1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: The Advertiser Today has a very compelling report on what 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: police put up with in Hinley Street. Elizabeth Henson has 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: interviewed a recently retired police officer, Sergeant David Chamberlain, who 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: has left the force forty years. Mind you, seventeen years 5 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: of that was spent in the CBD and in Hinley 6 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: Street patrolling the area, and I'll regular the first paragraph, 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: regularly being attacked by aggressive party goers, fending off threats 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: from revelers with no backup nearby, and taking injured colleagues 9 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: to hospital multiple times during shifts. This is the bleak 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: reality of for Hinley Street police, says one recently retired officer. 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: Now that's not police do get in amongst it, that's 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: their role, but no one wants to do that Friday, 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: Saturday night in and out. That's not a great work 14 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: environment by any stretch. He managed seventeen years of it. 15 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: There unbelievable. What needs to happen to Hinley Street? So 16 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: from the Adelaide City Council councilor Henry Davis, Henry, I 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: suppose we've been asking that question for decades? 18 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I suppose we have, And what have 19 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 2: we done about it? But I've been on your show 20 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 2: how many times now talking about breaking on Gooja Street. 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: There was a man punched in the faith on rundle 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 2: More that we were talking about a year ago, about 23 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: an axe being wielded in Rundlemore, And it just seems 24 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: like this problem is getting worse. And I can say 25 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: my colleagues on the Adelaid City Council don't want to 26 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: do anything about it, and they certainly don't want me 27 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: talking to you or even raising awareness of it and 28 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: asking for more action here. 29 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: Why not? 30 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think the perception is that if we talk 31 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: about these problems that people won't come into the city, 32 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: and so what's been what's happening here is I think 33 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: that these are all getting pushed under the rug by 34 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: the police minister, by the council. But the reality is 35 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: that people who are coming into the city exactly what's 36 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: going on, because they're the ones who were impacted by this. 37 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: Our police know what's going on. That's why they're not 38 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 2: signing up to the force. So there are some real 39 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: issues and we need to start talking about it and 40 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 2: we need to be honest. 41 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: Will the revamp make a difference? 42 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: No, it's not going to it's not going to make 43 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 2: a different like having nicer There might be you know, 44 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: nicer haves there for the police officer. You know, he 45 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 2: was talking about holding a man's head as he was 46 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 2: unconscious as a group of other people wanted to threatening 47 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 2: to come and bash him. So it'd be a nicer 48 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: environment for him, for sure. But will I make it safer? 49 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: Absolutely not. 50 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: Well, all right, so what do we need to do? 51 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: What sort of action is paramount here is? It can't 52 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: just be more CCTV. It's got to be more police, 53 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: doesn't it. 54 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: Well, I actually think so. I actually talked to the 55 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 2: Lord Mayor after you might recall a guy in run 56 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 2: of more good attack and I was helped him and 57 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: patched him up and the police and ambos came after that. 58 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: And after that incident, I called the Lord Mayor and 59 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: I said, we need to do an investigation talk with 60 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 2: business owners to understand what's going on now in Gooja. 61 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: Straight A lot of business owners are afraid to report 62 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: these issues or they've they've got apathy in the terms 63 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 2: of the police and the council have no interest in it. 64 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: So we need to find exactly what's going on. I 65 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 2: understand there's a huge amount of shoplifting as well. People 66 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 2: will just pick suff up out of a shop and 67 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 2: just walk straight out. I spoke with staff members there 68 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: about that issue, and you know, they just said there's 69 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,799 Speaker 2: no point reporting it. They just don't bother reporting to 70 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: the place or anyone because nothing ever gets done. So 71 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: I think we need to put together that firsthand experience, 72 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: detail it and then say to the police commissioner and 73 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: the Minister for Police and say, look, we need some 74 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 2: action here and everyone needs to be honest about what's 75 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: going on. We can't be afraid of talking about it. 76 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: We actually have to be open about what's happening so 77 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: that we can actually get a real solution here. 78 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: Yet, the more reports that come in of shoplifting, for instance, 79 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: the more police build up a picture and attend and 80 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: run operations. And they have run operations in the mall 81 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: to crack down on shop lifting with success. 