Union calls to fix ‘reckless’ public drunkenness laws after man dies
The police union have called for “reckless” public drunkenness laws to be fixed after officers were unable to help an intoxicated man who was hit by a car and died.
About 3.20am on Friday, police responded to a report that a man was lying on a road in Melbourne’s west in Wyndham Vale.
Police Association of Victoria union secretary Wayne Gatt said two officers spent about an hour with the man before they left him at his home when they were called to another job.
“They tried to get that person to drink, they made that person a bowl of spaghetti and gave that person food,” he said.
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“They rang a sobering-up centre that wouldn’t come and then they got called off to a ram raid ... but they did everything they could in the hour or so that they were there.”
Police Association of Victoria union secretary Wayne Gatt said two officers spent about an hour with the man before they left him at his home when they were called to another job. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia
Shortly after the officers left the man, he was fatally hit by a car outside his home.
Mr Gatt said the two officers could not detain or arrest the intoxicated man because of reckless changes to the public drunkenness laws.
“We don’t have time to wait for that and indeed the government needs to move quickly to make sure the obvious gap that exists is closed,” he said.
An intoxicated man died in Melbourne’s west after police had tried to help him but was later hit by a car after officers had left him at his home. Credit: istock
“On behalf of the Police Association and its nearly 18,000 members, I wish to extend my sincere condolences to the family.
“We can’t imagine what his family are going though at this difficult time.
“I hope that they please understand that our members did everything they could to keep him safe within the law and within the powers that were afforded to them by the state government of Victoria.”
Victoria decriminalised public drunkenness in November, moving to a health-led response that promised new services for people who were intoxicated and needed help.
The new model was introduced in response to the death of a Yorta Yorta woman in police custody and the “unacceptable and disproportionate” impact the laws had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria
Premier Jacinta Allan said the man’s death was a tragic and terrible incident and that an investigation would be carried out. NewsWire / Kelly Barnes Credit: News Corp Australia
Premier Jacinta Allan said the man’s death was a tragic and terrible incident and that an investigation would be carried out.
“Police maintain very strong powers to keep the community safe,” she said.
“It deserves to be thoroughly investigated … because we do need to understand exactly what has occurred.
“That investigation will not be helped in any way by me standing here today and speculating, responding to speculation about what has occurred.
“I want to understand what has occurred here ... what has led to family grieving today the loss of a loved one.”
The incident has been referred to the Professional Standards Command and police will prepare a report for the coroner.