Riot squad gets Bulldogs season ticket
By Justin Norrie Police Reporter
March 20, 2006
THE ranks of NSW riot police will be doubled to 100 and dozens of riot officers could be deployed at Canterbury Bulldogs games to target brawling fans, under a plan being canvassed by the NSW Police Commissioner.
Ken Moroney has told the Herald that 750 police graduates, to be introduced to front lines next year, will also allow him to boost forensic police numbers from 650 to 820 by next year.
"Apart from the riot squad, the area that is expanding exponentially in police work and has more demand than any other is forensics," Mr Moroney said. "I'd like to keep increasing it by 5 to 10 per cent each year."
Mr Moroney revealed more plans to boost numbers at the state's crime command, which runs specialist units such as the fraud squad, from 800 to 1000 in three years to stem a rise in white-collar and cyber crime.
But he said the extra 750 police would be partly accounted for by the "200-odd officers" - or 1.4 per cent of the state's 14,650-strong police force - on long-term sick leave.
The most pressing concern was the expansion of the riot squad and the possibility of using it at Bulldogs games after violence on Friday night, he said.
"I want to use that 750 increase to add at least another 50 officers to the riot squad - that's a minimum - and hopefully more," Mr Moroney said. "Myself and [the Police Minister] Carl Scully will meet with the Bulldogs and the NRL on Wednesday and we'll talk about what the club can do … and about the option of riot police who have special techniques for that sort of violent crowd behaviour."
Witnesses described a ferocious attack by up to eight young men wearing Bulldogs jerseys on three older Wests Tigers fans outside Telstra Stadium on Friday night after a game. Police made only one arrest during the game, but spectators recalled seeing two brawls in the stands, one of which they said involved up to 50 people.
Yesterday police issued court notices to four people on charges of affray after reviewing television footage of one brawl.
Mr Moroney said the parties to Wednesday's crisis meeting would also consider such measures as segregating Bulldogs fans and banning for life any found guilty of violence.
He was supported by the Premier, Morris Iemma, who described the behaviour of some Bulldogs fans as "shameful".
Violence has marred many Bulldogs games in recent years. In 2004 the club was given a suspended punishment of four points after a brawl between its fans and Roosters supporters.
In a statement issued yesterday the Bulldogs chief executive, Malcolm Noad, said it would be unfair to characterise the club by the actions of "a small bunch of idiots" but warned his fans that "we face the very real possibility of a loss of points and a heavy fine if further crowd problems occur".
But the Opposition's spokesman for police, Mike Gallacher, said the Government's announcement was a stunt: "This isn't 750 new police; it's merely an additional 150 after factoring in the 600 officers Labor slashed and did not replace."
