Police need a heart and are there any good doctors open on Good Friday?

Some of the vitriol written by some people on this site is amazing. And my point about ‘newbies’ was, new members of any forum who wade in with very strong attitudes about certain things are generally viewed with some suspicion. They are often either old members with new names, or have entered the forum to participate in a particular topic, but without declaring their special interest.

I also do not understand the apparent anger of some participants towards others. If you don’t like someone’s opinion, argue the facts, but argue doesn’t mean fight, or insult, or attack. And labelling someone a liar becuase you don’t like what they’ve written is not on. If you have other facts to refute what they’ve said, then state them. but suggesting that someone is making stuff up, when you’ve got no more reason other than you don’t like what they’ve said, is poor.

The laws against violence are coded in line with our community’s attitudes towards it. When a person beats up someone in their own home, we expect the police to remove the person doing the beating. There is a raft of measures the police can use to control the actions of the beater, and we expect them to employ them so the beaten person is not beaten again.

The beaten person should not be insulted by teh police, and the beater should certainly not be in a position to return and resume their activities. I’m very sorry to learn that this is still happening in our community, in 2008. For a woman to be bounced off the walls in her own house, and to be subject to censurious comments from the police, and for the attacker to be able to return and apparently start up again, is indefensible, no matter how much you like the police.

you you = use
(need my coffee)

I don’t expect a response from Nyssa76.

Nyssa76. Domestic Violence is nothing to be ashamed of. Had you admitted that this “friend” was in fact yourself in the first place, I doubt you would have received a 55 post response, most of which was not favourable (including my own response).

You chose to tell your story to RiotACT, but …

Did you seek counselling?
Did you call DVCS?
Did you speak to SupportLink ?) (the police DV support people?
Did you call a family member?
Did you end up going to a doctor that had been recommended to you by RiotACT users or did you you your own 31-32 year old common sense?
Did you have it documented?
Did you take photos for evidence?

I would really like to know what other avenues you have taken. Please do tell us, now that your computer is fixed.

Figured the friend was fictional. Sounds like hubby was locked up. Did you provide a formal statement? What more do you want. Go get a protection order. As I said in my previous post people have to take appropriate measures to protect their own safety.

If the police in question behaved in a manner that was not acceptable then there are enough checks, that this would be picked up and appropriate action taken. There are plenty of avenues to complaint – any police officer, professional standards, Commonwealth Ombudsman, local minister.

If Nyssa simply was as obnoxious as she is here towards, well pretty much everything, then I’m not surprised some copper might have told her so.

Nyssa aside, there is no call for Domestic violence ever and people who partake in it should be locked up.

Of course the police don’t have access to the medical records DJ. Why do you think they would? If they want to see the record, it’s off to get a subpoena they go, and I suspect most if not all magistrates would have a long, hard look at their request first.

DJ said :

Answer this: What were you trying to gain by using the RA forum? Sympathy?

The obvious answer, DJ, is that Nyssa wanted to voice a concern to the greater Canberra public. Your assumptive insinuations have less weight than Nyssa’s assertions because your tact is one of spurning discourse. Why shouldn’t a person voice a concern on RA, especially regarding a public service that all Canberrans pay for?

Saying that, I’ve read plenty of Nyssa’s education posts and I find them repulsive. Still, I don’t think that disqualifies this DV post outright, like DJ has done.

Intresting how everyone now takes this to be proven fact… does anyone know nyssa76?

Also, when people are emotionally involved in disputes, facts may get distorted. Human nature! Think about your last relationship breakup and all you’re friends telling you to break up and you being stubborn… love is blind, or rather emotions can make you blind!

At the end of the day, here at the RIOT we will probably never know what really happened.

To nyssa76, I wish you the best – but ask this, what’s worse for your kids: going to the media and trying to fix your situation or having you’re kids live with DV? Having lived in a DV house for my younger childhood – I know that sweeping it under the carpet isn’t the solution. Seek DVCS or other organisations help – even a Centrelink Social Worker!

For everyone else some interesting reading http://www.afp.gov.au/act/abuse_violence.html

Like I have mentioned before I have never had any issues with the Police involving DV on either a professional or personal level – they have always dealt with matters professionally and lets face it, DV in the family home can’t be an easy thing to investigate or a pleasant environment to be in!

