DRUG VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE
Illicit drugs are again involved with the shooting of a Victorian police officer in Melbourne.
The incident lead to senior constable being shot in the leg after intercepting a vehicle used by drug pushers.
The 25 year old addicted drug pusher that shot the police officer was himself shot dead in the incident.
The dead drug addict was a convicted drug criminal who had been involved in other violent incidents since a teenager.
(Source: Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper, 16 May 2008)
The Drug Advisory Council of Australia comments-
This incident is similar to another Victorian police shooting that involved a Victorian policeman being killed with his own service revolver in April 2005.
Both addicts had known violent histories associated with their illicit drug addiction.
This drug related violence is also impacting on medical, ambulance and emergency service staff as well as police.
To protect community workers from drug induced violence, Australia needs a diversion program to refer addicts into effective detoxification and rehabilitation programs that get them drug free.
As has been proven overseas, countries that use their courts to refer into rehabilitation and supervise that rehabilitation resolve the problems of the violence and the addiction.
Australia NEEDS court supervised drug rehabilitation but it also needs a comprehensive drug rehabilitation system that is effective in solving the addiction. Where are they?
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
16/2008