POLICE HAVE A BLEAK FUTURE IF THEY SUSTAIN MENTAL INJURY

by CAA | Jul 5, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

“But for the Grace of God go I, the mantra of the thousands of serving and former Police who are or were exposed to the worst possible and unimaginable trauma and are not diagnosed with PTSI.

But for the many current and future sufferers of this debilitating injury while performing their duty to the State, raises the question, ‘Are we looking after them for their service?  We would argue – not very well.

Another question is, why do some serving and retired police officers not suffer any apparent mental injury, but others do?

As with all injuries, severity depends on multiple unquantifiable factors. Still, we would proffer that all serving and former Police do suffer from post-traumatic stress. But, like any other injury, the individual reacts in a multitude of ways and often not to a degree where they need medical intervention as they cope with the low or no impact from the injury.

We would also argue that the trauma experienced may well be the catalyst, but poor management practices escalate the impact, whereas competent management would mitigate its severity.

The problem with this injury is that outwardly it is not easily recognised, and victims, to all intents and purposes, are often living a normal life, but the truth is buried very deep, and what they live through can be manifestly cruel and unforgiving.

Although these injuries have long been recognised, the failure in leadership within the Force for sufferers has been woefully prevalent.

For some time now, a specific ward at Austin Health, Ward 17, has been dealing with the most severe cases in inadequate circumstances. Waiting times for admission to the highly specialised ward vary, but they should not exceed a reasonable benchmark.

Everyone who has had the need for this service has nothing but the highest praise for their treatment and the dedication of the Clinical and Support Staff of this unit.

Ward 17 is the only one of its type in the mental health public sector, with the only other like facility being part of St John of God Langmore Centre, a private health provider that also specialises in Military Veterans, Police and other Emergency Services for patients with acute PTSI. The difference is that Langmore Centre services Eastern Victoria, where Ward 17 serves the whole State.

The problem is, however, that those who should be supporting the Statewide public service and helping it to expand to cope with the increased demand going forward, to avoid waiting times from exploding, are sadly lacking.

Waiting to gain access to this service can be detrimental to the injured victims. The facility will not cope with additional patients as the size of the Force increases, causing an inevitable rise in demand on all PTSI support services.

While serious effort must be applied to reducing the severity of PTSI, the resources must be expanded to cope.

Expanding the Ward 17 facility, which is currently at capacity, is not a simple matter of adding a few extra beds, but a new wing needs to be added to accommodate the demand.

The Force, over the last decade, has treated the Ward as something that exists for which they have no responsibility, but the truth is the opposite: they have a responsibility to the members and to former members who need this specialist service.

The Force employed them, exposing them to the cause of their injury so their responsibility doesn’t end when their service ceases either morally or legally.

Moreover, the Force, it can be argued, has failed to provide mechanisms that identify the early onset of the Injury, and in doing so, injury mitigation does not occur, aggravating the failure of VicPol to take responsibility for the injury that can be argued they caused.

Like all organisations, there are varying degrees of competence of managers at all ranks that can contribute adversely or positively to the severity of the injury.

The Force had a policy derived from a review in 2018/19 of now questionable value; however, the architects of this review omitted a critical component. The ability to measure the effectiveness of policy changes.

There is a fundamental principle with all policy, and that is if you want to see the policy succeed, ensure that it is measured and measurable.

The Force has been historically capable in measuring Crime, the Road Toll and other operational functions; however, it has continually failed, particularly over the last decade, to even attempt to measure other critical organisational functions.

There is only one way to understand if an organisation is functioning well, and that is to measure the functional components diligently; otherwise, the executive is operating on the ‘Vibe’ of The Castle, esq.

The Policy we refer to, although not to flash, fell into the hole somewhere along the line, along with the other failed Policies, and that is a reflection on the Chief Commissioner of the time. The effort and time applied to the Policy was no more than a box-ticking exercise,

As a lot of the serious impacts of PTSI occur after the member has either been discharged or retired, it is grossly improper that the Force ignores responsibility for their demise. This problem is not so much the Force’s lack of willingness to help, but the loss of connection between the Force and retired members, something that must be addressed.

Not only is the Force guilty of malfeasance at times, but probably more so the Police Association.

Particularly former Police who suffer PTSI have paid their union dues for the duration of their career, but when they suffer, we are advised the Association does not want to know them, and that is a disgrace.

Policing is really an employment where there are takers and users, and the victims injured in this State are the losers.

Victoria Police currently has roughly 22,000 employees.- 17804 actual police. Applying the nationally cited 11% PTSI prevalence suggests that just under 2,000 current employees potentially experience PTSI symptoms at any given time. However, this is an estimate rather than an official Victoria Police figure, a figure the Force should reasonably be expected to be aware of.

At a time in the Forces’ history where demands on its services are heightened and very unlikely to abate, the issue of reducing PTSI must be a priority.

PTSI is the train barreling towards disaster.

Reducing the prevalence and severity of PTSI in the Force is an occupational health issue within policing, with non-negotiable responsibility for victims who are no longer serving.

A focused management of this issue has substantial cost benefits apart from the moral responsibilities. Reducing the severity of PTSI will directly impact the ability of the Force to perform its function.