I think people need to realise how lucky we are in OZ. Sure our cops can improve – like we all can, but compared to other places in the world I count myself really lucky to have relatively helpful and friendly cops compared to some foreign nations.

I maintain that despite this revelation you are still a fool. Foot is firmly out of mouth and no twang of conscious felt.

Answer this: What were you trying to gain by using the RA forum? Sympathy?

I bet you had an attitude like you display here when you dealt with Police. I bet you’ve never been wrong in your life.

Perhaps you didn’t come across as a credible/ honest person or there were other factors that you haven’t considered? Why jump on RA and use the pathetic “friend” story. I bet that there is nothing that Police could have said or done that would have satisfied you.

It looks like you would rather voice your story through RA than actually get medical or professional attention. Do you know of any hospital that doesn’t keep records of persons examined? Did you think that the Police wouldn’t have access to the records? Is there a conspiracy between medical services and the Police that might have sunk your story?

“The silence from me in the past 24hrs was that I had to put together my computer” – How did you post the first story?

“My cousin works for the CT, but I don’t want my children to cop shit for it.” – So what? Just what do you think the CT will do?

“I had tried to keep myself out of the situation…” – No you didn’t.

I can only hope that you are ok and can share with us more stories of your “friend” in the future.

That is awful. I was going to comment based on the fact that she heard it from a friend, but now I hardly think she’d be making it up.

If Nyssa reads this, then I say she should complain everywhere she possibly can to bring this disgusting behavior by those ‘policemen’ to light. Cops may see a lot of sh-t on the line of duty, but none of that can justify vilifying a victim of domestic abuse. There’s not so many things worse than being unable to have physical safety in your own home.

I hope those cops get a hiding from above or better, lose their badge for that behavior. We may need more cops on the streets, but we don’t need thugs or people who praise them.

Also, I’m under the impression from experiences I won’t care to discuss that a shared property usually goes to the victim in the case of a separation due to violence. I hope this is still the case. No-one should be kicked out of their home because their partner beat them, ever.

Good luck, Nyssa.

If what she says happened did happen then Nyssa gets my support and best wishes for the future. Come back soon.

Some of you guys are so tragic. This is still only one side of the story. Refer above to the comments RE: You can post anything here and never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.

If this really did happen, during which part of the fight did the computer get broken? After the first post but before the last? Maybe it was one of those assholes from the AFP that broke it because Nyssa wouldn’t stop posting bullshit on RA?

I’m sorry this is happening to you Nyssa.

Good luck for the next little while, and working out what to do.

Shit, that’s horrible nyssa. Hope you get everything sorted (Maelinar’s got the right idea). All the best.

Do the rest of you lot feel like taking those feet out of your mouth now?

Sorry to hear that Nys, cya.

Don’t forget to tell the Navy, and DHA do a breakdown of marriage removal including providing emergency accomodation.

My only advice is don’t hang around people that turn to violence. Go look for a prettier, richer fish.

The FRIEND, was me.

I had tried to keep myself out of the situation but wanted to bring to light the BS attitude towards Domestic Violence and the pathetic officers sent out to deal with the matter.

The silence from me in the past 24hrs was that I had to put together my computer – they had him in lockup for a night and sent him home WITHOUT informing me. He just turned up at 8am yesterday.

But thank you to all the people who were so full of righteousness.

To everyone else who helped. Yes I got it documented. My cousin works for the CT, but I don’t want my children to cop shit for it.

I will be away from RA for a while.

Thanks.

I have a few points.

1. If the DV victim felt that the arrangements were unacceptable, she should have moved out pronto. While there is enough clues within “There are conflicting stories” – she was told. “He’ll sign an undertaking to stay away from you but we won’t remove him from the house. If he breaches the undertaking (by coming near you) he will be arrested.” (Children are in the house btw) – to give me an idea of the true situation, I’d be wildly accused of steriotyping again, but its a convenient way of categorising people.

2. If the Police are going to enforce somebody signing an undertaking, why is it then acceptable for them to not enforce the consequences of breaking that undertaking ? – happy for CanberraResident to take the lead on answering that.

