Page 2309 - Week 07 - Thursday, 23 June 2005

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Experienced officers only are deployed as single person patrols. Single officer patrols include all motorcyclists and some Team Leaders. Single officer patrols are not directed to attend any potentially threatening or violent incident as the first responding vehicle. Team Leaders are intended to supplement other patrols and provide supervisory support but are not intended to be a first response function. The officer is empowered to apply personal judgment and discretion in all circumstances.

Police communications protocols provide procedures which are strictly followed by patrols when conducting roadside vehicle stops. The procedure requires the patrol to notify police communications of their location, to detail the subject vehicle and to advise when the incident is complete. Any difficulties met by the patrol can be broadcast by an emergency transmission with back-up patrols immediately directed to the location.

(2) Single officer patrols are not directly tasked to conduct apprehensions or arrests. Such actions may arise from normal patrol function and are conducted in accordance with prescribed guidelines to protect the safety of officers. The officer is empowered to apply personal judgment and discretion in all circumstances.

(3) Police numbers are sufficient to ensure that all patrols, with the exception of those noted at answer (1), contain a minimum of two officers. It is common practice for single officer patrols within Traffic Operations to effect arrests.

Traffic Operations instituted a revised roster structure on 10 March 2005. All night vehicle patrols since that time have consisted of a minimum of two members. Police motorcyclists may, at the member’s election, continue patrol until 11pm.

The deployment of single officer patrols by Traffic Operations during daylight hours remains an appropriate and preferred operational efficiency.

(4) It is too resource intensive to obtain data identifying the number of shifts manned by single officers. This would involve manual examination of daily patrol allocation sheets.

Children—autism
(Question No 387)

Mrs Burke asked the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, upon notice, on 4 May 2005:

(1) Further to Issue 7 Autumn 2005 of the newsletter of Disability ACT, Community Partners in Disability, which has an article headed Overseas experience—Early intervention: ACT on track for success, is there a service in the ACT that provides long-term integrated education and residential care for children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD);

(2) How many parents in the ACT requested long-term integrated education and residential care, comparable to services that Sunfield residential school provides, for children with ASD;

(3) How many children with ASD from the ACT currently receive long-term integrated education and residential care that is comparable to services that Sunfield residential school provides;


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