Duty of care of police to family members of repeat offenders

See Smith v State of Victoria 27/8/18 [2018] VSC 475 where Dixon J dismissed D’s application for summary dismissal of P’s claim of breach of duty by police officers toward family members named in intervention orders. D claimed there was no duty of care owed by police officers to prevent family violence by repeat offenders. “Australian common law has not affirmatively recognised that a police officer can never owe a duty of care. Whether a police officer does owe a duty of care in the terms identified in the amended statement of claim must necessarily be determined on a close analysis of the facts bearing on the relationship between the plaintiffs and the putative tortfeasor for whom the defendant is responsible” @170.