Guns drawn on knife-wielding teen but …

By Lia Bichel
POLICE with guns drawn backed off from a confrontation with a knife-wielding youth in a Dandenong park, leaving civilians to subdue the troubled teen.
The two officers – both female – had drawn their weapons as they faced a small group of brawlers among 40 people in Dandenong Park in Pultney Street about 3am on 13 February.
When a 16-year-old of no fixed address rushed at them with a knife, the officers retreated.
The youth, with the knife raised over his head, had threatened to kill them. It is believed the officers chose not to shoot because they were concerned about the risk of harming other people in the park.
Civilians in the park subdued the teenager, who fled the seen shortly after.
It is believed both officers are now undergoing counselling, which is standard procedure after such incidents.
Special Operations Group (SOG) members arrested the 16-year-old about 5pm on 20 February on Springvale Road near the intersection of Kerrie Court.
Police charged him with threats to kill, assaulting a police officer and weapon offences. The youth was also charged with seven counts of armed robbery in relation to a spate of robberies in the past two weeks.
SOG members also arrested a 15-year-old alleged accomplice from Chadstone and charged him with seven counts of armed robbery.
Both have been remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Children’s Court on 12 March.
Three others were also arrested, a 37-year-old Chadstone man, a 20-year-old Ringwood man and a 19-year-old Dandenong woman, and are helping police with inquiries. The arrests come after Investigation Unit members and Frankston’s Armed Robbery Taskforce (Embona) conducted Operation ‘Dissed’.
Detective Senior Sergeant Adrian Richards from Dandenong CIU said the arrests were a great example of police from different areas working together.
“We have had police from Frankston, Dandenong, Narre Warren and Transit assisting and with the help of the SOG we have been able to arrest a number of suspects who we believe are responsible for these offences,” he said.