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Obese cops a risk to the public
Obese police risk safety, coroner told
By Malcolm Brown. Sydney Morning Herald 25 July 2001.
The police force was letting obese people into its ranks and one young policewoman's short and overweight physique could be linked to the fatal shooting of an unarmed man at a domestic dispute, a senior officer said yesterday.
Acting Detective Chief Inspector David Maguire attacked declining fitness standards in the force as he gave evidence at the inquest into the killing of 25-year-old Mr Rayden Stephens, who was shot three times by Senior Constable Stephen DeLorenzo at Bondi on February 7 last year.
Senior Constable DeLorenzo says he lost confidence in the ability of two fellow officers to save his life as he wrestled with Mr Stephens.
Inspector Maguire, who investigated the shooting, told the inquest that Probationary Constable Naomi Randall had done as much as she could to assist her colleague, given her experience, but her physical condition had not helped.
Constable Randall, with only four weeks' experience, had twice hit Mr Stephens in the thigh with her baton, without effect, but she had not used her capsicum spray.
Inspector Maguire said he had formed a view that there were general problems of fitness among prospective police officers. Questioned by Mr Philip Biggins, for the NSW Police Service, he said he based his opinion on his observations and on talks with staff officers at the Police Academy.
In previous years, if an aspiring police officer was overweight, they would not have got into the service.
"However, the body fat [standard] has been lowered to a level which lets people who would be categorised as obese enter the police service, and I believe it is an issue that is associated with fitness," Inspector Maguire said.
He said he believed the level of fitness among people entering the service was so low that "the safety of some officers and members of the public is compromised".
Mr Biggins: "Do you also have the view that the level of fitness of NSW police officers has dropped so as to be closely related to the ability to do their duties?"
Inspector Maguire: "In this matter, I believe it was, yes."
Constable DeLorenzo had claimed Mr Stephens was pushing his head under water in a garden fish pond.
Inspector Maguire said Constable Randall and Sergeant Don Howard could have done more to help Senior Constable DeLorenzo before he pulled out his Glock pistol and fired the fatal shots.
Sergeant Howard had made three radio calls for help but had not used a baton or spray.
In a videotaped record of interview played yesterday, Sergeant Howard said he had tried to intervene in the struggle by grabbing Mr Stephens by the arm. But he said Mr Stephens had hit him twice on the side of the head.
He had seen Constable DeLorenzo and Mr Stephens fall into the pond. Constable DeLorenzo had called on him to get some "back-up".
When he had called for help, he had seen Constable Randall hit Mr Stephens with her baton.
"He said something to her and she sort of stepped back a bit," he said. "I think the male person [Mr Stephens] said, 'What are go going to do, shoot me?'" He added: "Then I heard the racking [cocking of the weapon] and three shots."
The hearing resumes today before State Coroner Mr John Abernethy.
By Malcolm Brown. Sydney Morning Herald 25 July 2001.
The police force was letting obese people into its ranks and one young policewoman's short and overweight physique could be linked to the fatal shooting of an unarmed man at a domestic dispute, a senior officer said yesterday.
Acting Detective Chief Inspector David Maguire attacked declining fitness standards in the force as he gave evidence at the inquest into the killing of 25-year-old Mr Rayden Stephens, who was shot three times by Senior Constable Stephen DeLorenzo at Bondi on February 7 last year.
Senior Constable DeLorenzo says he lost confidence in the ability of two fellow officers to save his life as he wrestled with Mr Stephens.
Inspector Maguire, who investigated the shooting, told the inquest that Probationary Constable Naomi Randall had done as much as she could to assist her colleague, given her experience, but her physical condition had not helped.
Constable Randall, with only four weeks' experience, had twice hit Mr Stephens in the thigh with her baton, without effect, but she had not used her capsicum spray.
Inspector Maguire said he had formed a view that there were general problems of fitness among prospective police officers. Questioned by Mr Philip Biggins, for the NSW Police Service, he said he based his opinion on his observations and on talks with staff officers at the Police Academy.
In previous years, if an aspiring police officer was overweight, they would not have got into the service.
"However, the body fat [standard] has been lowered to a level which lets people who would be categorised as obese enter the police service, and I believe it is an issue that is associated with fitness," Inspector Maguire said.
He said he believed the level of fitness among people entering the service was so low that "the safety of some officers and members of the public is compromised".
Mr Biggins: "Do you also have the view that the level of fitness of NSW police officers has dropped so as to be closely related to the ability to do their duties?"
Inspector Maguire: "In this matter, I believe it was, yes."
Constable DeLorenzo had claimed Mr Stephens was pushing his head under water in a garden fish pond.
Inspector Maguire said Constable Randall and Sergeant Don Howard could have done more to help Senior Constable DeLorenzo before he pulled out his Glock pistol and fired the fatal shots.
Sergeant Howard had made three radio calls for help but had not used a baton or spray.
In a videotaped record of interview played yesterday, Sergeant Howard said he had tried to intervene in the struggle by grabbing Mr Stephens by the arm. But he said Mr Stephens had hit him twice on the side of the head.
He had seen Constable DeLorenzo and Mr Stephens fall into the pond. Constable DeLorenzo had called on him to get some "back-up".
When he had called for help, he had seen Constable Randall hit Mr Stephens with her baton.
"He said something to her and she sort of stepped back a bit," he said. "I think the male person [Mr Stephens] said, 'What are go going to do, shoot me?'" He added: "Then I heard the racking [cocking of the weapon] and three shots."
The hearing resumes today before State Coroner Mr John Abernethy.
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