There has been a tendency to see the ending of a Police member’s career due to PTSI as somewhat of a relief for Force management, but in reality, most discharges are a management failure. This management relief is a narrow and jaundiced view of reality, as the cost of replacing these trained members is excessively high.

The loss of these members and their experience, coupled with the time required to replace them, is inordinate.

This raises the issue of the importance of a Force Reserve where members can get some respite from the daily exposure to risk factors. A member’s career can be readjusted to minimise any PTSI issues.

The reintroduction of on-campus training, moving from the current model of online training, would be a huge benefit for members. The efficiency of stations and workplaces would improve, with members able to focus on their policing role without being distracted by training obligations or desires, and members would gain exposure to the wider Force, thereby improving Force culture.

Online training was introduced to improve the efficiency of training delivery, not its effectiveness.

Exposure to peers is the best self-evaluation tool available to any employee, and in Policing, this can only be achieved with on-campus training for the duration of a Police member’s career.

The break from the front line would prove invaluable to members’ long-term mental health, as would the ability of trainers to identify members who may be at risk and apply early intervention strategies.

The silent issue is the impact of the Force insurers on the welfare of PTSI sufferers in an adversarial relationship that can further damage the victim. Anecdotally, we have been told of actions by the Insurer where the injured member has been effectively sanctioned, and that must cease.

Telling PTSI sufferers that they can no longer work not only within the Force, but anywhere, is unconscionable and is a sanction for having the injury. This is particularly cruel given their injury impacts their character; they are effectively being told they are a lesser person; talk about being thrown onto the rubbish heap,

The CAA is exploring the feasibility of creating a forum where sufferers, clinicians, the Government, the Police Union, and the Force can come together with the Force Insurers to develop strategies to address the needs of the Police adequately and minimise the impact of work-related stress.

The objective is not only to benefit members and their families but to reduce the impact of PTSI on Force personnel resources.

Addressing this issue may avoid the inevitable class action against the Government, the Force and the Insurers for past failures.

There are many angry former Police out there…

The irony is that if the 2018-19 policy had been properly implemented, even that flawed version with proper corporate governance oversight achieved by measuring the effectiveness against regular reviews and accountability, many Police may not have succumbed to serious PSTI requiring medical intervention.

The major flaw was not implementing a mechanism to measure the efficacy of the proposed initiatives.

As with most corporate initiatives, if you don’t measure it, how can you determine its efficacy?

Therein lies a serious systemic failure within the Force.

Author Ivan Ray- on behalf of the CAA..He is Co-founder and Deputy Chair/CEO of the CAA, a former Police Inspector with 32 years of service in Metro Uniform, Traffic Metro and Highway, Patrol, Crime Cars, and CIB. Former Editor of Police Life and long-serving Public Relations Officer of VicPol.  Founder and Life Member of the Blue Light Disco movement, and completed his Police career as an Inspector after 6 years as a Patrol Officer. He then moved into the private sector, running his own Business for 20 years until retirement.

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LOCKED OUT 2 – COUNTRY VICTORIA – A CRIME HUB

by CAA | Jun 11, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray

Again, more good work by journalist Grace Frost of the Herald Sun, revealing just how dire the crime problem is in Country Victoria.

Following on from her recent Locked Out revelation on the escalation of crime linked to the closure of Metropolitan Police Stations, she has now exposed an even greater problem in Country Victoria, with absolutely diabolical crime rate increases.

Before delving into the issue, we need to make it absolutely clear that this is not the complete fault of the current Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush; however, he has the task of fixing it.

He inherited this strategy of closing Police Station inquiry facilities from previous administrations, and it had become a culturally entrenched strategy before his arrival.

You might reasonably say that the closure of public access to police stations has now become the norm and is culturally ingrained in the Police management psyche.

Bush’s pledge to Victoria to get more police out of stations and onto the road to prevent and detect crime is very sound and strongly supported by the CAA; however, the application of this commitment has been hijacked by the easiest solution: closing the inquiry counters and police stations.

Some years ago, we witnessed the spectacle of the consequences of a spectacular road crash in the middle of the day outside a major Eastern Suburbs Police Station.  Police poured out of the station. The head count of Police who were able to attend the scene was just shy of 50, but only a small number were required to deal with the incident.

While there may have been even more Police on duty at the time, because there are police activities that would preclude some members from leaving their post, although this incident may be isolated, it goes a long way to explaining why policing is currently ineffective.

The Police crowd at the scene included a number of police officers who were of supervisor/manager rank, yet not one showed leadership in herding the throng back to work or, more importantly, herding them onto patrol.

Our position is that the issue of inadequate Police on the road is a management one, and the Police station inquiry counter closures are a simple fix designed to avoid managers being responsible for better utilisation of resources and managing police member resources effectively.

Over time, the motivation for members to avoid going out on the road or foot patrol has become an anathema.

There is, however, a solution, and that means measuring techniques for the performance and effectiveness of Police Stations and individual members.

“What gets measured gets done”.

Out of the statistics produced by Frost, the most disturbing example has to be the situation at Rupanyup, a small country town in the central western Wimmera region of Victoria.

The town, not far from the Northern Grampians Region, with an increased crime rate of +47%, has had its Police Station closed for months.

So much for the idyllic country lifestyle.

