Police overstretch?

With the terrible news of the fatal shooting of a PC and the wounding of another, early reports indicate that both of them were probationers. Without wishing to speculate on the bearing that this could have had on the sequence of events, I am surprised to hear that two probationers were out on patrol together. Surely a probationer would always accompany a more experienced officer as has been my understanding from various contacts in the police.

[edited 20/11/05]