NSW top cop’s plan to overhaul gun handling after couple’s allege murder

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has revealed plans to overhaul rules around gun handling following the alleged killing of a Sydney couple by a serving police officer.

The alleged murder in February of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird by Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon using his service pistol sparked an urgent review into police procedures.

Of particular focus was the practice of police taking out firearms for so-called “user pays” events, such as sports or music festivals, as Lamarre-Condon is alleged to have done.

Talking to Sky, Ms Webb said she expected changes out of the review and pointed to closer monitoring of the use of police guns as well as new technology used in Victoria.

“We’re working with one of our police from Victoria (and) that review will include benchmarking against what they do in other jurisdictions,” Ms Webb said.

“I think we can make improvements and that’s the point of a review … I can’t change the past, but I can certainly tighten things for the future.

“There might be technology solutions, but perhaps the accountability around when and where you have access to your firearm and return it as well as some electronic system or a different way of distributing firearms and other weapons for user-pays events.”

Ms Webb said her staff were getting closer to finalising the review and she was “looking forward to what recommendations can be made”.

The update comes after a difficult few months for the force and Ms Webb, who faced pushback over her perceived lack of media presence early in the case.

Earlier this month, police were again faced with twin headline-making events in the Bondi Junction massacre and the Sydney church stabbing.

Ms Webb told Sunday Agenda that despite initially claiming the alleged church attacker “acted alone”, further investigations had revealed connections with other youth.

“Well certainly there’s some similarities in terms of their school, not exclusively … they live nearby to each other and they’re connected in other ways,” she said.

Asked about another attack, she added: “That’s what we will allege before the court … we have alleged in the facts there was a group planning a future event.”