Media statement
For immediate release
Suday 30, January 2005

Alexander: Why should the police bother?

"What's the point of police trying to do their job, often putting their safety at risk to try and catch the bad guys, when sentences being handed out completely undermine their role?," said United Future Law & Order spokesman Marc Alexander.

"Daniel Headgri, charged with 22 counts of theft and burglary; pleaded guilty to multible charges of dishonesty including 12 counts of burglary; and considered a leader of an organized Middle Eastern crime gang; got let off with a miserly 200 hours of community work!"

"Clearly such penalties let other criminals know that even if the police take their job seriously, judges might not. But worse.this pathetic sentence tells victims that they really don't matter at all!"

"Even the police are complaining! What's becoming increasingly clear is that we simply do not have a comprehensive nor integrated strategy to fight crime. And the problem with that is; it's the public who end up paying yet again."

"With sentences like this being handed out it's no wonder Police are being demoralized while the criminals go on laughing."

ENDS

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