, Australian Crime Commissionchairman, Mick Keelty, and SA Police Commissioner MalHyde.Mr Alexander described the “terrorist nature” of Det SgtBowen’s murder as unprecedented in Australia.Mrs Bowen-Sutton, now remarried, said: “I have troublewith the nature of Geoff’s death, because he was a terrificman, appalled by violence. I don’t know if I’ll ever get overthat”.This column is written by a frontline police officer. It does notrepresent the views or policies of the Police Association.View From The BottomBy Constable Iam KeenMe Fed mates down in the deep south are feeling verymuch let down after finding out that this 4-6% (decrease)for taking promotion has also affected them. They’vediscovered that the retention policy put in place to keepthe CIB attractive has been diminished (“out the window”,I think the words used were) in the latest pay round. Morebehind the curtains work from the lot working in Wayne’sWorld - giving with one hand whilst taking with another.The master of illusion has certainly pulled the woolly down,with very few troopies being aware of what we weresigning up for when it all took place, though it’s there inblack and white I’m told. My bully tells me this will alsoaffect the AOS, Youth Aid and other groups, so I doubtwhether this will be the last we hear of it.Apparently, down in the South, 90% of CIB members willget something in the 4% region instead of the guaranteed6% when they qualify, which might lead to a minor revolt.I already hear an Association advocate took an ear bashingat the Police College for not making this clear, prior to thevote last year. Let’s hope it hasn’t fallen on deaf ears.The old lark of divide and rule seems to be alive and well intoday’s (Wayne’s) world!The chameleonIf that’s not bad enough, I hear that HR staff have beenencouraged not to be part of the Association, as theymight have a conflict of interest when dealing with staffissues. That is downright deplorable. One would have toquestion the ethics involved.If you continue to attempt to suppress your most‘valuable resources’, by undermining them at every turn,Back to the futureyou may end up biting the hand thatfeeds you fella!In a time where ‘ethics’ are to the forefrontof policing, it would have seemed moreprudent to lead from the front and be as upfront and as fair as possible. Maybe I’m still abit naive and it really is just about the dollars.Maybe someone should audit the amount ofcell phones in use at the castle and scrutinisethe backroom instead of the front room fora change.The world was so much simpler when Michael J was gettingus through the box office with this trilogy of movies. Youcould relax and put a hard week’s work behind you. The AB’swere the best and most feared team in the world. A HappyMeal from McD’s really did make you feel just that and therights of the many always out weighed the rights of the few.Boy I miss those times.Well team, the road toll needs tweaking back down thisyear and that ‘P’ trend has just not gone away, despite someuneducated suggestions. When were those meth teams northof the Bombay’s and around the cake tin coming on line?Thank God we don’t have a problem here in the Mainland.Yeah right!The meth problem represents a challenge and a half that usfront-liners are more than up to with the right leadership. Sureit’ll be a bit of a wrestle but if it was that easy everyone wouldbe doing it and they’re not! If you’re not up to it then you canalways book in for the lobotomy and get promoted aboveNCO level....aaahhh...okay that might be a bit harsh becauseI’ve met at least six in the past 20 years that haven’t lost site ofthe sharp end and can remember their roots.And watch out for those red andblacks creeping up that Super 12table. See ya!88