By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
IN THE light of the Tang coronial findings, Dandenong Police Station received a “timely” award for its supportive treatment of detainees.
Last week, the award was presented by the Office of the Public Advocate – an organisation that protects the rights of people with disabilities.
The award came on the recommendation of the office’s Independent Third Person volunteers, who are called in by police to assist and support witnesses, victims and detainees.
They help interviewees – who are judged not to have the capacity to represent their own interests – to understand their rights and safety and to ensure clear communication with police.
In a presentation at the station last week, Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius referred to last week’s coronial findings into the death of Ling Tang who suffered damning treatment at the station in 2010.
He said he was “highly critical” of the police’s conduct at the time but a lot of work had been done since to “change our approach”.
Mr Cornelius said the award showed the station was “hitting the mark”.
“Sometimes the behaviour of those individuals can be challenging. Sometimes they can’t manage their own affairs.
“The key thing is we make sure those people are treated with dignity as human beings.”
Inspector Bruce Kitchen said there was a simple maxim that applied to prisoner care – treat people who you’d expect your mum or grandmother would be treated.
Colleen Pearce, the state’s Public Advocate, said the award was given to police that “consistently support the rights of people with a disability” over the past three years.
“People with a disability are no more likely to commit crimes but they are more likely to be arrested, convicted and serve prison sentences,” she told the gathering.
Last year, ITPs attended 2600 police interviews in Victoria and most callouts in the metro area were at Dandenong Police Station.
Ms Pearce said the police, who make the callouts for the ITPs, were a factor in the program’s significant achievement.
She singled Dandenong police out for praise for being responsive to ITP’s advice when people were not fit for interview and for their support for sexual abuse victims.