82 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: And then they disappear. So when we had it was 83 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: on this program we talked about a guy brandishing an 84 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: AX in run of all. There was a good police 85 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 2: president's presence there for a while and then that dropped off. 86 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 2: They're run a sting on shop listing. I'm not sure 87 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: how many they caught, and then it'll drop off. There 88 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 2: needs to be a continued presence and we also need 89 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: to look at what's happened next. So you know, the 90 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 2: best way I can say, the best way to reduce 91 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: crime in our city is to stop arresting people really 92 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: because those statistics will go way down. Oh yeah, no 93 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 2: one will know about it, I feel. And that's what 94 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: their police officers complaining about, is saying that they're not 95 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: getting done with assault police. They're getting you know, resist 96 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 2: the rat So we're not actually being and so when 97 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: people realize that they're not going to get charged, when 98 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: they're not going to get help to account and they're 99 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 2: going to get away with her, they're going to continue 100 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: to do it. 101 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, and in the meantime, not enough police full stuff anyway. 102 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 2: Well, why would you join up as a police member 103 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 2: if you're not going to get the support there, if 104 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 2: you're going to be in a dangerous position. You know, 105 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: you want to be in a position as a police 106 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: officer where you know that if you're in trouble there 107 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 2: will be swarms of your colleagues there to defend you. 108 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 2: And everyone in the community needs to know that as well. 109 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: And that's the way it should be. But I can't 110 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: help but think that this is going to put a 111 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 2: down on people wanting to become police officers. If we 112 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,919 Speaker 2: don't say we've actually got the proper resources here to 113 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 2: back you up. Why would you go into this dangerous 114 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 2: job where this sergeant is saying he's complained about it 115 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: how many times and he's got nowhere with it. So 116 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 2: police need to be supported. They need to increase the funding, 117 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: they need to increase the members being here. And honestly 118 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: that I've had criticisms of shipping in police officer from 119 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 2: overseas because they don't have the same level of training 120 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 2: or the same level of interaction with people. So they 121 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 2: need to be locals and we need to give them 122 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 2: a good career path, proper training and proper support. And 123 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 2: the City of Adelaide needs to be very aware and 124 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: actually we can do all the work to point out 125 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 2: where these issues are up with solutions. But first things 126 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 2: first is we need to tell everybody how bad the 127 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: problem is, and I think no one has a true picture. 128 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 2: And members on council need to stop silencing me when 129 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 2: I raise concerns because we don't want to see a 130 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: downturn in people visiting. People know, they see it and 131 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: they're not coming to our city for that very reason. 132 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 2: So we need to blow the lid on this thing. 133 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: Well there's no point is there saying nothing to see here? 134 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 1: And that's essentially what you're saying the council's views. 135 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. I went to a council meeting. We had 136 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 2: a briefing from a police officer and I got criticized 137 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: for raising concerns and asking for more police presence in 138 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 2: Guju Strait. So pushing these problems away is not going 139 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 2: to solve them, you know, I asked. I spoke with 140 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 2: the Lord Mayor after the attack in London Mall and said, look, 141 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: we need to engage with business owners and ask them 142 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: what the problem is. Matt. We can't do that. No, 143 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: there's no point. That's someone else's job. It is our job. 144 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: And I think that there's a huge amount of apathy 145 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 2: with our business owners at the moment. They're just not 146 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: bothering to because people don't show up and they're not 147 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 2: reporting them to councils. So there's a lot that needs 148 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 2: a change. And you know, the other thing is the 149 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 2: rules around shop listing, right is My understanding is if 150 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 2: you go into shop, pick something up, you walk out, 151 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 2: the security guard does and stuff. Yeah, yeah, they can't. 152 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: They don't have these powers. So we stripped all these 153 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: powers from businesses being able to defend their stock and 154 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: in the you know, the interests of making everyone happy. 155 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: And now criminals know exactly how to exploit that system, 156 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: and they're getting away with it, and they'll be encouraged, 157 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 2: they'll be emboldened. It'll make things worse. 158 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: Unbelievable. Henry Davis, appreciate your time. Thank you, Thank you. 159 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: Councilor Adelaide City Council, which, according to Henry's perspective, nothing 160 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: to see here. The council says it's no problem keep 161 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: coming to the city. Meantime, you've got recently retired Sergeant 162 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: Donald Chamberlain saying it's a disaster, it's a war zone 163 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: and that quote again. Regularly taking people sometimes two trips 164 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: to the Wakefield Hospital with the injured police, the results 165 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: of assaults, fending off threats from revelers, and regularly being 166 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: attacked by aggressive partygoers. That's not great.