ENEMIES
OF THE STATE - TIM PRIEST
Tim Priest is a former
front line police detective, known for his involvement for fighting the war on
crime and drugs in Sydney's Cabramatta. His first explosive book, 'To Protect
and to Serve', exposed crime problems in Sydney and serious issues within the
police hierarchy. It was a best seller and sparked a large amount of community
debate.
'Enemies of the State' is Priest's next offering, examining
a series of police scandals, cover-ups and blunders. Tim Priest draws on comparisons
with international policing standards and argues how ineffectual policing has
allowed organised crime to spiral out of control. He believes that the 'war' on
drugs in NSW has been lost forever.
Drawing on research from
parliamentary inquiries, committee reports, Supreme Court documents, affidavits,
media articles, interviews, police court briefs, speeches and other research,
Tim Priest leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of the truth and accountability.
'Enemies of the State' scratches the surface and uncovers a vast web of scandal,
intrigue, deception and potentially illegal activity.
Case studies include:
-
TASKFORCE BAX: This is the scandal of heroin supply by a Wood Royal Commission
informant known as 'KX15'. The supply was sanctioned by the Wood Royal Commission
to catch corrupt police involved in heroin supply in Kings Cross. But it came
unstuck when 'KX15' sold a batch of heroin linked to killing 13 heroin addicts
in and around Kings Cross during a three week period.
- OPERATION
FLORIDA: This cover-up details how select journalists were given secret access
to the NSW Crime Commission investigation known as Operation Florida. They were
provided with unprecedented video and sound evidence that had not been played
before the Police Integrity Commission. One reporter duly broadcast evidence that
had not been given. The resulting cover-up exposed senior members of the state's
anti corruption body to serious criminal offences. However, despite the efforts
of the NSW Opposition members on the Parliamentary Oversight Committee, the truth
could not be found out because the Government used its numbers to close down the
questioning.
- THE JAMES REPORT: A highly confidential intelligence
investigation into Vietnamese gangs that Priest alleges was designed by senior
police to reflect favourably on the Carr Government and its law and order strategy,
prior to the 2003 election. A subsequent investigation by Peter Bodor QC was highly
critical of a high ranking senior police officer and the leaking of the initial
reports to the media.
- THE COOK REPORTS: The highly controversial
reports into the looming gang wars in Cabramatta and Chinatown largely ignored
by NSW Police and resulted in numerous murders, shootings and torture of Vietnamese
gang members. Subsequent denials of the reports by senior police amounted to potential
perjury before various parliamentary inquiries. The chapter includes the disappearance
of Duc LU, still listed as a missing person even though he was abducted at gun
point from his suburban home and has not been seen since 2000.
-
THE MEDIA WARS: An insight into the politics of policing/media in NSW and how
a police officer dominated the Sydney media to such an extent that issues of integrity
were overlooked because of the access to crime stories he gave journalists.
-
THE MIDDLE EASTERN CRIME PROBLEM: The rise and rise of Middle Eastern gangs in
NSW to the extent that they are now a national crime problem. Priest examines
the problems in France, Britain, Denmark and Sweden where Middle Eastern crime
is now the number one issue amongst police in Europe.
'Enemies
Of The State' is available now (RRP $29.95).
