NSW: Police may have to "separate" complaints: Carr

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2001
NSW: Police may have to "separate" complaints: Carr

SYDNEY, Aug 15 AAP - Police may have to distinguish between complaints from law-abiding
citizens and criminals to unclog the system, NSW Premier Bob Carr said today.

The comments followed reports a Sydney family has been holding one of the city's busiest
police stations to ransom with an unending stream of complaints.

Police reportedly said the family, which has up to 112 criminal convictions between
seven of its members, had filed dozens of complaints over several years.

Mr Carr said he was extremely concerned police were being deliberately obstructed in
handling complaints from the rest of the community.

He said the NSW Police Association would meet with police over the issue.

Mr Carr said he wanted police to give examples of where the complaints system was being
deliberately obstructed so a better system could be developed.

"I want a steamlined system of complaints that sees members of the public able to have
a complaint about lack of attention from police attended to but doesn't see police tied
down in handling deliberately obstructive complaints from criminal elements," he said.

"I don't want to see police spending excessive time dealing with complaints from criminals.

"Maybe we've got to make a distinction between complaints from law-abiding members
of the public and complaints that come in from people with criminal records."

However he said any streamlining of the complaints system must not compromise strategies
implemented following the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption.

Mr Carr would not comment directly on the family concerned as some members had current
matters before the court.

AAP ls/jjs/las/bwl

KEYWORD: COMPLAINTS CARR

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