13 May 2008

Who runs this town Police or drug dealers?

| Unknown
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Working around civic i have noticed an increasing number of homeless people sitting in Garema place doing nothing but drinking booze and doing drugs and everytime i wonder where are the cops. In the whole maybe 6 months since that crappy asian christian singer has started feeding the homeless i have seen the cops not make any arrests or charges but give them many MANY warnings in which they all leave and 10 mins after the cops leave they are back creating havoc in Garema place. Now one day after a business owner wrote into the newspaper about the cops being lazy pricks they started doing there job and order was restored in Garema Place but only for onw week and now its is worse than ever. I cant even walk to work without being hassled and being offered drugs and every single business owner in the area have seen one particular character dealing. The funny thing is he never seems to be busted it’s always the other guys he deals to. Now this is just a conspiricy theory but i think the cops have a deal going with him he seems to be untouchable and the cops never go and ask any of the witnesses who sees everything. The businesses around that area. If any cops read this your being paid to do a job and i know Krispy Kreme has just opened but seriously if you don’t do anything who is supposed to? When the cops can’t protect people just walking to work getting threatened and stuff then what hope do we have in this society. Since moving to Canberra i have lost complete confidence in the AFP. DO YOUR F****** JOB COPPERS AND PATROL THE STREETS OF CIVIC A LITTLE BETTER OR I WILL DRAG YOUR ASSES DOWN FROM KRISPY KREME TO SHOW YOU THE MAYHEM MYSELF!!!!!!

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Righto, I’m not 100% sure. I would just not like to see someone exploiting the name of a family that has been through plenty already.

I just don’t know if it’s worth pointing it out if you don’t actually know the son.

I don’t know either way. Not sure if it’s worth pursuing.

I’ve met the family, not the son though. As far as I knew he was single, had no kids, lived a long way from Canberra (and somewhat of a no hoper).

Surely Mrs Q can name her husband or at least initials for us.

How many posts has “quid” made here before “Mrs Quid” used his logon? I count zero.

TAD- don’t get weird without being 100% sure… I don’t know either way- it just seems an odd comment to post.

Jacoba/Jakoba… I know plenty of people that spell their name differently because of anglo expectations.

Mrs Quid.

Funny that you don’t even know how to spell your “mother in law”‘s name.

I also didn’t know that her son even had a wife.

Timberwolf6511:08 am 15 May 08

Homeless dudes are ok, it’s the drugo’s we must fear as they are the ones that could one day try and push drugs on our kids..

If I knew that by taking a photo of these scumbags doing a deal would permanently remove them from society, I’d make photography my new found profession.

Yep – manslaughter for the crazy who hurled the poor lady into the bike racks.

And Canberra definitely needs more rehab options. OR even any rehab options, for those who are not sentenced to rehab for the courts. I’d leave the normal rehab for voluntary admissions, and build some separate lock-up rehab options for the crims.

As a family member, it is soul destroying to watch when the addict finally decides they are ready for rehab, only to be told there are no places, and to ring again next week.

Did I hear correctly that the above mentioned but unnamed person has been now charged with manslaughter?

I predict some kind of crappy plea bargain will eventuate with an 18 month sentence given.

This is actually Mrs Quid, just so I dont get into trouble for using my hubbies user name. You may all recall my mother in law Jakoba Van Der Voorden was killed last year by a deranged person who assulted in in Civic directly causing her death which lead us to Riotact. Ive just read through all 48 comments with much interest. We moved away from Canberra a year ago and the social problems were a contributing factor as we have a 14 year old who was hanging around civic. Having worked within the legal profession as well as having lived within the “underbelly” community at other times Id just like to make a few points about this. Garema place has always been a bad place, its not just recent. It is almost impossible to get into any kind of rehab program in Canberra. Your best option is to commit several armed holdups and get bailed to rehab in Orange. Yes thats about the only way you can get into rehab. There is an extreme lack of housing for anyone who doesnt have a cushy public service job making homelessness rife in Canberra and its not against the law to be homeless by the way people. Also this dealer you all speak of is probably of more value to the police on the street than he is in their cells. It also costs you, the tax paying community, alot of money to bust someone for 100 bucks worth of smack, alot more than the $100 worth of drugs in his pocket. Furthermore, as for taking photos of people dealing they are already on camera anyway. It is the social issues that need to be delt with. Busting people will not make anything better. Open up more rehab options, open up more than 10 beds at the detox unit in TCH, provide more accommodation, these people need help.Yet I have no doubt that the guy who killed my mother in law will probably only get rehab like the boy who killked Clea Rose. Cheers Mrs Q

Unknown,

In what ways are you hassled on the way to work? What type of drugs have you been offered?

