Police response to Abrahimzadeh coronial findings
Channel: SA Police News
Date: 2014-07-07

Deputy Commissioner Grant Stevens spoke to the media following the release of Coroner Mark Johns' findings and recommendations in relation to the tragic murder of Zahra Abrahimzadeh in March 2010.

At the Coronial Inquest Deputy Commissioner Grant Stevens gave evidence, acknowledging the police response throughout the case was thoroughly inadequate and on behalf of SAPOL he apologised to the Abrahimzadeh family.

"The death of Zahra Abrahimzadeh was an absolute tragedy," Deputy Commissioner Stevens said.

"Police failed the Abrahimzadeh family on multiple occasions and for this we are truly sorry.
"Police did not fulfil their obligations and insufficient efforts were made to locate Zialloh Abrahimzadeh and protect the family.
"I support the Coroner's view that: "there were multiple opportunities where Zahra could have been offered the chance of preventing her death. Whether any of those chances would actually have prevented her death cannot be known. However, she was denied each and every one of those chances." (pg 70/18.3)
The Deputy said this case proved to be a watershed for SAPOL.

"Since Ms Abrahimzadeh's death there has been significant change throughout SAPOL to strengthen the Organisation's response to domestic abuse. Those changes have significantly increased the awareness and knowledge of all SAPOL members in relation to domestic abuse issues," he said.

"I acknowledge these measures would have provided a vastly different response to the Abrahimzdeh family had they existed at the time," he said.

Following Ms Abrahimzadeh's death SAPOL conducted a full review to examine issues relating to:

• The process by which domestic violence investigations are managed
• Existing practices of recording information
• Work of the Family Violence Investigation Sections
• Training
• Resourcing
• Prosecution processes
• General Orders
• Local Service Areas' review of domestic abuse matters

SAPOL's own review identified almost 50 specific changes to be implemented. The first action taken was to establish a dedicated Domestic Abuse Portfolio to be overseen by the Deputy Commissioner.