Karen Webb rejects leadership criticism over alleged double murder
The police commissioner has been forced to defend herself after allegations she is not doing her job properly. It comes after she took three days to release a statement on an alleged double murder.
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The police commissioner has been forced to defend herself after her leadership was questioned during a press conference focused on last week’s alleged double murder.
At Monday’s press conference, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb mapped out her busy schedule last week and even criticised the media for not being present at a gay memorial opening in Sydney’s east on Saturday.
“That’s offensive, in fact I’ve already said this morning (that) on Friday I was in budget estimates which is a parliamentary hearing, between 9am-5pm in the day,” Ms Webb explained.
“The accused handed himself in on Friday, he was charged on Friday.
“On Saturday morning I attended the Sunrise event at Bronte Park in Marks Park, to remember those gay men that lost their lives there.
“I don’t remember seeing too many media there but I was there, the minister and I were there along with many of the community.”
The police commissioner then explained how she has met with family of the victims in last week’s alleged double murder.
“Yesterday morning, I spoke to Jesse’s brother and father. This afternoon I will meet with Luke’s family,” she said.
“Last night I was on the phone to Shane Patton from Victoria. I’ve been on the phone, of course I’m doing my job, but I need to let my detectives do the job that I asked them to do.”
She has faced criticism on talkback radio, when 2GB radio host Ray Hadley took aim at her, labelling her as “incapable” and calling for her resignation.
“I think she’s a very nice lady but I think she’s incapable of being the police commissioner and she should stand down,” he said on Monday.
It follows earlier news that an independent review will be conducted by Victorian Police on the system around police accessing and storing firearms, which has come into the spotlight after a serving NSW police officer had access to his firearm out of work hours.
Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of killing Jesse Baird and Luke Davies last week and the police commissioner has come under fire for taking three days to release a statement after he was charged with two counts of murder.
“There are rules but as you’d expect this investigation has been called a critical incident as well because of the use of a police firearm and a critical incident investigation will be overseen by the law enforcement conduct commission,” Police Commissioner Karen Webb told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Monday.
“So the circumstances in this case will be addressed in that investigation.
“But in addition I can tell you and your listeners first is that I have the assistance of Chief Commissioner Shane Hatton from Victorian Police to help us do a review of our systems around the access and storage of police firearms more broadly.”
When asked by the 2GB radio host why Victorian Police is assisting with the review, the police commissioner said “its because it’s independent.”
“And we can assure the public that it will be an independent review of our systems and give the public confidence that we’re taking this very seriously as you could imagine.”
Earlier on Monday, Premier Chris Minns leapt to the defence of Ms Webb.
The premier said it’s not the commissioner’s primary job to address the public.
“My understanding is that she is doing that and obviously taking questions in relation to the investigation and other issues that are taking place in Sydney,” Premier Minns said to 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Monday.
“But being the police commissioner is different to being the premier, the primary responsibility of the police commissioner is to do the job and that is to investigate crime and arrest the people who commit those crimes.”
At a press conference, he doubled down on the sentiments.
“I’m not going to second guess the Police Commissioner on media matters - the most important job of the Police Commissioner is running a police force that is effective at investigating crime and arresting perpetrators… NSW Police do that job,” he said.
“My government, all agencies, all leaders of its various arms do make themselves available for questioning by the media, we do that on a daily basis but obviously we can’t forget the primary job.”
TOP COP ACCUSED OF ‘HIDING’
It comes after NSW MLC and former police officer Rod Roberts accused the police commissioner of “hiding” and not taking questions in order to reassure the public as to how on-duty cop
Beau Lamarre-Condon was able to allegedly murder Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with a police weapon.
“It’s taken her three days to come out and make a statement and that was only a written statement,” Mr Roberts said.
“She should have been on the front foot on the very first day, just putting the public at ease and saying something along the lines of ‘I just want to tell the members of the public that the suspect is a member of the NSW Police Force, and the allegations are as such, but I want to reassure the public that the member will be treated the same as any other suspect in any other crime.’
“Instead we get nothing from her and she goes into hiding as usual.”
The criticism comes after Commissioner Webb released a statement on Sunday, offering her condolences and asking the community to be patient while detectives determined what happened to Mr Baird and Mr Davies.
Yet, Mr Roberts said the statement was inadequate, calling on the Police Commissioner to front the public.
“She put out a press release on Sunday, and hopes it goes away,” he said.
“People want to ask her a few questions and they’re entitled to do that. She’s the state’s leading police officer. She’s on more than $660,000 a year, that’s her role, she can’t delegate that authority to others. She needs to come out and speak.”
“It is her job to instil public confidence in the NSW Police Force – If the public has no confidence in the police force themselves, and that always comes from the top, things start to unravel.”
A NSW Police spokesperson for Commissioner Webb said she had been working to reassure the public in light of the investigation.
“The NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s focus has been on the integrity and expediency of the investigation, and the families of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies,” the spokesperson said.
“Ms Webb has acknowledged that there are many unanswered questions and has publicly reassured the people of NSW that police are working around the clock to find the answers.”
Opposition Police spokesman Paul Toole suggested Police Minister Yasmin Catley was also to blame for not fronting the public after Mr Lamarre-Condon was arrested.
“The Premier needs to appoint a Police Minister who will actually do the job, front up and provide the public with confidence, not this farcical circus that continues to go round and round,” he said.
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