Supt Kuiters was giving evidence at an coronial inquiry into the police operation at Oberon on Monday, October 23 last year when two people died from gunshot wounds and another was injured.

Deputy State Coroner, Jacqueline Milledge, opened an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Linda Nicole Andrews and Bruce Robert Speight, by visiting the scene of the shootings at Oberon on Monday.

Ms Milledge began hearing evidence yesterday at Bathurst Court House with Supt Kuiters among the first witnesses called.

Supt Kuiters said when police were first notified it was by a telephone diversion from Oberon to Bathurst police station.

Ms Milledge was told it was appropriate for Oberon to have a diverter, with suburban St Mary's and Blacktown all having the same system, when she questioned Supt Kuiters about the adequacy of services in the city and country.

Oberon was unmanned when a caller rang saying only that "a man's going to commit suicide near water."

Ms Milledge closely questioned Supt Kuiters about the system used by police to relay phone messages when a station might be unattended. Supt Kuiters expressed an opinion the system used "was the best police could have".

Supt Kuiters said in an emergency at Oberon, there would be two immediate responses, from Bathurst and Lithgow. Police stationed in Oberon would be notified of the emergencies where they lived.

Ms Milledge said there must be an unsatisfactory situations with Oberon messages going to Bathurst and back to Oberon, with inadequate or wrong information and police being found in that situation.

If a man was going to kill himself, there was nothing to say that he might turn the gun on police. Ms Milledge questioned whether police were relying on second hand information in the front line.

Supt Kuiters conceded that where police were relying on information, the quality of that information was very important. There was a man intent on committing suicide. Police were not told how or if a gun was involved.

Supt Kuiters said police were forever dealing with the unknown. The situation that senior constables Peter Thompson and Richard Buckley found themselves in was the same position police officers placed themselves every day.

The superintendent emphasised that all police relied on the training of those responsible for taking calls from the public. It was not unique to Oberon, or some stations, it was across the police service.

More information could always be elicited -Supt Kuiters said the situation Constables Thompson and Buckley found themselves in was no different to any police going to any domestic situation.