3. “We’re not here to sort out your childish problems”. – while it might be a pertinent point, its not a professional one. Do the Police have an obligation towards whatever reason they were dispatched (it would seem that its reasonably hard to actually initiate a dispatch from several anecdotal reports on this site alone), to perform a reasonable investigation and give at least a rudimentary summary to whomsoever initiated calling them out in the first place ?

“This does not fall under the responsiblities of the Police”, and “xyz is a more appropriate organisation to contact” gives the same answer, and is a more devious way of saying the same thing.

4. The comments about seeking hosipital treatment are alarmist. Nyssa was simply making a statement about getting medical evidence, not treatment. They should be discounted as rhetorical though, as any normal person, and most of the idiots, know where the hospital is.

5. This woman was thrown around the room and has bruises on her chest and back as well as stiffness in her neck and shoulders. – any given Friday night. I get a similar list of symptoms from using my baby bjorn for over an hour. Give the princess a pea for under her mattress or expain it better.

6. The font is different.

I believe if you had to make reference to rank then you’d lost the arguement and made an arse out of yourself.

Plenty of comments over a couple of days and yet a resounding silence from Nyssa herself.

If people are really up in arms about the quality of the Police in Canberra then how do we fix it. Most professions if they wish to attract better people make the selection harder and pay more accordingly.

Does anyone really think $45k (From Proud Local) a year is really a good amount for getting punched, spat on, abused, wrestling with people who have bronzed up, completing piles of paperwork, and still providing a professional and courteous manner to those who are doing all of the above to you.

Cops, like teachers and nurses, are paid crap for the job they do and treated the same by the public yet are held to a standard no other professions are held to. Basically what this means is the people doing the job are there trying to make a difference to society as opposed to putting their hand out and expecting others to fix their problems which they created,

Nyssa and anyone else who fits into this category – wake up to yourselves and go out and do something about it.

ant, in response to your comment:

ant said :

Hmm. All these aggressive, slightly abusive posts from members with the appellation “newbie”. clue time people. When you start spraying abuse, you’ve already lost the argument.

Do you believe that comments made by people who have less appleation rank than yourself should be treated with less respect. Does the appellation Veteran Rioter give you license to exhort others? Is it your opinion that RA is a closed shop, only fit for lofty persons such as yourself? If you too start “spraying”, then yes you have lost the argument, Sir.

There can’t have been too many police called to a Domestic in the time frame indicated by the OP so it can’t be too hard for the full story to come out in the fullness of time. Some cops may be below the standard we expect and I hope they get a kick up the backside if so but elsewhere on this site is a story about the cops nicking a low life for thieving $100,000 of consumer goods so kudos to those responsible. (No doubt the courts will let him off with a suspended sentence though.)

I agree with your your first paragraph but you haven’t provided any facts in your second paragraph so therefore your first is redundant.

absent Dianne,

I don’t think this is about which side your batting for. I along with other people are happy to critise the cops if they do a bad job, but on a topic where there are no facts, and certainly nothing in the media, how can people go about abusing the cops. I would expect that if people starting abusing you or the job you do, you wouldn’t be happy without some form of facts.

At the end of the day, This story is a load of crap started by someone who’s a pathetic cop hater. I just hope with a stupid thread like this, that the next time Nyssa needs the cops they turn around and give him/her the attention he/she deserves…….Nothing!

“No, the font’s different!”

Hey, that’s my line – get your own! 🙂

If the ‘story’ posted by Nyssa76 were true, I would not be surprised to hear of it being discussed heavily in the media. This would be a gold mine for the folks at CT.

Today is Saturday, plenty of time to pick up the phone and really whip this story up into a frenzy. Happy enough to post it on RA; therefore probably willing to go to the media with this gem.

I would expect to read or hear about this by Sunday at the latest.

That’s if it’s true.

I wait with bated breath……….

Hmm. All these aggressive, slightly abusive posts from members with the appellation “newbie”. clue time people. When you start spraying abuse, you’ve already lost the argument.

No, the font’s different!

I called the cops out last night for an assault complaint against a neighbour. One of the cops called me a girl and another spat in my face. He knocked my coffee cup out of my hand and smashed it on the ground. Then one of them threatened to assault me by asking me if I would like a face full of spray, they both then left laughing as they spun the car wheels on the grass at the front of my property……….