It was reported by Frost that police patrolling regional closed-station areas were twice as likely to be resisted by offenders as anywhere else in the state.

A staggering 1094 resist or hinder police offences were recorded in locked-out country towns last year – up +45.7 per cent on 2023.

What is significant in these shocking numbers is the personal risk to the Police as well as the community, and the silence of the Police Association (TPAV).

Comparing the TPAV support for the functional ability of the Police organisation and the welfare of its members, with the efforts of the Fire Fighters Union supporting the firefighters and the community they serve, creates a stark contrast. Highly vocal and politically adroit, they shame the comparative inaction of the TPAV.

Police members deserve and should demand a lot better from their Union.

(We would be happy to publish a piece from the TPAV explaining their inaction.)

Further examples from data released by the Herald Sun make for a horrifying read.

• In just two years, regional communities stripped of 24-hour access to their local police stations have suffered a 24.6 per cent surge in criminal offences – the steepest rise across the state.
• A Herald Sun analysis of official data shows crime is now skyrocketing almost 80per cent faster in locked-out country neighbourhoods than in Melbourne’s CBD, according to data weighted to reflect population sizes.
• Crime had soared by 22.4 per cent in neighbourhoods where a police station had reduced its opening hours, compared to 15.7 per cent in areas that kept cop shops open.
• In fact, 80 per cent of the regional towns locked from their local stations recorded crime spikes on par with or worse than the state average – despite Victoria Police promises that increased patrols would keep those communities safe.

Victims seeking shelter during the night in those country towns need to drive an average of 23km (about 20 minutes) to reach the nearest open police station

. Suffering the most extreme crime surges in the state were Glenelg (+52%) and the Northern Grampians (+47%), both of which had station hours reduced three years ago.

We would argue strongly that the problems of Victoria Police are not solely about the overall numbers, but more significantly, how the existing resources are managed.

The issue is clearly not solely with the front-line Police. Though change may face resistance, it stems from an organisation where promotions since the 2000’s have been predominantly based on nepotism rather than ability or actual performance; the community and the Police members are now paying the price.

Executive Officers and their staff also need to get out and visit stations unannounced at different times and review the actual functions of supervisors and those members on duty at any given time.

Station Commanders and lower-ranking officers then need to explain any anomalies in staff task management.

It won’t solve the problems overnight, but it will help if supervisors need to keep an eye over their shoulder to ensure they won’t be embarrassed or disciplined.

The necessity is for Force executives to develop proper performance measurement techniques in line with the Force objectives. All staff functionalities must be benchmarked and measured with extreme urgency, and the philosophy of “What gets measured gets done” must be adopted.

VICPOL CUTS LOOSE ON THE DIRE CRIME RATES

by CAA | May 28, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray May ’26

The Herald Sun reported on the 26th of May 2026, the comments from Victoria Police regarding the youth crisis.

The report calls on the Government to coordinate a response to tackle Melbourne’s gang scourge better.

That is code for “It’s about time to get your bloody act together”.

We, like the vast majority of the police and large swathes of the community, are heartened by the Force being so outspoken, calling out the flaws within the Legal processes.

It augers well for VicPol as Chief Commissioner Bush finds his feet, the Force finds its voice and throws the shackles of silence in the WPB – good stuff, really.

However, the response from opposing quarters, the self-righteous left who make up the majority of these Government functions, will be interesting, now that the boot is on the other foot, and they are being roundly criticised, supported by the majority of Victorians, who are tired of inaction and lack of accountability in some Government quarters.

We hope the media will sharpen their pens and focus on these entities, who are generally just unaccountable, wind whistlers.

This police criticism is aimed, not too subtly, at the Courts, particularly the Children’s Court, Corrections Victoria, Departments of Education, Families and Housing, Youth Justice, as well as Local Community leaders  (Local Government).

The one glaring anomaly that jumps out is that while the Police are under constant scrutiny, and that is not necessarily a bad thing, these other Government functions are not, to any effective degree. And that is despite what they claim.

The other issue is the apparent lack of accountability among these government entities for youth or for their functions generally.

We have a huge problem, largely created by the Courts, and there are no signs they are taking responsibility or taking action to rectify the issue.

With all their bluster and rapier criticism, particularly of the police, they generally get away scot-free and, while drawing indecent salaries, show no interest in their organisations performing to an acceptable standard.

Benchmarking performance is one of those terms that they believe does not apply to them. After all, they are the Public Service, two words whose natural meaning is foreign to them, Public and Service.

Additionally, it would be useful if the outcomes of the judges’ sentencing decisions, in particular, were monitored electronically to weigh against benchmarking.

If an offender who has been sentenced or bailed reoffends, then the original decision was flawed.

A jurist’s failing would, at least, practically trigger the need for additional training, but continued failure must raise the question of the jurist’s suitability to sit on these matters.

The CAA has, for nearly ten years, coincidentally a similar time frame to the escalation of our current crime Tsunami, argued for a Judicial Review Panel to monitor and take action where necessary for failures in the judicial system and the performance of Justices.

While we continue to have Jurists playing at Social Engineering instead of dispensing Justice, we are never going to see improvements in crime rates.

A very relevant comment in an article on youth crime was attributed to an experienced police officer who said,

“We’ve got a cohort who are disconnected from reality,” he said.