You say you’ve seen “one particular character dealing”. How do you know he was dealing? Did you see the drugs? What did the drugs look like? What does HE look like?

As for your conspiracy theory claims…in a word, retarded.

If you’ve got all this valuable intel about who’s dealing, when and where etc, then why haven’t you passed this info onto the police? Or do you prefer writing rambling, abusive rants to random people on the internet.

As another poster has mentioned, Police need a reason to search someone. Saying “I think that guy is dealing drugs” without any further detail is useless.

I’ve never been ‘hassled’ by anyone at Garema Place, at any time of day or night, nor have I been offered drugs. Maybe you’re just a sh!t magnet.

How about we go about getting proof? Why not take a photo of the dealers in action and post it in the thread? But only if they are actually caught in the act, no photo’s claiming that they are a dealer, but photo’s showing them deal.

Timberwolf659:47 am 14 May 08

Lets just get out the sniper rifles and eradicate these dealers ourselves!!
If only we could aye!!

For unknown and the rest of the cop bashers. Police need a reason to search someone – it is in legislation to curb their ability to just go and turn anyone upside down and shake them to see what falls out. This is so we don’t have a Police state as seen elsewhere in the world. Thus Police need to either; a – see the deal themselves, b – have someone from the community see the deal and report it and be prepared to attend Court as a witness.

Since dealers tend not to deal in front of the Police (seems kind of common sense really) this leaves option b. Option b is not that forthcoming as that would involve doing something to lok after the community yourself.

I agree, this story is drivel.

green_frogs_go_pop8:01 am 14 May 08

….you tell them!

My God Ant, you surprise me with your literacy abilities. Who would have thought. Your constant rantings about how useless Police are, are written with a vitriol born out of Police not jumping when you click your fingers over minor (yes, minor) complaints. Well Boo Hoo. It appears that our senior citizens should be lumped in with ANU students who can’t get a carpark. Mate if you get sick of the pension I’m sure the BBC would give you a starring role on Grumpy Old Men. If that isn’t to your liking (and nothing much is) then I’ll send you a copy of Nitschke’s work.

Headbonius said:

Headbonius said :

Unknown and Ant (Again ) you Fcuking Idiots, Fcuking armchair experts. If you think that you would do a better job go and don the blue suit. Fcukwits.

And this is the kind of thing being discussed in the RiotAct thread. RiotAct owners, please take note.

Why is it ok to complain about the govt all the time, and tv newsreaders, sports stars etc, but not the police??

Unknown and Ant (Again ) you Fcuking Idiots, Fcuking armchair experts. If you think that you would do a better job go and don the blue suit. Fcukwits.

I must be soo vague when I go through Civic and the interchange…where are these people?
I’d get more annoyed with the hoardes of teenage ‘scene’ girls than these folks…

If you don’t like them move to Queensland. I believe they gave the Police powers to “move on” this sort of person on, even though no real offence was committed. If they don’t “move on” they are arrested.

People always seem to whinge here about Police. It’s either “the Police are doing nothing” or “the Police should be doing something else”, when they are doing something.I could just see it now. Police arrive in Garema place. They see a person who to the average person looks dodgy because of the way he is dressed. Police ask him for id, tell him to move on as he is not the kind of person that should be hanging around here. Police are met with, “I’m private school educated, I have a degree, I work for the public service, I pay my taxes, this is a public place, I’m old, cranky and I can wear what I want. This is Police harassment.

The other thing I would be interested to know is just because you think someone is drug dealing what sort of proof/evidence would the Police need to be able to go a search a person. I’m sure the Police know of plenty of drug dealers but you can’t just go and search them on a whim, can you? Does anyone know the rules to search someone for drugs?

“that crappy asian christian singer” – charming. Doesn’t this site have a policy about moderating personal abuse?

They always need money for the bus so I offer them my faresaver 10 bus pass. Luckily no-one has ever accepted.

This on-line disturbance is probably a higher priority.