Did all this really happen? Nope… I made it all up, but…if I didn’t add this last paragraph how many Rioters would immediately form a crap opinion of the AFP and jump on the cop bashing bandwagon? People really should not be passing judgement on an incident that they were not there for, especially based on the rantings of a self confessed cop hater in Nyssa76. These guys have it hard enough..give em a break.

Even taking into account the one-sided, anti-Police and emotional account provided by Nyssa it is obvious that there is a lot more to this story then we are being told. If the cops did call the alleged victim in this matter childish then perhaps there was a very good reason for doing so. I would like to see Nyssa go back to her friend and get a complete and factual account of what occurred and then come back to us. I don’t expect this to occur though because the facts probably don’t match the version of events Nyssa is trying to sell.

Absent Diane – I don’t think anyone is saying we should not be able to criticise Police, but when we do it should be based on fact and it should be objective. As you would expect and hope criticism to be if it was directed at you. The weakest link comment is spot on and applies equally to the rantings of people like Nyssa on RA as it does to organisations like the Police.

what gets me is the people that stand up for the coppers in these kinds of posts. No-one knows what actually happened, worst case yep the coppers were cnts, best case a case of exaggeration due to heightened emotion. However i do not see why it is the end of the world when someone criticises cops. If there is a public perception that cops are fcked then maybe the police need to look into changing that. There needs to be some sort of openess to criticism. And you have to remember (and this applies to a lot of things in life) you are only as good as your weakest link.

Happy Easter everyone!

Got to love a story that starts with “We all know (well the older RA’s do) that I am not a fan of the police.”

After comments like that you have to take the rest of the article with a grain of salt.

If she needed to see a Doctor so badly there are two large institutions called hospitals – one Northside and one Southside. If she didnt go there then she wasn’t concerned enough about her injuries.

If she was still scared of hubby after the Police left then why did she stay? People need to take action for their own safety before relying on other people.

DJ, you are wrong. Nyssa needs help and lots of it. Ingee you pole smoker. This story is crap and a beat up. Nyssa provide some facts or shut the hell up.

Sorry for the double post…

Nyssa76, your friend obviously needs help not this post….. what were you hoping to gain?

Nyssa76,

Honestly, are you felling better now? A swipe at Police based on one side of an event that you were not at? You got all emotional over something you heard from somebody close which I understand but to post the dribble above that isn’t based on anything but one side of a story mixed with a one eyed view of Police wont help anything.

You think there might be more to this that your friend hasn’t told you. erhaps she isn’t willing to tell you everything (I am NOT suggesting she might in some way be to blame) cause she might be seen in another light by you. Knowing the full story may open your other eye.

“She needed help and was treated like crap” – how would you know.

Police don’t act like this – end of story. People make this kind of stuff up because they are unhappy after not getting what they believe is justice and you are a fool for posting it without the full facts.

Cameron,

Yes you would like to think so indeed. Unfortuantly though there are some people out there that are missing that part in their brain. They find the need to base their opinions on what ever is written by the CT and anybody who makes a almost believable story.

AnD besides why is their a thread on this, when there are no facts and all the information is third hand.

I might as well say ‘The cops came around to my house tonight because my dog was barking. They threatened to spray me and the dog if i didn’t shut it up’

No doubt their will some narrow minded people on here that would believe such a story even though it didn’t happen.

Would everyone feel better if people prefaced their comments with: “If this story is accurate…” or “If a situation like this did occur…”

Of course people are basing their comments on what has been mentioned here on RA. I would like to think that most of the commentators are smart enough to realise that we are in fact hearing limited information from a third hand source and that it more than likely isn’t the whole story.

The key here is we’re only getting one side of the story. Nyssa76 has presented pure heresay. Further, we don’t know the history of this clearly troubled relationship. It sounds to me like this poor woman ahs been the victim of family violence more than once before this [alleged] incident. So it is quite possible there is a lot more we have not been told in this one-sided rant. There is no excuse for violence; there is equally no excuse for poor service from our police. But I am not going to accept this one-sided rant as being the full story, let alone fact, and in the meantime, I would strongly recommend the rest of you don’t either.

In the meantime get the victim to medical attention asap.

