New South Wales Police have moved to clarify the details of an operation in which officers assisted Family and Community Services in the removal of children from a family in Moree in January.
They have rejected claims that they entered the house with weapons in hand and insisted that officers were not dressed in "riot gear".
Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie, the Corporate Spokesperson for Aboriginal Issues, said he had reviewed the early morning operation and was satisfied that police acted professionally.
"At no time were any firearms drawn during this operation, nor were there any long-arms or rifles carried by any of our police in this operation," he said.
“The Operational Support Group police that secured the premises were wearing their standard overalls and police appointments; their weapons and their handcuffs...that they normally wear.
"They also had long batons as part of their public order equipment and on this occasion they were wearing helmets with clear screens on the front."
The children's father responds:
“A risk assessment was done by the command at Barwon and they risk-assessed the issue. Executing that number of search warrants it that particular location obviously required a level of response from us to ensure the safety of our officers.”
Mr McKechnie said police gained entry to several houses through the front door with the aid of a hammer and confirmed that a number of people were handcuffed during the operation.
Police maintained that everything was done by the book but questions continue to be asked about the use of helmeted officers in military style uniforms in an operation to remove children.
Both the NSW Greens and the Labor opposition have called for an investigation.
Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services, Linda Burney, said there were many unanswered questions.
"I do think their needs to be an investigation into the nature of the removal, why so many police were involved, why it took place at dawn and at the effects it had on the children involved," she said.
"There has been an enormous amount of work in developing that trust and community building and my question is could this have been done in a more appropriate way and my answer is yes, it could have been."
Greens Member David Shoebridge has sought answers in the NSW parliament and has referred the matter to the ombudsman for further investigation.
"They want to know what it was that triggered them being woken-up by(effectively)the tactical response group and they are left struggling to understand why such brutal force was involved and why there children were removed," he said.
"I have not seen ever this use of force and if the minister has a justification she should go on the record and give it."
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