WA: Police may use security guards after cars burnt
10 Dec 2008 12:46 PM
PERTH, Dec 10 AAP - Police are considering placing security guards at Perth police stations after a second station was deliberately targeted by arsonists, West Australian Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan says.
The cars of two police officers were burnt in the compound of Warwick police station in Perth's northern suburbs early on Wednesday
The attack follows a similar incident at the Joondalup police station on Monday when a ute was driven to the station's doors and set alight.
Mr O'Callaghan said security would be reviewed at police stations amid concerns for the welfare of his officers.
"I'm concerned about any threat on police, obviously my first concern is for the officers, to make sure they are safe and we will be looking at security as a matter of priority," Mr O'Callaghan told reporters.
"We need to very quickly look at what can be done to make sure officers and their property is properly protected.
"I think the community would be outraged about this - it's an attack on society, it's an attack on freedom, it's an attack on democracy."
Placing security guards at stations deemed at risk was an option Mr O'Callaghan said.
"If we see this escalating we might have to place security guards or something like that in the short term," Mr O'Callaghan said.
Police officers had been warned to be more vigilant in the wake of the attacks.
Mr O'Callaghan said a person of interest in Monday's attack had been identified by police and hinted at further developments on Wednesday afternoon.
"There is definitely a person of interest in the case and we are hoping that we might be able to bring this to a resolution in the not to distant future," he said.
