Drizzt
March 18, 2003, 04:39 PM
Courier Mail
March 18, 2003 Tuesday
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 485 words
HEADLINE: Officers not skilled in gun use: instructor
BYLINE: David Murray
BODY:
THE police service has more than halved the number of bullets recruits use in training as part of cutbacks claimed to be endangering lives.
Firearms instructors say police service belt-tightening has eroded the state's once-lauded weapons training program.
One instructor told The Courier-Mail of:
* Rounds used by recruits in training being cut from 800 to 250.
* Simmunition (paintball) rounds for recruits being cut from 250 to 50.
* Firearms and Officer Safety Training unit budget for recruits being cut from $217,000 in 2001/02 to $130,000 in 2002/03.
* Few officers being properly qualified to use the state's service rifles.
* No training for the humane destruction of animals.
Queensland Police Service confirmed there had been "reductions in training costs without affecting learning outcomes or the quality of the program".
The instructor, who did not want to be named for fear of retribution, said a senior executive told instructors the service was "no longer involved in best-practice training; we are an organisation involved with best value for money".
"Officers are going to be let loose on the street with a lethal weapon on their hip which, in my opinion, they are not competent to handle," the instructor said.
Queensland Police Union backed the instructor's claims and said proper firearms training was "vital for the safety of both police and the public and should not be subjected to budget cuts".
"The Beattie Government needs to urgently move to ensure proper funding to firearms
training is reinstated immediately," union president Gary Wilkinson said.
A Queensland Police Service statement said education and training "must be balanced between best practice and cost effectiveness".
The service "clearly does not have infinite resources" and managers had to "work within current budget parameters", the statement said.
The police firearms instructor said there were about 400 service rifles in regions across the state, but "it would be lucky if a dozen officers were currently qualified to do the job".
There was no ongoing training for using the rifles, he said.
The instructor said there was no training on how to destroy animals, citing a case where an officer shot a cow at least 13 times in the stomach before another officer who knew what to do arrived and shot the cow humanely.
Police Minister Tony McGrady said the police service was provided with a record budget last year of $917 million, a 24 per cent increase.
"It is the job of the Commissioner and his senior management to allocate funding internally to the priorities they identify," he said.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said cutting back on firearms training was an "appalling development".
"A few extra bullets is absolutely nothing when one considers the benefits to the public in safety and having properly trained police officers," he said.
March 18, 2003 Tuesday
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 485 words
HEADLINE: Officers not skilled in gun use: instructor
BYLINE: David Murray
BODY:
THE police service has more than halved the number of bullets recruits use in training as part of cutbacks claimed to be endangering lives.
Firearms instructors say police service belt-tightening has eroded the state's once-lauded weapons training program.
One instructor told The Courier-Mail of:
* Rounds used by recruits in training being cut from 800 to 250.
* Simmunition (paintball) rounds for recruits being cut from 250 to 50.
* Firearms and Officer Safety Training unit budget for recruits being cut from $217,000 in 2001/02 to $130,000 in 2002/03.
* Few officers being properly qualified to use the state's service rifles.
* No training for the humane destruction of animals.
Queensland Police Service confirmed there had been "reductions in training costs without affecting learning outcomes or the quality of the program".
The instructor, who did not want to be named for fear of retribution, said a senior executive told instructors the service was "no longer involved in best-practice training; we are an organisation involved with best value for money".
"Officers are going to be let loose on the street with a lethal weapon on their hip which, in my opinion, they are not competent to handle," the instructor said.
Queensland Police Union backed the instructor's claims and said proper firearms training was "vital for the safety of both police and the public and should not be subjected to budget cuts".
"The Beattie Government needs to urgently move to ensure proper funding to firearms
training is reinstated immediately," union president Gary Wilkinson said.
A Queensland Police Service statement said education and training "must be balanced between best practice and cost effectiveness".
The service "clearly does not have infinite resources" and managers had to "work within current budget parameters", the statement said.
The police firearms instructor said there were about 400 service rifles in regions across the state, but "it would be lucky if a dozen officers were currently qualified to do the job".
There was no ongoing training for using the rifles, he said.
The instructor said there was no training on how to destroy animals, citing a case where an officer shot a cow at least 13 times in the stomach before another officer who knew what to do arrived and shot the cow humanely.
Police Minister Tony McGrady said the police service was provided with a record budget last year of $917 million, a 24 per cent increase.
"It is the job of the Commissioner and his senior management to allocate funding internally to the priorities they identify," he said.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said cutting back on firearms training was an "appalling development".
"A few extra bullets is absolutely nothing when one considers the benefits to the public in safety and having properly trained police officers," he said.