|
 Top
Story
|
|
|
 |
Taree police have denied claims they advised a liquor store owner on security measures. INSET: Tim Leonard, the owner of Old Bar Cellars. |
Liquor outlet owner who banned 'coloureds' from store blames Taree police for advice
Friday, 25 July 2008
By Chris Graham
NATIONAL, August 1, 2008: The licensee of a NSW mid-north coast liquor store who directed staff to prevent groups of "coloureds" from entering his store has claimed that he based the new company policy on advice he received from Taree Police.
In February this year, in response to two alleged shop-lifting incidents by a Koori woman, owner of the Liquor Stax Old Bar Cellars, near Taree, Tim Leonard banned groups of black customers from his store.
Mr Leonard directed staff to only allow individual black customers in the store if they agreed to be followed throughout the store and searched on their way. Mr Leonard also instructed staff to ensure black customers were never left alone near the spirits section of the store.
The memo - in which Mr Leonard described Aboriginal people as "coloureds" - led to the resignation of one of the staff members, Paul Hickey, aged 33, who refused to follow his bosses' instructions.
Last week, Mr Leonard sent a written statement to the National Indigenous Times apologising for his actions and accepting responsibility for the incident. But after the story also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, Mr Leonard again wrote to NIT, this time 'reluctantly' revealing that he had instituted the new policies based on advice he had received from Taree Police.
"The note was based on a discussion with one of the police officers who attended the second of our [shop-lifting] incidents and it was from his advice as to handle future incidents that the note was written.
"... I took his advice - in the belief that as an officer of the law - that he would not advise me to recommend anything that was unlawful or racist.
"This was apparently not the case and I regret listening to his words."
Mr Leonard has not yet responded to queries from NIT about the identity of the officer involved.
However, NSW Police denied any suggestion that Mr Leonard was acting on advice provided by police.
A spokesperson for NSW Police told NIT that while police regularly provide advice to business about security and reducing incidences of shop-lifting and robbery, all advice provided is "... in accordance with recognised NSW Police Force procedures and relevant legislation".
"Information from the NSW Police Force to a business-owner which promotes the vilification or discrimination of any individual or group of persons would be a breach of procedure and legislation," the spokesperson said.
"Such advice would also be offensive and inappropriate.
"Manning/Great Lakes Local Area Commander, Superintendent Peter Thurtell has spoken with the officer who provided security advice to a local business in early 2008.
"I am satisfied that the recommendations made by police to the business-owner were appropriate and did not promote the vilification or discrimination of any individual or group of persons," said Supt Thurtell.
"I urge any business-owners seeking advice regarding maintaining security and reducing crime on their premises to contact Crime Prevention Officers attached to Manning/Great Lakes LAC, or alternatively, they can access related information contained on the NSW Police website (www.police.nsw.gov.au)."
* A NOTE TO OUR ONLINE
READERS:
|
|
|
|
Breaking News