Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
It is often suggested that the recruitment of Aboriginals into the Police Service would be a solution to many of the problems with Aboriginals. The reported reaction of Aboriginal communities in New South Wales and Victoria to the experience of Aboriginal police officers was mixed. The Victorian AIU report said that there was little enthusiasm for the recruitment of Aboriginals to the Police Force, a common feeling being that it would not make a difference unless there were a large number of Aboriginals in the Service. However, one such officer was credited with having improved the situation.
It is obvious that such appointments will achieve little if the Aboriginal police are expected to and do absorb the general police culture and identify with it against Aboriginals. The hope must be that their presence will broaden and help to change the police culture. A revealing story was told at the community conference in Wilcannia of an Aboriginal police officer who was involved in the organisation of touch football games. When some Aboriginals argued with him about the payment of dues he charged them with offensive behaviour. An Aboriginal said at the conference: 'If you are going to play the sport, play it as a man and don't hide behind the uniform'. The Aboriginal police officer, who was present at the conference responded: 'I acted as anyone would act on the day. I was abused and I served a Court Attendance Notice for offensive manner'. To suggest that 'anyone' would take such action against others involved in a sporting argument shows an extraordinarily authoritarian attitude which would not improve Aboriginal/police relationships, whatever the ancestry of the police officer.
The difficulties which Aboriginal police officers have with the conflicting pressures on them is reflected in the high turnover rates. Several Aboriginal police or former police spoke to me of unpleasant experiences of racism amongst other new recruits at the Police Academy, many of whom did not react positively to attempts to instruct them in Aboriginal culture and history. Perhaps the situation might be improved by the recruitment of Aboriginals in groups, so that they can give each other mutual support.