Copping it

The WA police officer who shot his glock twice at a car full of Aboriginal women and children, Niko Westergerling, pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm in public and got a $5000 fine today. Westergerling was also fined in March this year in the Magistrates Court, for kicking and punching a woman, but was allowed to remain in the police service.

According to police policy in WA, when an officer commits a criminal offence and that offence is considered to affect their performance or presents a risk, the WA Police attempt to identify the causal factors. Once the assessment takes place, and any risk has been assessed, managed and mitigated, an officer may be returned to frontline duties.
Where the catalyst for the criminal offence relates to knowledge or skills, the officer may be sent for re-training.
Where the cause of a criminal offence is 'behavioural' and stems from factors like stress or an officer's inability to control themselves and make sound decisions, they are then referred for a 'Fitness for Duty' assessment by qualified medical persons. The assessment may include behavioural and therapeutic treatment or programs designed to prevent a repetition of the conduct.

The victim of the assault was Westergerling's wife.

In WA, another police officer was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The offence occurred during a 2009 investigation into neo-nazi and white supremacist groups in Perth. Robert David Critchley had been working with the elite intel unit doing telephone interceptions, when he tipped off the friend of one neo-nazi who was affiliated with a Perth branch of UK hate group Combat 18. Three offenders from the group later pleaded guilty to shooting at the roof of the Cannington Mosque when they were drunk. Two of the offenders were former Australian Defence Force employees.
Apparently, random drug testing was introduced for WA police officers on December 3.

Two VicPol officers have copped it for assaulting two 'hoons' doing burn-outs near their station.