Melbourne car attack: Police defend memo on taking time to intercept stolen cars after Bourke St tragedy

Updated

Victoria Police has again defended its actions during the Bourke Street rampage after revelations officers were warned late last year to take extra care when trying to intercept stolen vehicles.

Key points: Five people died and about 30 were injured when a car ploughed into pedestrians on Friday

Deputy Commissioner defends email telling officers "time is on their side" in pursuits

Pressure to balance community expectations with safety obligations, Police Association says

The Coroner is investigating police actions on Friday after officers followed a vehicle for several hours before it went on to hit and kill pedestrians in Melbourne's CBD.

It has been revealed Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp sent an email to officers in September telling them "time is on their side" in pursuits, and that attempts to intercept stolen cars may lead to the police vehicles being rammed.

Five people died and about 30 were injured when a car drove onto the footpath and ploughed into pedestrians in the CBD on Friday.

A public vigil for the victims — which included a 10-year-old girl and a three-month-old baby — was held in Federation Square on Monday night.

Deputy Commissioner Crisp said the email was not written about scenarios such as the Bourke Street rampage and that it stressed the need to consider each incident on its merits in terms of officer and public safety.

"Whenever we have tragedies such as this, we find a number of people that comment from the sidelines," he said.

"I don't really think they help the discussion. They create unnecessary pressure to the families, the victims, to police and emergency services.

He said his email was a response to the rising number of police cars being rammed during attempted intercepts, and was reinforcing officers' training.

"The overall message is about the safety of our members," he said.

"What's also written about in that email is each circumstance must be considered on its merits.

"In most situations, it's about how you use time to plan a better response and I make no apology that line is in there."

Pressure to balance community expectations with safety

Police Association secretary Ron Iddles said the Deputy Commissioner was right to send out the email.

"When that email was sent out, we'd had police officers who'd been run over, we'd had police officers pinned against a wall," he said.

"I think it was just a timely reminder to all members if you're going to intercept a car, consider all your options before you do it … there's nothing wrong with reinforcing the safety message."

Mr Iddles said officers were feeling the pressure of balancing community expectations with safety obligations during pursuits.

"There's a constant thing within our members — they're more accountable than they ever have been," he said.

"They're actually accountable to the Coroner if there's a death.

"The constant messaging around risks and all that does have an impact on them."

The man accused of driving the car in Friday's attack, 26-year-old Dimitrious Gargasoulas, has been charged with five counts of murder.

In court on Monday, police documents showing dozens of unrelated charges from the past 12 months were handed up to the magistrate.

Gargasoulas has been remanded in custody and ordered to face court via video link in August.

Topics: police, crime, law-crime-and-justice, melbourne-3000

First posted