“They don’t understand consequences. They don’t understand that if you stab someone, they could die.”

One could effectively argue that youths are not the only ones disconnected from reality.

This could equally apply to many of the Judicial brethren.

Another glaring example of Social Engineering trumping Justice was reported on the same day, when a Children’s Court Magistrate sent a sixteen-year-old home after the teenager pleaded guilty to four charges of arson, including the high-profile Bar Bambi fire.

The youth, it was claimed, had an IQ of less than 40, allegedly somewhere between that of a child aged 6 and 8.

The court accepted that he was mentally disabled, and as his parents had provided incredible love and support, the child didn’t understand.

As the experienced Policemen elsewhere in this piece claimed, this youth fell into the category of ‘disconnected from reality’ and ‘not understanding the consequences.

So, the magistrate sent him home.  As he did with the other coofenderrs.

Precisely where the clash of Social Engineering fails, and how the Courts feed children into the revolving door of crime.

All the lectures from the judges are just white noise to these kids, a waste of the court’s time.

The child now has bragging rights over the Court and is enabled to gain respect from his peers and to move up the social pecking order within his network , strengthening his lack of accountability.

What the Court overlooked was that he had the mental capacity to carry out the crime successfully. Would a 6-8-year-old be physically or mentally capable of such a crime?

Twelve months away from his phone, his criminal masters, and loss of freedom might just let him escape the crime revolving door as he matures a bit. Of course, that depends entirely on the effectiveness of the other services responsible for managing intellectually inept young people, in teaching them that unacceptable actions attract unpleasant consequences.

The Judge in this case directed that, among other things, the boy delete all his contacts on his cell phone. The chances of compliance with these or the other instructions in the Judicial lecture are next to zero.

That is a disconnection from reality by the bench, not the perpetrator.

Counselling and all the other nice-to-dos with kids are a waste of time, and they need to be taught that certain behaviours have uncomfortable consequences, and that has no bearing on their IQ. Even 6–8-year-olds can and do understand right from wrong, no matter how much certain sectors promote the view that they do not- these out-of-touch ideologues need to step aside to allow for pragmatic justice.

A Justice Review Panel would have a field day with this magistrate over his failure to explain why he took a Social justice approach instead of serving justice, not only for the child but also for the victims and the broader community. This is an inappropriate approach to this child’s life.

As stated elsewhere,

“We’ve got a cohort who are disconnected from reality,” he said. 

 In this context, we are referring to jurists and others in the juvenile justice system.

It’s no good looking to the Police for a solution; the majority are ever more asking the same question about their role: ‘what’s the point?’

Why should they put their life on the line, risking Physical as well as Mental injury, when all their hard work is thrown aside for Social Engineering by the judiciary?

There is one outstanding positive from this debacle for the Police: the Force has become vocal on this issue, and that will have a very positive impact, at least on mental injury – the Force supports them.

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Wake up Victoria, The next firebomb might be yours

by CAA | May 25, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray May’26

There is no question that Firebombing, or extortion, is now completely out of control, and the public is looking to the police to protect them.

As hard as they may try to do their job, they are unlikely to succeed without the tools to do it.

But before commenting on the tools needed, it is worthwhile to consider what is happening and what is likely to happen.

As we discuss this matter, reflect on why this criminal phenomenon seems to be concentrated in Victoria.

What started as a tool of extortion in the illegal tobacco retail industry, where firebombing was a method to gain control of market share by competing criminals, and reluctant retailers selling illicit products supplied by a particular criminal cohort, the Firebomb strategy was developed as an easy and cheap method to gain compliance by terrorising retailers, landlords, retail staff and customers.

The advantage of this strategy is that they could use kids to do the dangerous stuff for chump change, and the spectacular nature of each event made for sensational media, further amplifying the consequences of non-compliance with the extortion.

Unwittingly, the media has played into the criminals’ hands, doing all the marketing for them.

The media gives greater credibility to the extortion demands because they are not hollow, unlike when any half-baked crook can leave a note pinned to a business door, and the extortion process has begun.

Keeping the organisers at arm’s length from the actual fires, they believe they are somewhat insulated should things go pear-shaped.

But what started as a process restricted to the illegal tobacco industry has now evolved into one of the most serious criminal epidemics Victoria has faced, and nothing of substance is being done about it.

From tobacco stores, the next move was to take on the Nightclubs and Bars with bootleg booze, which, to some degree, is a cover for protection money, a critical part of the move. This extortion is highly clandestine, and the full extent of this criminality is unknown. You can be assured it is widespread, as business owners trying to survive in the current economic climate will not reveal they are being extorted, because that is how extortion works.

The future trajectory is plain to see, with liquor warehouses with over $3.5m damage, Sex shops, innocent people having their cars torched, and car dealerships being targeted.

Most Victorians have generally considered that this spate won’t affect them directly, given the targets thus far. Still, the real danger is that more and more crooks will jump on the Extortion bandwagon of easy money, and it will impact all of us.

It is inevitable, and it won’t be long before other businesses are targeted with straight-out extortion. Pay protection money, or you get a visit from our fire team.

