Vic: Police build on tougher profile with semi-automatic guns

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2010
Vic: Police build on tougher profile with semi-automatic guns

By Greg Roberts

MELBOURNE, April 29 AAP - Victoria Police has continued its apparent makeover to toughen
up with the announcement that officers will have new rapid fire semi-automatic guns.

The announcement comes as police prepare to trial stun guns and plan to bring in tougher,
military style uniforms and equipment vests along with larger capsicum spray canisters.

The first change of guns in 34 years involves a switch from six-shot revolvers to semi-automatic
pistols with magazines of 15 rounds.

Unlike revolvers semi-automatics self-load but only fire one bullet at a time.

The new guns will start being rolled out between late this year and early 2012.

The issue of new guns came to a head in May 2008, when drug dealer Samir Ograzden,
25, used a semi-automatic pistol to shoot Senior Constable David McHenry in the leg as
he tried to reload his six-shot revolver.

Another officer shot Ograzden dead but the events sparked a campaign led by the police
union for police to be better armed with semi-automatic pistols.

Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe told reporters on Thursday that the new Smith
and Wesson was the "best weapon it could find" and came after a "huge, independent testing
regime" with officers to receive four days of training to use them.

"There was a thrust from parts of the community and elsewhere about us needing to update
old and outdated weapons," Mr Walshe said.

Most police officers will never fire their gun, but RMIT University criminologist Julian
Bondy warned the so-called "makeover" and rollout of a more lethal gun was not a good
look.

"What will a Victorian police officer look like in 2012?" Dr Bondy asked.

"Do Victoria Police really want to signal to the community that it's a really dangerous
world out there ... and a range of weapons need to be made available for the use of force?"

Former police chief commissioner Christine Nixon long opposed Tasers and semi-automatics,
citing worries about accidental discharges and retraining among her concerns.

One Melbourne-based weapons expert and former army officer, who did not want to be
named, said he was pleased the Smith and Wesson had been chosen ahead of the Glock, which
had been involved in more than 40 "misfires" in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia.

"The Smith and Wesson is a more conventional semi-automatic handgun ... it has an optional
independent safety catch. With the Glock the safety mechanism is built into the trigger,"

he told AAP.

Victoria Police Superintendent Terry Banks said he was not worried about how the new
gun would perform.

"We're extremely confident it will behave like we need it to behave, and during the
four days of training members receive they will also be taught what they need to know
in relation to any jam should that in fact occur," he told reporters.

"It allows members access to additional rounds should they need that. We don't expect
that's required but it's always at the back of people's minds."

Police Association assistant secretary Bruce McKenzie said "the realities of policing
in Victoria" meant officers should be properly armed.

AAP gr/pmu/ash/mn

KEYWORD: POLICE VIC GUNS WRAP (FACTBOX GRAPHIC, VIDEO, PIX)

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