A shocking internal investigation has revealed that several WA police officers failed to do their job properly when investigating reports of domestic violence against a man who later murdered a mother and her daughter in Perth.
What Went Wrong?
The investigation found that a total of eight officers did not follow policies and procedures when dealing with warnings from the killer’s daughter and ex-partner about the serious risk he posed.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch has publicly admitted that the police “got it wrong” and has announced that the force is implementing 18 recommendations to improve its handling of domestic violence and firearms cases.
New Measures to Prevent Similar Tragedies
The recommendations include creating a data platform to flag firearms licence holders who have a history of domestic violence, setting up a team to assess domestic violence cases across the state, and appointing a 24/7 family violence coordinator.
Commissioner Blanch also promised that from now on, when someone reports domestic violence, the police will immediately remove any firearms from the premises.
A Tragic Case
The investigation was sparked by the murder of 59-year-old Jennifer Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl by Mark Bombara, 63, who was licensed to own guns.
Bombara shot the two women dead before turning the gun on himself.
His daughter, Ariel, had repeatedly warned the police about her father’s violent behavior, but her warnings were ignored.
A Call for Change
Ariel Bombara has spoken out about the police failings, saying that she and her mother were “repeatedly ignored” and “repeatedly failed” by the system.
She has welcomed the investigation and the changes that are being implemented, saying that “history has been made” with the report.
Commissioner Blanch has also apologized for the mistakes made by the police and has promised that they are committed to making sure it never happens again.
What’s Next?
Eleven of the 18 recommendations have already been implemented, and the remaining seven are underway.
The police force is taking disciplinary action against the officers who failed to do their job properly, but none of them have been sacked.
The case has highlighted the need for urgent change in the way police handle domestic violence cases, and the WA police force is taking steps to ensure that similar tragedies are prevented in the future.