Felix the Cat7:59 pm 13 May 08

It’s not just Civic that’s a problem. I was at Kippax the other week on a Sunday evening buying some dinner at Rebecca’s Chinese Inn (free plug for great Chinese food!) and some druggo looking loser wanted money from me for a bus. I told him to get a job.

You have all the answers sepi, don a uniform and go and get em…

Yet another “gem” from sepi.

The police wouldn’t have to try very hard at all to arrest drug dealers in civic. I don’t think it is up to citizens to be out there taking photos for police. I doubt if the police would be interested if anyone did.

“DRAG YOUR ASSES DOWN FROM KRISPY KREME TO SHOW YOU THE MAYHEM MYSELF!!!!!!”

Really ?

Frankly I would just love to see Unknown attempt to carry out his threat – preferably with some of the larger Beats coppers I know.

Please nominate the time and place and I’m sure a few of my fellow RiotACTers will be happy to standby and have a chuckle.

OC spray anyone ?

My dog has no nose.
How does he smell?
Terrible!

My dog has no pancreas
How does he metabolise carbohydrates and fats and regulate blood sugar?
Terrible!

(Just maintaining the toilet cubicle mood here)

neanderthalsis2:38 pm 13 May 08

I always thought that the few homeless types and druggos I have encountered in Civic were of the harmless, non-threatening variety, sort of like the Mahatma Ghandis of the smack scene.

I used to work in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane and was harassed by smack fiends and druggos on a daily basis, these types were often agressive and fearless. I’m over 6′ tall, built like a loose head prop and not the most friendly looking type, but it would not stop some iced up droog taking offence and delivering a gob full of vitriol when I tell them I have no change for the bus/phone/flagon of goon/mum’s pancreas operation.

V twin venom2:32 pm 13 May 08

@ Kramer. Finally a comment with a suggestion that has some merit. Sure the original post by Unknown is a bit of a rant but fair dinkum folks some of the early comments in this thread do nothing but point out that the author is more in need of a good blowjob than any other white man (or woman) on the planet.

The police can’t be everywhere at once, so when you see the dealers why not help the police? You should call Police Attendance (131 444), or Crime Stoppers (1300 333 000).

Also you could discreetly take a photo of the dealer committing said offence using your phone cam (or normal camera with zoom lens), and forward to the police. It’s our town, and it’s up to all of us to look after it, not just the police.

amarooresident1:47 pm 13 May 08

I was just in Garema Place and nobody offered me drugs. Just full of peaceful public servants having their lunch in the sun. Very disppointing.

It’s a tough one. You could go down there and arrest these people in the morning, put them through the system and they would be bailed the same day and be back there in the afternoon. They tend to just deal amongst themselves and don’t harass people from what I have seen. They never have a large amount of drugs on them that would result in a serious sentence. Just the usual good behaviour bonds, fines, suspended sentences etc…

Agreed it’s not a great look and it’s obviously illegal but it just comes with the territory with every city of a certain size. I walk through Garema Place about 3 times a week, day and night (off duty) and have never been offered drugs or approached by anyone ever.

Also I’m surprised this article wasn’t moderated a bit? Abusive profanities and ridiculous accusations is not a good look either.

As a former security guard in Garema, i agree with Ant. There were many times that i was at work and watched the same lady deal heroin from her pram all day, every day, and the police did nothing. If we did get some guards who were morally upstanding to do something about it, the civil libertarians would have a field day, but it would be for the greater good.

Ask any guard in the area and they will point out at least 20 dealers each and they are generally sick of the sight of them.

The main issue is that they moved they rehab/drop-in/junkie mecca to the bus interchange and now these f#@*stains hang out there all day, annoying normal who just want to get from point A to point B without being offered points of ice. If they moved the junkie centre next to the Police HQ in Civic we would experience a positive change in the area.

I am not judging the police or telling them how to do their job ( they need to have their rules of engagtement widened so they can stop someone easier without having to be obstructed by so many rules ), but a bit more visible vigilance from Police and Security guards would make a world of difference.

Gungahlin Al1:03 pm 13 May 08

One of the homeless dudes the other day was so well set up – recumbent bike, full swag loaded on the back, and a roof over the bike that was actually a 1 x 2m solar panel, parked in the sun in Garema watching a little handheld TV.
I almost envied him…

dude you need to calm down.
For starters, Garema Place wouldn’t have the same character that it has at the moment it if wasn’t for the classic druggo characters that you see about.
Secondly, have you ACTUALLY BEEN OFFERED DRUGS? I seriously doubt. They don’t need to go around pushing drugs, the users come to them.