Your local Supermarket, fish and chip shop, McDonald’s, Chemist, and petrol station (the bombing of a petrol station would be catastrophic but with the knuckle heads the criminals use, anything can happen) will all be vulnerable to the growth of this insidious criminality, where the extortion can remain hidden as business people are coerced into paying the extortion rather than risk their business, staff and or their customers.

We are confident this activity is no longer down to one or two crime lords but a plethora of would-be crime kings.

Easy money is the crooks’ incentive, and they are attracted to it like a moth to a light. The longer we leave the light on, the more moths that will be attracted.

Hoping that no innocent person is harmed is just wistful thinking and not very useful because we need urgent action to get on top of this issue before it gets on top of us.

If you think that the Police will solve this, you are naive. It will take far more than that because we are probably at this stage because we have hamstrung the police for too long, and now we are paying the price.

This is a government problem, and only the government can address it.

This list is not exhaustive, as there are obviously things that can be done, but priority should be given to recalling Parliament to deal with this urgent issue in a non-partisan way, where ideology is put aside for the welfare of this State and its citizenry.

Legislation is required.

• Introducing a new criminal offence for individuals recruiting, managing or otherwise facilitating children under 18 to commit a crime.This offence must reverse the onus of association with a child onto the accused, requiring the accused to show that the interaction was lawful. Upon conviction, a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum of fifteen years must apply.

• Introduce minimum mandatory sentencing for those convicted of extortion and associated offences under the Crimes Act. Knowing that they face a minimum of five years’ jail without parole will dissuade many fringe players.
• Abolish by Legislation the ‘doli Incapax’ legal tenet and leave it to the Jurists to decide how best to deal with juvenile offenders. Remove the bureaucratic intervention in criminal matters. Applying this tenet does not serve a child well. Being granted an age exemption feeds into the juvenile mind of unaccountability.
• Establish, as a matter of urgency, a Judicial Review Panel to manage the efficiency and performance of all courts and jurists. Remove inefficiencies and develop benchmarks for jurists to maintain high performance. The current system has failed and has contributed to the high-end evolution of criminality.
• Urgently reintroduce the Consorting Legislation so that the police have a weapon to manage the criminal element.
• Embrace new technology to allow access, without a warrant, to communications, encrypted or not, between criminals, including the youths they attempt to recruit, and, if necessary, employ high-end expertise in this area.
• Legislate the power for the Police to apply to the Courts for a warrant to access this and other metadata from declared individuals on a long-term basis. The legislation must empower the courts to direct Telco companies to cooperate with each warrant.
• Provide the Chief Commissioner with the necessary budget and authority to explore the latest technology in crime fighting to gather intelligence to avoid criminal endeavours, targeting the communication systems used by the criminal class.

Compromising their ability to communicate, supported by updated consorting laws that encompass electronic consorting, will be the most potent weapon and could have immediate as well as long-term impact.

While we are unaware of the level of expertise currently available to VicPol, the strictest confidence as to the current Force’s skills level in this area is understandable and justifiable. Given the success and rapid growth of the criminal extortion rackets, which appear to be accelerating rather than abating, it is clear that VicPol has been found wanting in this area.

The Parliament must accept responsibility and address this matter as a matter of urgency, as it is fast approaching a life-or-death scenario; if truth be told, we are probably already there.

Wake up, Victoria. The next firebomb might be yours.

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AN INSIDIOUS AND UNCEASING ATTACK UPON AUSTRALIAN VALUES

by CAA | May 19, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Noel Newnham, May 2026

The devious Left is slowly beginning to reveal itself.  It has long been the case that a fairly large group of the political left hates and detests anything that might conceivably pose any opposition to its own worldview.  Thus, they “know” how to deal with crime and criminals, and the police are loathed and shunted aside for daring to have a view.

No wonder there is no traction for views that talk about real consequences for crime.  Only the do-nothing left are perceived as having a worthwhile view.

But it goes further.  The same cabal now seems to be stepping up its campaign against the Australian Defence Force.

Consider, this is the mob that refused to allow returning Vietnam Vets to march through our capital cities; men and women who served their country were treated like pariahs by the new government whose political aims were not served by acknowledging such iconic values as mateship, sacrifice and service.

They are not game to say it but they divide and they destroy and they belittle those who hold a contrary view.

Take the case of Ben Roberts-Smith. I make no real comment on what I understand to be the merits of the case beyond this:

1. That any criminal prosecution based upon secret and unidentified informers must be suspect.
2. That identity evidence, notoriously unreliable at the best of times, has to be crucial but seems to be more than a little shaky, in this case.
3. That the outrageous public conflating of drinking from a prosthesis as somehow probative of murder makes those who did that more than irresponsible headline hunters, but more like head-hunters out to contaminate any future jury pool.
4. The treatment of BRS by the Federal Police, his unnecessary and media-staged arrest, was completely disgraceful. There can be no doubt that BRS would have answered a summons, or if an arrest was truly necessary, then the common practice of surrender for arrest could have been used.

But then the recent budget set aside millions of dollars for finding more “war criminals” – more victims for our moralistic crusaders against Australian values and institutions.

You know, these are the guys who will not allow an examination of the abuse of Aboriginal children – so that some get killed; the same guys who force us to buy batteries made with cobalt extracted by slave-like labour in Africa rather than with Australian-mined cobalt.

