Road spikes to be reviewed after tragic death of Senior Constable David Masters

The safety of tyre deflation devices will be reviewed following the tragic death of one of the Police Services’ own, Senior Constable David Masters.

Flowers at the Deception Bay Police Station, after 53-year-old police officer David Masters was killed overnight attempting to stop a stolen car. Photo: Steve Pohlner

Queensland’s police chief has vowed to review “every aspect” surrounding the safety of tyre deflation devices (TDD) following the tragic death of one of the Police Services’ own.

Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the Service reviewed the use of the car-halting device following the near death of constable Peter McAulay, who was struck while deploying road spikes in Ipswich in 2018.

However yesterday the Commissioner said the training and policy again “has to … and will be reviewed,” following Senior Constable David Masters’ death.

She stressed the importance of knowing all the facts before taking any action to suspend the tyre-spiking devices, which she said will always have a place within the QPS.

“I believe there is always a place for these,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“It comes down to policy, it comes down to training, it comes down to methodology, and certainly the QPS has done a lot in that space in the last couple of years …”

Senior Constable David (Dave) Masters was tragically killed on Saturday on the Bruce Highway trying to stop a stolen vehicle. Picture Supplied.

Earlier this year, the QPS was charged with breaching workplace health and safety (WHS) laws in relation to allegedly failing to provide adequate training on tyre deflation devices.

It’s alleged 26 police officers had been injured using the spikes in a seven-year period, with

the Queensland Police Union lodging a formal complaint to WHS following Cnst McAulay’s tragedy.

WHS prosecutors would later charge “the Commissioner of Police” with two counts of failure to comply with health and safety duty category 2.

The matter currently remains before the court, however Commissioner Carroll said change has been implemented following the incident involving Cnst McAulay.

“My briefing is, since the incident with Peter McAulay, there has been extensive training and a lot less incidents, and also policy changes and methodology changes,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“We do everything in terms of our policy and our training to make sure that we protect our people, and … we need to see what occurred before we look at the policy again, but definitely that will happen very, very quickly.”

Senior Constable David (Dave) Masters was tragically killed on the Bruce Highway trying to stop a stolen vehicle. Dave pictured with wife Sharon and son Jack. Picture Supplied.

According to the QPS, all officers receive practical training on how to deploy TDD in front of a moving car upon joining the service.

While in 2018, all police were required to complete an online compulsory training course on TDD.

Annual online TDD training is now compulsory for all police, and further practical training for frontline officers has since been rolled out.

The specifics of what occurred when Snr Cnst Masters’ was struck on the Bruce Hwy remain unclear, however police would yesterday not comment on if officers had pursued the stolen vehicle.

It’s understood Snr Cnst Masters had been given permission to deploy the roadspikes, as is in-line with the QPS pursuit policy.

Police at the scene where 53-year-old police officer David Masters died attempting to stop a stolen car on the Bruce Highway on Saturday, 26th June 2021. Photo: Steve Pohlner