1st September 2018
Sergeant Wayne Taylor (Herald Sun 1/9/18) is the sort of cop that should be cloned not pilloried.
Talk to any police member serving or retired and they will relate stories of prolific thief catchers like Sergeant Taylor. Most Police are in awe of their uncanny ability, which by the way ,only comes from dedicated and focused hard work.
But according to VicPol this skill type is of no consequence or worthy of consideration because of a poorly designed , risk adverse pursuit policy that has dogged the Force for years including contributing to the horrific outcomes in Bourke Street.
The public should rightly be outraged at the treatment of this Sergeant that may well end his career and we are not referring so much to the outcome as the process he is enduring.
It would seem that the speed he was travelling at, necessary to do his job, is the main bone of contention.
Exceeding the speed limit or breaking any road rules by a Police member in the execution of their duty should follow the same principles as using a firearm. The speed may need to be justified, but only in light of all the circumstances including the actions of perpetrators. Police are driving very safe motor cars and many police like Sergeant Taylor possess a high level of driving experience in these circumstances.
The community supports the Sergeant- he is the type of police we want to protect us.