Morality be damned;  it is much more the case that they set out to divide us to rule us.

Was it Marx who preached the need to destroy in order to rebuild to your own specifications?

Meanwhile, publicly exposed rorting of major government projects continues.  We all get ripped off by – at the very least, massively negligent public officials.

Does anyone else feel pummelled into insensitivity, or is it just me?

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‘DOLI INCAPAX’ MAKES A MOCKERY OF JUSTICE

by CAA | May 16, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray May’26

doli incapax’, all sounds too cute by half. Still, this legal principle from over 400 years ago is nothing but an embarrassment for any government that supports it, let alone the judiciary.

The doctrine of doli incapax (Latin for “incapable of wrongdoing”) was not introduced at a single fixed date in the way modern statutes are. Instead, it developed gradually in the early stages of the common law.

Doli incapax, emerged in English common law by at least the 17th century (1600s), and was already well‑established by the 18th century. [mylawquestions.com], [legalclarity.org]

The idea comes from ancient legal traditions, influenced by Roman law and early medieval English law. [researchpo…bria.ac.uk] from an era referred to by academics as the’ Dark Ages’.

With that pedigree, the concept of Doli incapax should have been relegated to History decades ago.

• It developed into a clear doctrine in English common law, where:
  • Children under 7 were completely incapable of committing a crime
  • Children aged 7–14 were presumed incapable unless proven otherwise [legalclarity.org], [en.wikipedia.org]
• By the time of Blackstone’s Commentaries (1760s), this structure was already firmly recognised in law. [legalclarity.org]

That means the doctrine was effectively part of the legal system centuries before modern legislation, rather than being “introduced” by a single Act. In the 17^th Century.

So here we are, some 400 years later,  applying this antiquated legal principle to a feckless thirteen-year-old girl, that even in those dark ages would have at least been required to prove that she didn’t know she was doing wrong.

In the 17^th century, there were no State schools for the lower classes. Moral and legal education of children was in the hands of mostly illiterate parents.  That is no longer the case, and if schools are not filling the void, we need to ask ‘Why’?

Whilst we like to feel that our legal system is current and can be relied upon to deliver Justice, by and large successfully, this ancient hangover drags the Justice system backwards.

The emotional argument that locking up kids is somehow immoral has many flaws.

The flawed argument promoted is that it’s aimed at saving children from themselves.

How does putting children who are addicted to crime back on the streets to reoffend, save them from themselves?

Committing a serious crime is inherently very dangerous to the perpetrators as it is to the victim.

Will it take the death of a child to make legislators realise the dangers to the children, let alone the community?

It is worth remembering that when Doli incapax evolved, cars and access to technology and a range of other innovations had not been considered, let alone developed.

To provide legislation to remove the defence of Doli incapax may seem an overreach, but the example of the 13-year-old committing 109 offences, of a serious nature, is a case that highlights the folly of persistence with this ancient concept.

What is overlooked is that this principle is applied prior to any evidence being tested, so the evidence of the allegations is never tested.

• The many victims of the child will continue to live in fear and without closure.
• No action to change the behaviour of the child is mandated.
• The impact on this case on any young person with aspirations for criminal notoriety, is manna from heaven.

It is noteworthy that when Doli incapax was created around 460 years ago there was no social media for young people to communicate. That didn’t happen until the 2000’s, some 400 years later, so the adverse impact on the deterrent factor of this public information has only started to be felt.

This phenomenon will increase as the young people see the outcome of the criminality and know that their age entitles them to do what they like, as they aspire to be like their role models in the criminal sphere. One of the preeminent driving forces for Juvenile crime.

It is not unreasonable to predict that applying the Doli incapax rule will have a severe and lasting adverse impact on the young accused.

These include.

• Without consequences for their actions, the likelihood of making the child bulletproof to the impact of the law will promote further and escalating lawless activity.
• The child will continue to be exposed to extremely dangerous behaviours likely to have disastrous consequences for the well-being of the child as well as the victims.
• The risks to the community from this child’s behaviour are unacceptable.
• This 13-year-old will be highly regarded by her peers, who are also on the cusp of lawlessness.
• She has been handed the ability to recruit and lead other children down her criminal path.

The sentence of Doli incapax imposed on this child by the ‘Justice’ system will ensure she never makes old bones.

That a criminal is young should only impact the sentence, and that is a matter for the courts and can only be applied if they are convicted.

Furthermore, to compare the mental acuity of a child of the 1600’s to children of today is disingenuous at the very least.

From their physical development through nutrition to their mental development through education and access to social media, they are light-years ahead of their early peers.

The community, however, is well attuned to the development of young people, and anyone who has experience with young people will attest to their knowledge of right from wrong and what is criminal is well entrenched.

We call on all politicians to make the necessary legislative changes to consign this antiquated principle to history where it belongs.

Leave the matters of adjudicating evidence-based justice to the Jurists, not legal bureaucrats.

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JUST THROW MONEY AT IT

by CAA | May 5, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray May ’26

The Government has just announced sweeping changes to sentencing as a strategy to fix the crime problem. The ‘Allan govt orders $3m review of Victoria’s Sentencing Act’ as reported in the Herald Sun, 5^th of May 2026.

