‘Frayed trust’: police veterans reflect on law enforcement and COVID-19

By Matthew Elmas

October 15, 2020

police
The community has been presented with a very different view of police during COVID-19. (AAP).

Australia’s policing institutions have a public trust problem.

Over the past six months, governments have asked Australia’s law enforcement agencies to wield an array of new powers that few police officers ever thought they’d be responsible for.

Liberties have been restricted, compliance, in some cases, has been forced, and thousands of fines have been handed out for breaking laws that have been changing regularly for months.

It’s all been done in the name of public health, but in an Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) forum this week, former NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas acknowledged enforcing Australia’s coronavirus restrictions has come at a high price.

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