I think your idea of a society crumbling because of a few junkies hanging around in Garema place is kind of cheap. Garema Place has ALWAYS been like that – since i can remember in the 90’s anyway.

What are the police going to do, take some small-time drug dealer off the streets, or bargain with him so they can figure out where it’s all coming from (and where all the real money’s going)?

amarooresident11:45 am 13 May 08

It may be that the police know all about it and are quitely putting together the evidence they need to arrest and convict not only the visable dealers but the people behind the operation as well. The recent Gungahlin burgalary operation springs to mind, where it might have been easy to arrest one or two offenders but it is more beneficial to break up the whole network.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge the cops on this one.

if you lock up the homeless folk, they’ll no longer be homeless, so no threat. so let them go… d’oh!

ant lol. You are one of the reasons I will keep reading RiotACT!

Very good point about the security guards.

As previously stated, every city has this “underbelly” and it is not going away anytime soon. These people don’t generally physically assault citizens or force them to buy their “stuff”. I agree that you have to take a wide berth or just say no and move on.

The AFP are stretched to the limits already. I was pleased to see the recruits at Hindmarsh Drive the aother day, it means that there will be more out there working the streets someday very soon.

Civic has always attracted the more “colourful” characters in Canberra (and is an easy walk from Ainslie Village). Sometimes it seems that maybe the local business owners should club together and hire a security company to have burly guards patrol and curb anti-social behaviour.

Meanwhile, to attract the police to the scene, get some of those doughnuts, attach them to fishing rods and dangle them over the drug dealers and other miscreants. Works in cartoons.

it is funny there should be a post about this topic, i have thought the same of late and even yesterday i started on a massive tirade to my partner as we walked through the swathes of human filth leeching around the civic bus interchange – but then pulled myself up and said 1. at least if they’re not breaking into our house, and 2. (related to #1) if they are in civic the cops can keep an eye on them! they are visual pollution yes, but most of them do not bother me, i walk that little bit far away from them it means it’s not worth their while speaking to or approaching me.

Those 20 on hindmarsh drive were most probably recruits m8…….(think outside the box hey..??) They haven’t even gotten out of the college yet and you want them chasing homeless people… I’ve always hated homeless people….. the FIENDS, lock em all up I say, at least they will have a roof over their heads.

The AFP are too busy waiving their speed detectors at those criminal drivers (saw about 20 of them on Hindmarsh Drive a few days ago), than to be bothered about drug dealing and offensive behaivour…

So… are his prices competitive?

… nevermind.

Thats the problem Primal, they do call, on their shoe phones… but the pollice dont care, and they just fob them off and you can’t get a hold of them because they don’t take thier radio’s to krispy creme… lol

Don’t worry, the cops will pick up on your psychic emanations soon enough and come and arrest him for you. Just think about it REALLY REALLY hard for a few more days. Don’t, under any circumstances, do anything stupid like actually call the cops or provide them with some evidence of his activities. That would be a waste of your immense mental potential.

Post a topic worthy of toilet stalls, get replies worthy of toilet stalls…simple.

tylersmayhem9:30 am 13 May 08

Hi have to say, the only decent and worthwhile reply to this post is by CRIKEY. I think the rest of you should stick to the toilet stalls at work (if you actually have a job that is). Maybe give Mum & Dads a go on their own computer and get outside.

I love working in the city. Sure there are a few social issues but what city doesn’t have them.

People also say they wouldn’t walk around the city after midnight. I have never encountered any problems but again of course there is anti-social behaviour.

there one in the canberra centre upstairs near Big W AussieGal

i think this post supports the rather more considered post made a few days ago about how this blog has changed for the worse!

Just out of curiosity, where is this new Krispy Kreme that you speak of?

RiotACT is fast becoming one of those public toilet walls covered in completely wacked-out, inane, schizophrenic ranting that appear from time to time around Canberra…

Yes, AlpineViper: World Taekwondo Federation indeed!

flying doormat8:33 am 13 May 08

Unknown – why dont you get off your arse and make a citizens arrest. You seem to know who the main drug dealer is so go out there and be a productive member of society rather than a whinging bitch!

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