A Liberal/National Coalition government will act to keep drugs, knives
and gangs out of schools and keep teachers and students safe by
implementing a 'Police in High Schools' trial in 10 High Schools at risk
around the State.
Under a Liberal/National Coalition government, police based in high
schools will:
- undertake initial response and investigation of offences within the
perimeters of the school;
- assist teachers in developing and presenting curriculum material to
meet Police and school community needs; and
- proactively address identified security concerns within the school
and related communities.
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This pilot program will develop a relationship of respect and trust
between police and students. It is based on successful models in
Queensland and Western Australia, where the results have proven that
police officers in "at-risk" schools are effective in preventing
violent crime.
Reforming Periodic Detention
A Liberal/National Coalition government will address community concerns
that courts are allowing serious criminals to serve their sentences on
weekends by:
- confining the availability of periodic detention to minor offences
only;
- excluding sex offenders from eligibility for periodic detention;
- legislating to make periodic detainees who miss any three detention
periods without a reasonable excuse, serve the remainder of their term
in full-time imprisonment.
Abolishing Labor's Penalty Notice Scheme
Labor's Penalty Notice Scheme for crimes of violence and dishonesty is
effectively a glorified traffic ticket scheme. The Liberal/National
Coalition believes crimes of violence and dishonesty must not be
decriminalised.
A Liberal/National Coalition government will end Labor's trial of
issuing penalty notices for crimes of violence and dishonesty.
Fighting Graffiti and Vandalism
Labor has seriously weakened by abolishing, in 1996, the highly
effective Graffiti Task Force, the ability of Police to target graffiti.
Incidents of graffiti that can be classified as malicious damage are
currently dealt with over the phone.
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A Liberal/National Coalition government will:
- establish a Vandal Squad along the lines of the disbanded Graffiti
Task Force;
- build an intelligence database on major graffiti vandals, including
the identification of graffiti 'tags';
- legislate to lock down spray paint displays to prevent cans from
being shoplifted;
- remove the requirement that prevents vandals from going to gaol
unless they are persistent offenders, regardless of the amount of
damage they have caused; and
- change the Summary Offences Act to give magistrates more
custodial options for serious vandalism offenders, including those on
their first offence.
Targeting Illegal Black-Market Handguns
A Liberal/National Coalition government will establish a dedicated
hotline targeting illegal handguns, offering a $1,000 reward for those who
provide information leading to an arrest for possession of an illegal
handgun.
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