Mall Cops
The notion of a ‘Mall Cop’ as described in this week’s Mercury is profoundly misguided. This proposal has its genesis in retailers asking for further support to make the CBD feel safe and many in the community think that law enforcement or policing will magically fix these issues.
As a paramedic, I frequently deal with complex social situations and I have had interactions with many of the misguided youth, and vulnerable people that frequent our city centre.
Many of these individuals are massively complex, they often have a history of trauma and substance abuse, largely as a result of self-medicating from circumstances in their youth many couldn’t even imagine. Providing support to these individuals and supporting the health and wellbeing of the community is part of local government services under the Local Government Act but it is also the responsibility of the State Government under the health care system.
However, these issues are nuanced, and they are perennial in any city around the world. The cities with the least crime that are perceived as the most safe tend to be in jurisdictions with strong social safety nets, such as Norway. While the cities with the most crime that are objectively unsafe are in countries with almost no social safety net, such as Mexico, South Africa and Brazil. Adding an element of compliance and education around smoking, rubbish bin placement and outdoor dining complicates the proposed role. So how do we provide the service we are looking for?
In the last few years, Ambulance Tasmania, in conjunction with TasPol and the Tasmanian Health service have implemented the Police, Ambulance and Clinician Early Response unit. Known as PACER, this service provides multidisciplinary care to people in the community experiencing mental health crises. The unit has been extremely successful in providing targeted care in the right way, with the right resources to the right people. It has even decreased unnecessary transport to hospital in that cohort.
In healthcare, the gold standard of care for any complex patient is multidisciplinary. Healthcare workers recognise that we all have specialist skill sets. We recognise the unique role of pharmacists, physiotherapists and nurses. We know we need radiographers, lab technicians and hospital scientists. Furthermore, subspecialties within each service are common, from Neurosurgeons to psychiatrists and sports physios to ICU physios.
In healthcare, we target the right services to the right people at the right time. I believe this approach is the best way to deal with the issue of crime and perceived safety in cities around Tasmania. In my view, the model that would be most efficacious would be similar to the PACER unit.
A service that really wraps around the most vulnerable people in our community could be delivered in concert with the state government. I would suggest that a team consisting of a social worker, police officer, council ranger and paramedic would be ideal. Patrolling the inner-city and waterfront between 7am and 11pm, this multi-disciplinary team would have a range of advantages:
Social workers could have regular, informal contact with those who need the most assistance in our city. They could refer the community on to other services when required, such as crisis accommodation and drug and alcohol services. Furthermore, their regular contact with the same people means they could potentially help the most vulnerable to keep appointments, encouraging them to get the help they need to live their best lives.
A Police officer would provide a visible police presence in the capital city. They would be the eyes and ears on the street with a direct line of communication to the Police radio room. So when incidents occur they can ask for the right police resources in the right way to get the best and quickest response. What’s more, a Police officer patrolling with a wrap-around service improves relationships with complex individuals but also becomes a place for retailers and shop keepers to pass on their observations about the city. When required, police have the tools and training to keep the team safe and arrest people who have broken the law.
A Council Ranger can handle minor infringements, such as on-street dining, soft plastic and smoking by laws. They are also the council’s eyes and ears in our city, building relationships with business owners, reporting issues back to council such as footpath problems, rubbish collection, graffiti and their general observations from being in our city everyday.
Lastly, a paramedic could provide rapid assistance to any medical event in the CBD. Improving response times in the most dire circumstances like cardiac arrest. I also believe they could prevent ambulances being dispatched to jobs, particularly those that are within walking distance to an urgent care centre or the hospital. In addition, they could provide health checks and advice to vulnerable people that frequent our city such as those experiencing homelessness.
Rather than a mall cop, let's provide a soft touch. Let’s build a city founded in care for the vulnerable, we know that gets the best outcomes. Let’s explore novel ideas and give them a go and build a better and a safer city for all.