"oh and for this new TRK whats the point in changing if its still not going to line up with the rest of the nation if your changing something to fall into line with other states doesn't it make sense so have the same training not having 8 different ways"
The new TRK is the National Package - developed by the West Australians, tweaked & piloted by the Victorians & all we need to do is add some SA bits e.g. payed officer is to be involved when a search is activated etc.
Not sure who has been pulling your chain but, the facts are that all of the new TRK's except Map Reading & Navigation are from interstate & modified here to fit our modus operandi
. Map reading & Navigation was fully developed here, this was a long & involved project, so unless there isn't an interstate package it won't happen again! (he says hopefully!).
Wait until you see it before passing judgement as with all of the other TRK's people have found that they are far better than what we had previously & you will get more out of them e.g RCR(originally NSW),Induction(NSW), Map reading(a number of successful courses & happy students),General Rescue (NSW Under going a special pilot in East region soon & has been trialled in central waiting for release).
One of the most important things to remember is for units to train as per the TRK, instead of developing there own stuff loosely based on the subject matter. Anyway have patience as in my humble opinion the new Land search is a good course
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As for those CFS units you mentioned Jaff, great idea are they qualified as land searchers? If not then NO they would not be considered as first responders but can assist qualified land search teams by intergrating with said teams (as general searchers under supervision). I have seen ad hoc searches conducted by the unqualified turn to filtered very fast & any clues that may have been around destroyed because people have stomped all over them! This includes what is termed "FAST" searches, it is far better to follow the process get a SAPOL SARMAC on site, work out the numbers & types of resources required & then get the job happening! As like anything there is a process that needs to be followed, sometimes what happens is people (local SAPOL, CFS, Locals & dare I say it even local SES units), race off & try & conduct a search without following the process & then decide to follow the process after several hours have past
By then the clues have gone cold, the target/s have had a chance to move further etc, etc.
I'm sorry if I'm about to offend some people but the "cowboy" days are gone, correct procedures, training, equipment, people etc must be used ever time, otherwise when it all goes to the coroners court, those who decided not to follow the process will be on there own! (Which happened last year!).
Finally it is the responsibility of SAPOL to arrange & conduct Land searches in this & every other state in Australia - in this state Star group is the section that controls the above. So if you think that the way SA conducts land searches then the matter needs to be bought to their attention
Sorry about the long reply but training & Landsearch in particular is a passion of mine, so the more I can help this state become more professional in this area before I go the happier I will be
(not saying that we aren't, but we can always do better!)
cheers