Ingeegoodbee (on the police) -j’umped up little butt-maggots, under skilled, overpaid twats’
ant – ‘disgusting!!!!!!Disgraceful.’
el -‘complete disregard for the victim from the officers”

All this venom over a one-sided story heard second hand? The story told in the original post doesn’t even make sense, yet this doesn’t stop these message board heroes slipping the boot into plod. Who’d be a copper? You have to deal with domestics AND attitudes like this.

Well I don’t think this was even the right place to post a story about this in the first place, I would have thought a look in the yellow pages for a doctors would be higher on the list above posting the story on the internet..

While not doubting the legitimacy of the woman’s claim, this is one side of the story when there are obviously 3 sides (including the police). Unfortunately domestic violence isn’t a rock up and arrest them job so it’s a bit naive to suggest the police can do more than they have based on the facts given giving people the presumption of innocence. Again there is probably pleny more information to be inserted into the story.. though I doubt the people concerned would appreciate it plastered on the internet, despite not being named.

Police can’t fix the problem, only the man AND the woman can. You are focusing in on the wrong area pal. You have also mis-directed us by not giving us all the facts about the dispute.

I deal with victims of DV on a daily basis which includes regular contact with support services such as Domestic Violence Crisis Service etc.

The reality is that most of the victims find the Police to be quite supportive of their situations.

Therefore I doubt that nyssa76 knows the whole story. Afterall, we are basing our reactions only on one side of the story – and lets face it people (even friends) lie on occassions and in situations where people have been traumatised, sometimes it is a natural reaction (no fault of their own).

So I am not saying it didnt happen, but online chinese whispers ain’t the best source of proof! This needs to be reffered to AFP Professional Standards and the Minister’s office.

Nyssa, don’t rely on a 24-hour clinic. Take her to Canberra Hospital or Calvary Casualty BEFORE Casualty gets busy, explain everything that happened, and get the doctor on duty to carefully record all the injuries.

Canberra Police are supposed to have dedicated domestic violence sensitive staff so this is way out of line- you should phone ACT Police control command and ask for the duty support officer in that area – they should NOT be relying on the ornery constables who go out to the house if they are inadequately trained.

Get her to phone the Domestic Violence support hotline and report everything.

Phone the Minister’s office first thing on Tuesday, explain the inadequate response, and also get the Victims of Crime support service alerted.

The minister’s office will probably take it quite seriously and fix the situation.

All that said, is she a crackhead? If so, and IF she is a serial contributor to a drug-fuelled situation at home, I can understand the policy throwing up their hands.

That’s a bit off, gingermick. A person who has had the crap beaten out of them by the person they love(d) most in the world isn’t exactly going to be in the most rational frame of mind.

What a pathetic thread.

Yes is it disgraceful that domestic violence exsists. But this thread does absolutly nothing to identify the problems of domestic violence. It is only a cheap shot at the AFP.

Sure if there were facts presented, it might be acceptable, but this is all hearsay and no doubt glorified.

get a grip and find something better to complain and whinge about.

Yes, nys, I remember you not being “a fan of the police”. Who could forget your inane, innacurate rantings after the tragic death of Clea Rose? This current matter shows you are still neglecting your medcation.

If your friend is not capable of finding medical help on her own, she must be as batty as you.

The super duper AFP. Hoorah! You should have said that Osama Bin Laden was hiding in your backyard with a spray can.

nyssa76, OK, were you there?????

You have not stated that you were present when this took place, so it seems to me that this is hearsay. In saying so I can’t believe you had the audacity to tarnish the reputation of the AFP on this very public forum. Grossly unfair.

Perhaps you could put your energy into looking in the Yellow Pages for the medical attention your “friend” seeks, or take her to the hospital if needed. Is your friend sitting there waiting for replies to come in on RiotACT re medical centres??? Puhleez.

There are avenues for complaints about the AFP where the true facts of this incident can be determined.

For the record, I despise men who beat women, and women who beat men, and yes, that happens too.

Proud Local: To me, this isn’t your typical baseless cop-bashing article that we see from time to time on RA (and just so you know – in those instances, I’m the first to defend the coppers) – It’s an account of an extremely badly handled event, involving domestic violence and what seems to be a complete disregard for the victim from the officers who attended.

