future
04-Jan-01, 09:24pm
BEN KNIGHT: Senior Sergeant Lou Potter is the officer in charge of the St Kilda Road Police Station, who's also with us this morning. Senior Sergeant, thanks for your time. Good morning. [Silence] Beg your pardon, are you with us there?
SENIOR SERGEANT LOU POTTER: Yes, I'm here.
BEN KNIGHT: Good. You were actually at the Summer Daze event?
LOU POTTER: Yes, I was. I was the … for want of a better expression, the venue commander, I guess, from the police perspective.
BEN KNIGHT: Now, we've heard of course that two people suffered from dehydration, which out of a crowd of 18,000 is not a hugely significant number. And you are saying that you didn't really notice any problems?
LOU POTTER: I saw the people that were dehydrated and it was unfortunate for them and others around them. But from our perspective it was a well-run event and there weren't any … there certainly weren't any police problems. And I didn't think that the medical situation was too over the top, either.
BEN KNIGHT: Was it something that you were particularly looking at…
LOU POTTER: Oh, yes.
BEN KNIGHT: …that people did have enough access?
LOU POTTER: Yeah. We've got an obligation to the community to make sure that they get facilities that they need and there's a safety issue that we oversight. And I was conscious that it was a hot day. Dance crowds do tend to perhaps … and I'm not being critical here, but they do tend to neglect themselves, and we need to be vigilant to make sure that they do get looked after.
BEN KNIGHT: You went and had another look at the site last night?
LOU POTTER: I did, actually, just to clear it up in my own mind. And I'm pleased to say that I … my impression on the day was confirmed by my check-up last night.
BEN KNIGHT: Thanks very much. Senior Sergeant Lou Potter is the officer in charge of the St Kilda Road Police Station and the venue coordinator on the day, New Year's Day at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
SENIOR SERGEANT LOU POTTER: Yes, I'm here.
BEN KNIGHT: Good. You were actually at the Summer Daze event?
LOU POTTER: Yes, I was. I was the … for want of a better expression, the venue commander, I guess, from the police perspective.
BEN KNIGHT: Now, we've heard of course that two people suffered from dehydration, which out of a crowd of 18,000 is not a hugely significant number. And you are saying that you didn't really notice any problems?
LOU POTTER: I saw the people that were dehydrated and it was unfortunate for them and others around them. But from our perspective it was a well-run event and there weren't any … there certainly weren't any police problems. And I didn't think that the medical situation was too over the top, either.
BEN KNIGHT: Was it something that you were particularly looking at…
LOU POTTER: Oh, yes.
BEN KNIGHT: …that people did have enough access?
LOU POTTER: Yeah. We've got an obligation to the community to make sure that they get facilities that they need and there's a safety issue that we oversight. And I was conscious that it was a hot day. Dance crowds do tend to perhaps … and I'm not being critical here, but they do tend to neglect themselves, and we need to be vigilant to make sure that they do get looked after.
BEN KNIGHT: You went and had another look at the site last night?
LOU POTTER: I did, actually, just to clear it up in my own mind. And I'm pleased to say that I … my impression on the day was confirmed by my check-up last night.
BEN KNIGHT: Thanks very much. Senior Sergeant Lou Potter is the officer in charge of the St Kilda Road Police Station and the venue coordinator on the day, New Year's Day at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.