A report has recommended clarifying Victoria Police's shoot-to-kill powers.
Bold new anti-terrorism laws would grant Victorian police greater power to shoot to kill suspects and prolong the amount of time they can be detained.
The moves are a part of sweeping reforms based on 16 recommendations from a report commissioned after June's deadly Brighton siege.
Terrorist Yacqub Khayre shot dead serviced apartment receptionist Nick Hao and wounded three police officers before being killed in a hail of bullets.
"It was a frightening, deadly and tragic event and it's one that called us to action," Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters.
The report by former chief commissioner Ken Lay and retired judge David Harper says police and protective service officers' lethal force powers should be clarified to "put beyond doubt that it applies to pre-emptive action".
"The law seemed to cover the issues necessary, but there was some difficulty in actually interpreting and understanding that it covered pre-emptive force," Mr Lay told journalists on Thursday.
"The recommendations ... ensure Victoria Police have clarity in some of the most deadly and critical operational issues that Victoria Police will ever need to deal with."
The pair also recommend a "presumption against bail and parole" for those convicted of terror offences, suspected of terrorist links or who pose such a threat.
The monitoring of offenders who do not get bail or parole will be subject to a second report expected soon.
The government accepted all 16 recommendations in principle and will begin making the reforms law.
This includes clarifying the shoot-to-kill powers, extending the detention time frame to four days and amending the parole and bail laws.
The report says a "nominated senior police officer" and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission should oversee the extended preventative detention.
Mr Andrews says safeguards will be put in place to ensure the new powers are not abused.
However, "if it comes to a question of curtailing the rights of a small number of people to protect tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of other Victorians, then I won't hesitate to make that call".
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said he supported the recommendations, but wanted to see a time frame on when they would be made law.
"The police need these laws to keep us safe," he told reports.
Ref:https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/37170059/vic-police-to-get-clearer-shoot-kill-power/?cmp=st
No comments:
Post a Comment