Police commissioners establish national co-ordination group to tackle anti-Semitism
Senior police from every jurisdiction will begin meeting monthly and increase information-sharing in a bid to tackle rising anti-Semitism.
The country’s police commissioners agreed on Thursday to establish a dedicated national co-ordination group, made up of a deputy commissioner from every jurisdiction.
It comes just days after national cabinet agreed to establish a national database to keep track of anti-Semitic incidents, attacks and crimes which have escalated over the summer.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The group will meet monthly to share information and intelligence and, where appropriate, use existing national arrangements to assist with both active investigations and proactive operations that may transcend state borders,” the top cops said in a joint communique.
“While each agency is well equipped to deal with matters in their jurisdiction, the sharing of intelligence and information is invaluable, and Australian agencies have used this approach for many years with great success.”
They said all commissioners “agreed there has never been a greater need for law enforcement agencies to focus on the core role of policing — to reduce crime and the fear of crime, and to ensure community safety and that all communities feel safe”.
“Ongoing engagement with the Jewish community, as well as the many diverse communities that call Australia home, will continue to be prioritised by all jurisdictions,” they added.
It follows a spate of increasingly violent crimes against Jewish Australians, including attacks on synagogues in Melbourne and Sydney, the suspected targeted attack of a Jewish leader’s former home, and the vandalism and arson of a childcare centre near a synagogue.
The AFP revealed earlier this week they were actively investigating whether offshore actors were hiring Australians to carry out anti-Semitic attacks and potentially paying them in cryptocurrency.
Meanwhile, a second man was arrested on Thursday for attempting to set fire to the Newtown synagogue earlier this month - becoming the tenth person arrested by NSW Police under Strike Force Pearl, set up to investigate anti-Semitic vandalism across Sydney.
Other charges relate to incidents in Bondi, Woollahra and Newtown.
