The NSW Police Commissioner has insulted a reporter during a press conference over the alleged murder of former Channel Ten roving reporter Jesse Baird and his friend Luke Davies.
Beau Lamarre-Condon, a NSW police officer, was charged with two counts of murder on Friday over the deaths of Mr Baird, 26, and his friend Mr Davies, 29, at a house in Sydney’s inner suburbs on February 20.
Lamarre-Condon is a former partner of Mr. Baird and is accused of using the police’s Glock pistol to shoot him and Mr Davies at Mr Baird’s Paddington home before allegedly driving their bodies to an unknown location.
He has not told investigators where the bodies are believed to be located, but police believe they are at a remote property in Bungonia, in the NSW Southern Tablelands – about 185km from where the alleged murders took place. An extensive search is being conducted in the area.
During a press conference about the tragedy Monday morning, Police Chief Karen Webb was confronted with a brutal question about her leadership.
Seven News’ Robert Ovadia asked why it took her three days to address the media after murder charges were laid against a member of the NSW Police.
The commissioner tried to explain that she was at a parliamentary hearing on Friday and an LGBTIQ event on Saturday, meaning she could not possibly have held a press conference.
Jesse Baird (left) and his friend Luke Davies (right) were allegedly murdered in Sydney on February 20
Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured), a NSW Police Senior Constable, is accused of shooting the couple with his police rifle
The reporter cited a situation last year in which a police officer allegedly shot a 95-year-old grandmother with a Taser at a retirement home. She died in hospital shortly afterwards.
The police chief came under heavy fire for steadfastly refusing to watch the video of Claire Nowland allegedly being hit by the Taser.
The reporter noted: ‘Last year a police officer allegedly tasered a 95-year-old woman, that was also historic, and on both occasions it took you days to address this publicly.
“Are there any questions about your leadership?”
Commissioner Webb smiled and said, “No, and that’s insulting.”
She then explained how she was in Parliament when the suspect handed himself in at Bondi police station on Friday, and therefore had not been able to immediately speak to the media.
The commissioner then explained that she was at an LGBTIQ event in Bronte, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, on Saturday and had also not been able to hold a conference that day.
She then turned to the media, adding, “I don’t remember seeing too much media there, but I was there.”
NSW Police are already doing damage control after a special commission of inquiry into LGBTIQ hate crime found officers were hostile to victims’ families and failed to adequately or fairly investigate every case.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb (pictured) snapped at a reporter during a press conference on Monday
The owner of the Bungonia estate, who lives in Melbourne, said last week that no one was there. There are four dams on site (the three largest are circled)
When asked if the media had been informed of the event on Saturday because news media did not find out about it through a statement from NSW Police, Commissioner Webb admitted she did not know because it was a private event.
Another journalist asked Commissioner Webb why she could not have left budget estimates on Friday to address the alleged double murder.
“Can’t you leave estimates, is that what you mean?” … Isn’t there a lunch break during which you can resign and address the media?’
Commissioner Webb said, “It’s a full day.”
She cited a press release she issued on Sunday in which she apologized to the families of LGBTQ hate crime victims. The commissioner then suggested that she was understaffed over the weekend.
The commissioner was already under fire for apparently disappearing over the weekend, save for a few written statements issued in her name on Sunday.
On Sunday, she initially declined an interview with 2GB presenter Ben Fordham about why it took her three days to address the media about a police officer accused of two murders.
Police were seen searching a number of dams and bushland on the remote property (pictured)
An extensive police investigation is underway in the Bungonia area (photo)
However, she changed her mind and went with him for a telephone interview.
He asked why she went “missing” when there was bad news and said she could have reassured the public about how Lamarre-Condon allegedly managed to kill two men with a police-issued handgun.
Commissioner Webb said she was in Parliament on Friday and attended an LGBTIQ event on Saturday and had not been able to address the media.
When asked if there are any rules surrounding the use of police firearms, she replied: “There are rules, but this investigation is being called a critical incident due to the use of a police firearm.”
She said the use of a firearm would be monitored by a police conduct committee and the circumstances surrounding this situation would be addressed in that investigation.
On Monday, Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson said Lamarre-Condon made “partial confessions to an acquaintance” the day after the alleged murders.
He then bought an angle grinder and a padlock.
The alleged killer later bought weights before returning to the rural Bungonia estate in the evening. The property has four dams.