There are probably areas of the Sentencing Act that need updating, but a full review is nonsensical and will do nothing to slow the escalating crime rate.

With the latest spate of fire bombings, innocent lives will inevitably be lost in this extortion racket.

The government could do a lot better if it took notice of people like the CAA,

The CAA was established over 10 years ago to give victims a voice on Law and Order issues and has attracted former Police with a combined Policing experience of over 500 years. They are supported by a large group of non-police, representing a wide cross-section of the community. Ranging from victims of horrific crime to several Health professionals to people with corporate experience and the entertainment industry.

The Police experience covers all ranks and all police functions, both operationally and corporately.

The 500 number is growing as more and more former Police officers are dissatisfied with the performance of the Force to which they have committed a large part of their lives. The common thread that binds them is that the Force can be so much better; Victoria and the serving members deserve it.

Not all the issues are the fault of the Force, and poorly briefed governments have made their fair share of clangers, and this announcement is one of them.

While the CAA struggles financially to survive, the government will waste millions on a strategy doomed to fail.

The CAA strongly recommends that,

An Independent Law and Order Standing Commission be established with bipartisan support to oversee all matters concerning Law and Order and Good Governance within the Criminal Justice system.

Getting an effective and efficient Criminal Justice system that punishes wrongdoers might just give the Victoria Police under Mike Bush the chance to reform and improve the lives of Victorians and the Police who serve them.

 A reform that would be a cheaper and more effective strategy than just throwing our money at it for a limited outcome.

Changing the sentencing laws will achieve nothing to impact this crime spike. These lowlifes committing these horrendous crimes wouldn’t have a clue or, moreover, be influenced by governments or anybody else talking tough; to the juvenile idiots, this is just white noise if they even hear it.

Remember, these kids committing these crimes are influenced by the mature crooks whom they are trying to emulate, so who do you reckon they will listen to?

The common denominator in most juvenile crime is that the offenders are generally already on bail for earlier offences that are not yet resolved.

The courts use the flimsiest excuse to avoid locking up kids on the premise that this will only make them worse.

This ‘woke’ approach promotes the ideology that locking kids up will make them worse than what they are already; they are already in the worst category, committing high-end crime.

But at least if they are not out on bail, they are not committing more crimes.

No, the current proposal won’t work; the focus needs to be on holding the courts to account.

There is chatter about minimum sentencing, but the problem is that if a minimum sentence applies to an offence and the Jurist doesn’t philosophically agree with the concept, they will find a way not to convict. They have many options at their disposal.

That government strategy will fail before it starts and will feed into the untouchable ethos of criminal juveniles, making the problem worse, not better.

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THE CRIME TSUNAMI JUST GOES ON AND ON, AD INFINITUM

by CAA | May 4, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Ivan Ray May’26

How often do you need to be bitten before chaining the Dog?

It seems that 10 years is not long enough.

Since its formation, the Community Advocacy Alliance has been arguing that the current approach to policing is flawed, and no effort has been made over this period to seriously address the issues we have continually raised.

Dismissed as old ‘has-beens’ not in touch with today’s reality, to be ignored. But 10 years of consistency must now be seriously considered because the CAA, much to the chagrin of the critics, has been proven right and the naysayers wrong.

The CAA has equal representation of Police and concerned citizens from a broad church and is a true microcosm of the broader population.

The CAA warned of a crime Tsunami and published a Plan to address the issues in 2017, in a document entitled ‘PLAN 100’. (see link below). This document has had four iterations, but the principles of the original remain unresolved or even unacknowledged by Victoria Police or the Government.

From cause to solution, the CAA has published a plethora of articles exceeding 500, addressing aspects of the issues. We have now achieved an average monthly readership of over 20,000, that’s over 100,000 per year.

A lot of interested/concerned Victorians by any matrix.

Below are extracts from published articles that led to the first Plan we submitted to VicPol and the then Government to address these issues.

Plan 100 in 2017 demonstrated we were across the issues then, as we are today and until the Government and the Victoria Police start to seriously address what we have raised, in another 10 years the community will still be wondering what happened to one of Australia’s premier Police Forces and the crime rate and general lawlessness of the current crime Tsunamis will make living in this State intolerable both from a cultural and practical perspective.

Some of the articles that spawned PLAN 100..

 The policing experiment that caused a crime wave

“Victoria is labouring through a policing experiment where tasking, or management by statistics, is being marketed as “Modern Policing,” but instead of reducing crime, it has dramatically increased it.

Worryingly, there is no guarantee that the ‘Modernising Policing’ tasking experiment will ever work, and, if it doesn’t, then what?

When we find in five years 3,000 extra police are not enough, do we recruit 6,000 to be sure?”

Published  December 2016

https://caainc.org.au/the-policing-experiment-that-caused-a-crime-wave/

Act Now or Crime Will Spiral Out of Control in Victoria

“Chairman of the Community Advocacy Alliance and former Chief Commissioner, Kel Glare, said the plan would address rampant violent crime, aggravated burglaries and robberies by youth, car thefts, assaults and the lack of respect for Police and the law in Victoria.

Put simply, if we all don’t act now, crime in this state will continue to spiral out of control, and everyone will be less safe. The reputation of Victoria as a safe state will be trashed.

My colleagues and I didn’t give years of service to policing in this state to see that happen.”

