When I was a police officer, knives weren't as huge a problem as they are now. These days, many more assaults and murders are committed with knives so police have had to crack down on people who carry them.
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| My SA Knife |
This makes it difficult for people like me who are law-abiding, have never been convicted of anything, but who carry a small pocket knife in their pocket and a larger knife in their car. These knives are visible in the photo above.
Why do I carry a Swiss Army pocket knife? For many years as a Traffic Accident Investigator I needed something to cut seat belts, makeshift tourniques, webbing, and bandages or materials that we were using as bandages. There seemed to be always something that needed a knife and when you're out on some highway at midnight, it's not easy to find one unless you carry it.
Later, as a training manager I often had parcels of student materials I needed to open, IT equipment that needed a screwdriver occasionally, a bottle opener before screw-off beer caps that I needed sometimes after work, and very rarely a can opener when staying overnight on Aboriginal communities where I ate tinned foods. My Swiss Army knife has been a lifesaver. Why, I've even sharpened pencils with it!
Sometimes I find when I buy take-away food I need the knife to cut pieces of meat into more edible proportions. The wooden knives now in vogue don't cut it. (Pun?)
Why do I have a survival knife in my car door?
The knife I have in my car door, shown above, has a belt cutting attachment, a glass breaking knob, and a larger knife blade if I need it. If I have a traffic incident and finish up conscious in a waterway or in the scrub in my car, I want to be able to get out as soon as I can. Cars sink in water. I've recovered several people who drowned in their cars. Cars catch fire. I've recovered the burnt bodies of people burned in cars. I'm not keen to do either if I can avoid it.
So, am I worried about being charged with being in possession of prohibited weapons. No.
I've read the South Australian Summary Offences Act and Regulations and by my reading, neither of my knives is classed as prohibited. Additionally, I never get pulled over by police except on rare occasions for a drink driving test.
Every state and territory has its own laws regarding prohibited weapons. I take pot luck that if I'm pulled up and my knives found, the police officer concerned will have sufficient nous to realise I'm not a likely candidate to attack anyone with either knives.
I could kill someone with a large spanner from my tool box, why would I need a knife?
Also, bear in mind that I don't carry either knife when I visit a hotel of an evening and if I was still going to discos and piss drinking extravaganzas I wouldn't be stilly enough to take either knife with me.
Police officers should assess the place and conditions under which a person is carrying a knife (or multi-tool with a blade), consider the person's criminal history (if any), and the likelihood it is being carried as a weapon for self-defence. That's what I did as a police officer. I never arrested farmers who had knives on their belts who had dropped in to their local for a beer on their way home. I did arrest gang members engaged in brawls late evening who had knives in their possession.
Common sense must prevail.
My advice: check the relevant legislation in the state or territory where you spend most of your time and comply with the legislation.
Robin
