ACT Policing and ACT Health have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which the Territory’s health authority will provide forensic and other medically-related services to the police.
The three-year agreement, worth $942,800 annually, will provide for a range of services including medical call-outs to the ACT Watch House, attendance at death scenes, examination of victims of crime, preparation of reports, and the collection of biological samples.
The MoU also provides for medical services to ACT Policing officers on duty.
Under previous arrangements, most of these services had been provided by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and in turn, subcontracted to ACT-based providers. The new agreement streamlines these arrangements and brings them under the auspices of ACT Health.
Outcomes implemented from the June 2007 Review into the ACT Watch House by the AFP and the Commonwealth Ombudsman have also been further refined under the new agreement.
The Chief Police Officer for the ACT, Roman Quaedvlieg, said the MoU cemented an already productive and professional working relationship with ACT Health.
“There is a range of necessary services which requires the expertise of ACT Health to support the enforcement role of our officers,” CPO Quaedvlieg said.
“The provision of high quality forensic medical services is an essential component of providing a first class policing service to the Canberra community.”
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ACT Policing has executed a search warrant on a residence in Watson after police seized a shotgun from the premises and arrested a 49-year-old man this morning (Thursday, September 23).
A General Duties City Patrol team attended the residence around 9am today seeking to locate a person who had been sought on another matter.
One of the officers walking to the rear of the house saw a male allegedly carrying a shotgun in the rear yard of the property. The officer sighted the weapon who withdrew with the other officers to the front of the house.
A short time later, the alleged offender came to the front door of the home unarmed, where he was quickly arrested, handcuffed and taken into custody.
The shotgun, which is believed to be stolen, was recovered inside the house by police.
The alleged offender man is currently being held in the ACT Watch House.
A search warrant executed on the residence has recovered a large quantity of copper cabling suspected to be stolen property. A quantity of other property was located in a shipping container in the backyard of the property, and police are assessing whether this material may also be stolen.
The alleged offender is likely to be charged with weapons and property offences. Police enquiries are continuing.
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