The policing implications of petrol sniffing and other inhalant misuse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' communities

This collaborative project – which was conducted in communities in Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland – was commissioned the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund. A published report was widely distributed within state and territory police services, to Indigenous community-controlled organisations, and other key stakeholders. The aim of the project was to enhance the understanding within the law enforcement sector about the extent and nature of petrol sniffing and other volatile substance misuse among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote, rural and urban communities. In addition to describing the social and policing context of volatile substance misuse, the report identified the range of reactive policing strategies that are potentially (and actually) available to officers encountering intoxicated people, as well as various proactive policing activities aimed at preventing or minimising volatile substance misuse and its consequences. Practical guidance on the most appropriate ways for police to deal with sniffing incidents was provided in the form of a list of do’s and don’ts for officers encountering volatile substance users.