Vic search laws 'won't fix weapon crime'

Nine News ^ | January 2, 2010 | Daniel Fogarty

[myknowledge]

New laws giving Victorian police the power to conduct searches without warrants in high-crime areas will not stop armed violence in Melbourne, a western suburbs youth worker says.

The laws will be used for the first time on Thursday when police target a section of the western suburb of Footscray for a three-hour period.

Police will be permitted to strip-search people and search cars without warrants.

They will be able to seize anything they suspect may be used as a weapon.

Les Twentyman, who has worked with youth on the streets of Melbourne's west for 30 years, said Footscray was as violent now as he had ever seen it, but he believed more education and a graphic advertising campaign would have a greater impact on crime than police searches.

"This new law coming in next Thursday has got to be done with four or five other things, then it has got a chance of winning," he said.

"It has got to be education, youth work and TAC (Transport Accident Commission) style ads saying that it is not Australian to be carrying weapons.

"It has got to be far more than a bit of searching and charging, because it won't work."

Mr Twentyman, who has been stabbed twice, said young people needed to be made aware of the consequences of using weapons.

"They not only screw someone else's life up, but also their own, because they are going to end up doing a lot of prison time," he said.

Mr Twentyman said the partners of people who carry weapons should also be targeted in education campaigns and told: "If you are going out with someone who carries a knife, you are going out with a loser."

Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said last month the increased powers would be important because there had been a significant rise in weapons crime in the past year.

"Victoria Police statistics from 2008-09 show that robberies involving knives increased by 9.4 per cent in the last year. This is simply unacceptable," Mr Walshe said.

Critics of the laws, including Liberty Victoria president Michael Pearce, say they are an undemocratic, draconian infringement of civil liberties and human rights and will enable officers to strip-search children and the disabled.

[myknowledge]

The laws will be used for the first time on Thursday when police target a section of the western suburb of Footscray for a three-hour period.

Trust me, it's not gonna put a dent in the crime rate, but spread a police state. I know it won't.

"It has got to be education, youth work and TAC (Transport Accident Commission) style ads saying that it is not Australian to be carrying weapons."

A far cry from the American way of 'Concealed Carry' for self-defense.

No matter where the stop-and-search laws go, people will go to great lengths to protect themselves without having to resort to hand-to-hand combat (which is only effective at knife range) or just using pens, forks etc.

Critics of the laws, including Liberty Victoria president Michael Pearce, say they are an undemocratic, draconian infringement of civil liberties and human rights and will enable officers to strip-search children and the disabled.

Michael Pearce is right on the money with civil liberties.

[QBFimi]

ping

[VR-21]

Screwdrivers, ball-peen hammers...CZ-75’s.

[Califreak]

Yikes!

I had no idea Australia was getting to be that awful.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Oz seems to be infected with the Sassenach virus!

[HiTech RedNeck]

And this is not going to annoy the pee out of Ozzians who have to go to or through those places?

[driftdiver]

“Police will be permitted to strip-search people and search cars without warrants. “

Looks like they are going back to the prison colony they used to be.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***CZ-75’s.***

Man, I like the CZ-75! Unfortunatly they are too big for my hand so I use a Browning Hi-Power or 1911.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***CZ-75’s.***

Man, I like the CZ-75! Unfortunatly they are too big for my hand so I use a Browning Hi-Power or 1911.

[VR-21]

The CZ is basically a modified Hi-Power. While the 9mm wouldn’t be my first choice of round, it’s popularity has fostered much improvement in it’s effectiveness. The Hi-Power’s ergonomics and reliability are as close to perfect as you can get. They are superb pistols. John Browning’s other masterpiece...the 1911 needs no accolades from me or anyone else.