EASING AN UNWIELDY SYSTEM

IT WAS apparent after the shocking revelations of the Police Royal
Commission that lax procedures needed to be changed to limit the scope for
corruption.

It is equally apparent, however, that we cannot expect police to fight the
battle against crime with one hand tied behind their backs.

Controlled buying of illegal drugs by police officers is a legitimate and
effective way of combating the scourge of trafficking.

Last year in NSW some 500 such "sting" operations resulted in numerous
convictions for drug offences.

But in March the NSW Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) 1997 Act came
into force, making it considerably harder for police to act.

Absurdly, in an age of electronic communication, police wanting to set up
an undercover operation must complete complex and detailed affidavits which
then must be submitted in their original form. Faxes are not accepted. It
means police must travel to Sydney to lodge their applications. Only
Commissioner Peter Ryan or his deputy Jeff Jarratt may give approval. It is
an expensive drain on police resources which in many cases makes the sting
operation too unwieldy to be of any use.

How many drug pushers will be prepared to hang around in a gloomy alleyway
long enough to allow the police to complete the correct paperwbrk?

It is little surprise, then, that since March there have been only 40
controlled buys.

Mr Jarratt says controlled buys are "not the only tool in our kit bag".

Maybe so, but in the past it has proved to be an extremely useful tool.
Purchase of ililcit drugs by police must, of course, be controlled. There
must be checks to ensure controlled buying is carried out for legitimate
purposes and that the drugs are properly secured and accounted for later.
But surely, within the bonds of safe and honest policing, we can come up
with a better system than the one that is now shackling the force.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski