This sonnet may have been written towards the end of the medieval period, but it has real relevance today as we herald the arrival of our new Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush.
His challenges can only be described as monumental, and although there is no doubt about his ability, as demonstrated by his role as Chef Commissioner of New Zealand, the problems entrenched in the Victoria Police will present substantial challenges.
From what we can determine, his character is beyond question, but already the naysayers are making comments couched as negative.
The comments relate to the influence that he may or may not have had from Jacinda Ardern, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand. Jacinta was seen as the queen of ‘woke’.
What, however, cannot be challenged is the success that Bush had in dramatically reducing the crime rates of the Shaky Isles, which highlights the irrelevance of being judged as woke.
The only remote relevance would be if valuable police resources were misdirected to social niceties, but that has happened regularly over the last decade as one chief after another seemed to revel in police resources used in this way. They were leaders with a real ‘Tin Ear’ who failed to understand the community angst about the lack of service, the niceties project.
Nobody can forget the huge Police contingent marching at the Gay Pride March in Melbourne, except for last year when they were not welcomed.
It is a poor look when a large contingent of Police, whether on duty or not, can join in civil celebrations when the public can’t get police to deal with their issues. Any wonder the public confidence in Policing is at an all-time low.
We commend the views of Bush on Proactive Policing and the importance of prevention. The latter being totally essential and the key to reducing the out-of-control crime Rate.
We are confident that with good leadership, this ship, VicPol, can be turned around, as we are constantly heartened by the work of competent and dedicated members of the Force.
It is, however, a major task to rid the Force of the lazy malcontents who drag the organisation down, and we are hopeful that the new CCP will beat the bush and see the lazy miscontent birds taken, out of the organisation.
The damage these individuals wreak is substantial, and their usually loud protestations are used to hide their incompetence; the force is best rid of them.
In welcoming the new Chief, the CAA has revisited the Plan 100 series and updated the Plan to 100.4.
The Plan is contemporary, and we hope it will be of use to the new Chief and will be published within a few days.
The ludicrous “private” Maori ceremony was underwhelming……Sounds as logical as an Australian policeman being appointed in N.Z and having an Aboriginal Welcome to Country. Australians have had a belly full of such farces.
The truth is that as long as the government of the day is more concerned with niceties for minorities than for overall public well-being, nothing will change.
We are too apathetic and tolerant and the window is closing on how long we will be able to comment and call out their rubbish. So damn sad for all the good front line people to have leaders who are drunk on the Kool-Aid.
100%, he isn’t off to a good start.
I knew that the Gov would choose another ‘safe pair of hands’, it looks like I’m right.
The police role is simple and can be stated as follows:
The preservation of the peace.
The protection of life and property.
The detection and prevention of crime.
And by:
Maintaining public trust and cooperation.
Using physical force only as a last resort.
Being impartial and professional.
Being visible and accessible to the public
Let’s hope VicPol can now move forward to these basics.
Regarding his character.
What about his public remarks at the 2004 funeral of former Detective Inspector Bruce Hutton—specifically, Mr Bush’s comment that Hutton’s “integrity was beyond reproach,” despite the findings of the 1980 Royal Commission of Inquiry, regarding Hutton and another officer fabricating
evidence that contributed to the wrongful conviction of Mr Arthur Allan Thomas? Possibly contempt of the Royal Commission and its findings.
Bush has not personally apologise or retracted his comments.
Let’s hope that the Chief Commissioner Mike Bush will resurrect and fully embrace the proactive, community involvement policing philosophy and will return policing in Victoria where it should be in the first place: a non-political, totally independent force serving the community rather than political masters. I wish him well in his challenging role.
Until see those involved in the Gobbo affair and the hotel covid fiasco get sacked or demoted, I will not pass judgement when it comes to Bush’s effectiveness. I heard him say that he will get VICOPOL back to basic policing but like previous CC’s who made grand statements like ‘We will leave no stone unturned in our commitment to weed out those who tarnish our image” but did nothing, I suspect his words will be empty