23rd of October 2019

The Chief Commissioner says he is not going anywhere until his contract is finished because, he claims, in the Lawyer X matter he has done nothing wrong and he is looking forward to giving evidence at the Royal Commission.

A popular refrain, not unfamiliar with many police.

The appropriateness of the Chief Commissioner remaining in his post while the issue of Lawyer X is examined at the Royal Commission is a question gaining momentum in the media and other places.

It will also be a matter crossing the minds of very many serving and former Police officers and no doubt the Government as the ethical dilemmas waft their way.

The double standards of his position will not be lost on those members who for substantially less serious allegations found themselves suspended from duty, often for years.

Looking more closely, it is obvious that the Chief Commissioner is completely conflicted in continuing in his role and his position is now untenable as are those of any Police executives involved in this fiasco.

The frustration expressed by the Royal Commission in obtaining essential data from VicPol to properly perform their task is central to this untenable conflict.

If there were serious allegations of misconduct against any other serving Police Officer, the Chief Commissioner would not permit that member to remain on duty, but here we have the Chief Commissioner doggedly remaining in charge of the organisation being investigated with him as a central figure.

Significantly the Chief Commissioner is in charge of the people in the police organisation charged with supplying material to the Royal Commission which could reasonably be material adverse to him. How can we be sure that nothing is withheld?

Whether it is deliberate or otherwise, VicPol facilitating tactics to frustrate the Royal Commission manifest the conflicted position of the Chief, who, as a key player in this whole issue, must stand down.

It would seem that the seriousness of the matters aired at the Commission has not resonated yet with the hierarchy of Victoria Police or the Government

I cannot recall any police behaviours so strenuously dammed by the Highest Court in the land. Therefore, it follows that those responsible will ultimately feel the full force of the law and it will not be a surprise that perpetrators found culpable will face jail time.

It is ironic that the justice system that was allegedly perverted by the Chief Commissioner and others, by the totally inappropriate use of Lawyer X, will be the same system that the Chief Commissioner and his cohorts will be relying upon to determine their guilt or innocence if charged with criminal matters.

The Chief Commissioner and others would be hoping the system is not corrupted when they need to rely on it.

As the depth and breadth of the police hierarchy behaviours are exposed there are already signs that any confidence left in the executive command by police members is evaporating rapidly as the realisation dawns that by the actions of the executive violent and murderous criminals could be let loose again to wreak havoc.

As the fallout from this Commission continues the release of some very unsavoury and violent criminals back into society seems highly probable, with every chance a new turf war will break out as old lags try to re-establish themselves.

It will, however, fall to the current police members to face the inevitable danger this presents.

It would be a massive travesty if a police member paid the ultimate sacrifice as a consequence of the inept actions of those that are responsible for their welfare.

The Chief Commissioner must stand down or be stood down now in the interests of justice.