It has never been more dangerous to be a police officer in the ACT, the union representing Canberra's cops has said after an allegedly "vicious" attack on an off-duty member.
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Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana said the union was "outraged" after three recidivists, described in court as "renowned criminals", allegedly lay in wait outside a senior constable's Canberra home early on Thursday morning.
When the officer returned, Bradley Booth, 29, allegedly pursued his vehicle through parts of Gungahlin at high speeds and tried to ram it.
Police allege Booth eventually crashed a Toyota RAV4 into the senior constable's car while trying to evade a marked police vehicle that was responding to the incident.
Documents tendered to the ACT Magistrates Court say the off-duty senior constable, who is part of a new taskforce targeting high-risk dangerous drivers, feared for his life.
"We abhor any first responders being targeted simply for wearing the uniform," Mr Caruana said on Thursday night.
The police union boss has been highly critical of ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury in recent weeks, during which he has called for a review of the territory's sentencing and bail regimes.
He said last month that police officers were putting themselves in harm's way to protect the community, only to be "let down" by the courts, but Mr Rattenbury rejected his call for a review.
After the senior constable was allegedly attacked on Thursday by Booth - a target of the new taskforce known as Operation Toric - Mr Caruana again chastised Mr Rattenbury.
"Under this Attorney-General, it's never been more dangerous to be a police officer in the ACT," he said.
Mr Caruana also accused Mr Rattenbury of "burying his head in the sand on this issue".
"Why are the judiciary a protected species?" he asked.
"Why aren't their decisions scrutinised like those of police officers and politicians?
"All we are asking for is a review. If things are so perfect, a review will confirm this."
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Mr Caruana said he thought Mr Rattenbury knew there were shortcomings in the judicial system, and that a review would identify things the ACT Greens leader would not like.
"The solution to those shortcomings probably would be incompatible with the ideologies of the Greens," he said.
"ACT Policing members are doing their job and the newly established taskforce is working.
"But the criminals know that when they get caught, they'll probably get bail if they apply.
"If found guilty, they'll only get a small sentence which will likely include a small non-parole period, time already served, or even a completely suspended sentence.
"Criminals aren't scared to commit serious offences in the ACT due to this soft regime being led the ACT Attorney-General."
While Mr Rattenbury has resisted calls for a "wholesale review" of judicial outcomes, he told The Canberra Times he had commissioned a study into the ACT's bail legislation and whether any recent court cases had identified areas in need of refinement.
Booth is now behind bars, having declined to apply for bail on six charges that include using a vehicle as an offensive weapon in circumstances likely to endanger human life. He has not entered pleas.
One of his alleged passengers, John Brendan Kahn, 32, unsuccessfully applied for bail on Thursday afternoon and was remanded in custody by Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker.
Khan did not enter pleas to four charges laid over his alleged role in the incident, including causing harm while participating in a criminal group.
The other man accused of involvement, David Miller, 34, pleaded not guilty to the same four charges and was granted bail.
The trio's cases return to court between September 1 and October 27.
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