POLICE PUT AT PERIL

THE State Government has rejected a police request for urgent cash to upgrade its outdated and antiquated communications system, which failed during Black Saturday.In a letter to all members, Police Association secretary Greg Davies claims the “stone age tools” officers were forced to use had led to them putting their own lives at risk.Following the February 7 bushfires, the association asked members for feedback on issues including communications.“This feedback led the association to make a submission to the bushfires royal commission, to help members play their part in making sure Victoria learned the lessons from this appalling tragedy,” he said.“The major theme was communications, which is of particular significance, given that there are signs the Victorian Government is not listening to the biggest problem faced by our members.”Premier John Brumby this month announced a spending boost of nearly $170 million to improve emergency services communications in the wake of the bushfires.The funding will go to the CFA, Ambulance Victoria, SES and the DSE.But Victoria Police has missed out.“(There’s) not one dollar for the antiquated and fractured country police communications systems, which exposed our members and the community to unnecessary risk during the February 7 fires,” Mr Davies said.Police claim the problem lies with a country radio system that can’t communicate with the digital metropolitan system.According to the association, the divide meant that during the bushfires, metropolitan-based members working in the country had no direct communications with their country colleagues and vice versa.In 2006 the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority built a centre in Ballarat to house all country D24 centres.The Attorney-General, Rob Hulls, said in State Parliament then that it would make communications “seamless” across the state.But Bendigo’s D24 remains at the old police station behind the court buildings.Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe agreed at the royal commission that the high-tech Ballarat facility remained “essentially vacant” because applications for funding had been refused for four years running.“This sorry history is the main reason why the number one recommendation in our submission to the royal commission is to ensure that upgraded police communications become part of the Ballarat centre, as originally intended and promised,” Mr Davies said.A State Government spokesman said late yesterday that Victoria Police had a record $1.89 billion budget this year and added: ‘’We welcome the association’s submission to the royal commission and await its findings.” The association’s submission can be read at www.tpav.org.au