The only outcome that would have been better than what happened on New World Avenue in the past 48-hours would be the situation not happening at all.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While that sounds like a romantic or fence-sitting response, the efforts and results of Tasmania Police were outstanding.
The situation was very delicate and involved numerous people – not just those involved in the situation, but also those who lived in the area.
To be evacuated from your home, witnessing a strong police presence including the Special Operations Group and a national media spotlight on your street could have been daunting and terrifying for some.
The majority of the people The Examiner spoke to and those who commented on social media were grateful for the response.
All the neighbours said the police were brave and professional during an intense 17 hours.
An incident like this is very rare.
Not the stand-off as such, but how the situation was resolved.
It takes incredible coordination, training and trust in colleagues to execute such a result.
It’s believed the last time police used such tactics, in terms of the conscious decision to go into a dangerous situation where shots were being fired, was Port Arthur.
The siege has raised safety concerns for some.
But the situation should bring comfort.
While we can’t live in a bubble and we don’t endorse behaviour that puts lives at risk – we can’t escape the risk of this happening.
So when it does happen, like Friday night, it is reassuring to know we have the skilled personnel to reconcile the situation.
There is not a right timeframe for events like this to be concluded or to achieve a peaceful resolution.
But the actions were highly commendable and done efficiently and with open communication.
While you maybe shaking your head wondering how this can happen in our region, we should also be feeling very well protected.