By behaving so tactlessly, they failed in their duty. As Morgan said, we’re not living in the 1950’s anymore.

It’s crap like this that’s causing people to lose faith with the police. No one is saying you’re a bad officer, and I understand the frustration of being tarred with the same brush, but while stuff like this continues to happen, it’s probably going to be an unfortunate part of serving as a policeman.

Not sure where the ‘overpaid’ remark came from either, that’s just ridiculous.

Ok, maybe not the ones who responded only to the medical centre comments. 🙂

Making comments that suggest all Police officers are the same is insulting. It’s like stating that all public servants are lazy or all Lawyers are money hungry and evil.

Keep the comments directed at the persons involved, not a whole organisation, as tempting as it is to do. Don’t let a bad apple or two ruin your perceptions. I can honestly state that I have received a lot of genuine compliments and thank you’s for being so kind and sympathetic from victims of crime and violence but then you lot would accuse me of big noting myself.

I have seen some unsympathetic types around though so I’m not saying it doesn’t go on, I just don’t like being tarred with the same brush.

Actually, you do blame the organisation – for letting creeps like that go out on patrol. You’re 100% right that the vast majority of officers would probably have handled that a lot better – but the fact that there are even two sworn officers that handle like that is a major problem.

All we need is for an existing victim of domestic violence to see this article and think that there’s even a minute chance that if they have the courage to call the police they might get these morons turn up – you know what? They’re not going to call.

Proud Local – what you say about the evidence and embellishment etc is all understandable, but none of it is an excuse to treat the woman as poorly as she was treated.

I can only hope that there is some exaggeration happening here – otherwise, yes, you do blame the entire organisation.

We all deserve flaming?

Own. Goal.

Congratulations.

You all deserve flaming. Don’t blame a whole organisation from just one or maybe two separate instances.

If what you state is true (often I find embellishment creeps into these stories to gain more sympathy and make others look worse) then I agree it’s not acceptable.

Everyone I know on the job would have locked him up on the spot and being sympathetic to the poor woman. Although please note there has to be evidence such as the broken bottle still being there, unfortunately we just can’t take people’s word for things as much as we would like to.

And I don’t think $45k a year is being overpaid. I received a lot more in the public service for doing a lot less.

I honestly thought the cops had got the message, after the long, widespread publicity about how disgusting their attitudes to domestic violence were. But all those messages seem to have evaporated. I can only guess that the culture in the police dilutes it and replaces it with this attitude. It’s not good enough. What on earth do they think they are there for? Hunting terrorists? I’m getting the impression that they are obsessed with glamorous national security nonsense, and ignoring basic policing.

“You brought us out for this?”

And just what did these jumped up little butt-maggots think that they were supposed to be doing? Eating donuts? When the hell will the penny drop for these underskilled, overpaid twats.

I’ve got a vague recollection that you’re located inner north, so this one may be closer:

* Ginninderra Medical & Dental Centre
* Nettleford St (Cnr Colter Drv) Belconnen 2616
* (02) 6112 7111

Nyssa, don’t know if it’s convenient but the Philip Dental/Medical centre is open today – I just called them to check.

# Phillip Medical & Dental Centre
# 33 Colbee Crt Phillip 2606
# (02) 6112 7000

You might be in for quite a wait if it’s busy though – I’m not sure if they make appointments or if it’s still a show up and take a number type deal. They *do* bulk bill though.

Best of luck.

You mean this incident happened yesterday? Reading the article I thought to myself, I’m glad the 1950’s are over, but then I realised it was a recent event. To think that in 2008 the police have this attitude towards people that clearly need help, I am shocked.

Jesus, that’s disgusting!!!!!! I cannot believe they are still reacting like that. We’ve had similar dismissive attitudes when calling them out for robberies (at the business leased on our land), and for mega-loud parties with rock bands over the road (at 2am).

I have a dim memory that these new super-clinics, the private ones, run all hours? There’s one in Phillip, and there’s others too. They’re meant to be operating like a private casualty?

I am glad you put this up here, so people can see the problem starkly. If she was walking past the shops and a bloke did this, there’d be all the usual investigation etc. But if a man known to the woman beats her up, (and I cannot, cannot believe that this is still the case, ye gods), somehow it’s different. Disgraceful.