Published  April 2017

https://caainc.org.au/act-now-or-crime-will-spiral-out-of-control-in-victoria/

Victoria in serious trouble still

“The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) again warned of the current Crime Tsunami nearly two years ago, and unfortunately, our predictions were accurate.

The CAA further warned that the Pursuit Policies of VicPol would lead to serious consequences, and unfortunately, that prediction was also accurate. The Bourke Street massacre highlighted the folly of current police policies.

We now predict that unless there are major changes to the police philosophy, the Judicial and Penal systems, the Crime rate will not flatten as Community and Police Leaders would try to have you believe, but escalate to unbelievable levels.

As Police and Community leaders search for the slightest positive in the latest crime figures, the reality is, no matter how you cut it or slice it, we are spiralling towards anarchy.”

Published 2017

https://caainc.org.au/686-2/?doing_wp_cron=1777849326.8314599990844726562500

72,000 lost shifts – Police victim blaming

The latest police sick leave figures (HS 30/9/17) are unbelievable and equate to nearly 350 shifts lost per week.

With these sorts of numbers, you would have thought the penny might drop with the Government that VicPol has structural problems and should address those before victim-blaming.

The problem predominantly is the organisation, not the police members.

Teaching senior staff how to help staff is a bit off. Apart from the obvious question of how they became senior staff without this basic management skill, suggests that VicPol wants to dodge the real cause: structural problems.

The Government’s only answer is to recruit more police. When will real action be taken when the lost shifts achieve 100,000?”

 Published 2018

https://caainc.org.au/72000-lost-shifts-police-victim-blaming/?

 PLAN 100…..

 The Plan addressed in particular the three major issues where failure is rife: within VicPol,  effectiveness, efficiency, and morale.

These are but three of the pillars of the organisation, and no meaningful effort to at least acknowledge the problem exists, or to address the problems, all that happens is they open another pack of ‘band-aids’ when the pressure is placed on the organisation.

Improving the organisation is also apparently not within the purview of the Police Association (TPAV), who rejected attempts by the CAA to even discuss these issues, albeit that apart from the benefit to the community, the largest group to benefit from the CAA plans are the Police members themselves, a concept that does not appear to light a fire under the Police Association.

This State is facing a November election, and it is the only chance we will have in four years to install a government that will take Policing and Law and Order seriously and do something positive about it.

We have previously acknowledged that Chief Commissioner Mike Bush has a herculean task in making Victoria Police an effective organisation again.

 An Independent Law and Order Standing Commission must be established with bipartisan support to oversee all matters concerning Law and Order and Good Governance within Government, and particularly the Criminal Justice system.

Getting an effective and efficient Criminal Justice system that punishes wrongdoers might just give the Victoria Police under Mike Bush the chance to reform.

Although Plan 100 was written ten years ago, it is as relevant today as it was then, and if you are concerned about the way Law and Order is not progressing, in this lawless state, make your views heard by your local member.

You can review Plan 100 by following the link. https://caainc.org.au/plan-100/

The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you – your generosity is very much appreciated.

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THE STANDARD YOU WALK PAST IS THE ONE YOU ACCEPT

by CAA | Apr 30, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

What does this phrase really mean?

The phrase “the standard you walk past is the standard you accept” was popularised by the Australian Army Chief, Lieutenant General David Morrison, in 2013. He used it to emphasise that ignoring misconduct or poor behaviour—especially disrespect, bullying, or unethical actions—makes those behaviours seem normal.

At its core, the message is about responsibility, accountability and culture:

• • • If you see something wrong and stay silent, you’re helping it continue.
    • If you ignore low standards, you lower the standard for everyone.
    • If you want a better culture—at work, in society, or at home—you must act when something isn’t right.

This applies to leadership, workplaces, communities, and even personal life.

 When leaders or individuals overlook problems, they signal that those problems are acceptable, which can erode trust and create toxic environments. – various sources.

 The principles of the phrase can be applied to unacceptable behaviours recently demonstrated at the Box Hill Police Station (One of those not closed, at least at the time of this incident).

A senior member of the CAA had a private cause to visit this Station recently and noticed that three other mature male persons were also waiting for service at the counter.

A Constable was attending to two additional females.

The conversation between the Constable and these women was clearly audible to the gathering, bordering on theatre. It soon became obvious that one of the women, who was showing signs of distress, was reporting a domestic violence matter, and the second woman was her support person.

So far, the situation, although not entirely desirable, was acceptable; however, it went downhill from there.

The Constable delved into the issue in great detail with a series of questions that were both very personal and embarrassing to answer, aggravated by the audience present.

Any respect for the privacy of this alleged victim evaporated.

It was obvious to the CAA member that he was not the only one feeling discomfort at the way this probable victim was being exposed for all to hear. He observed the body language from the other males waiting for service, who also seemed very uncomfortable with the process the female was subjected to.

Even when another female member attended the counter to help those waiting and the CAA member raised the situation with her, she agreed the behaviour was unacceptable and would take it further; however, she did not intervene as the interrogation of the victim continued.

The circumstances and content of the domestic complaint are, by and large, irrelevant to the woman’s privacy and the professionalism of a police member.

The interview should have been conducted privately, not made into a public spectacle.

There is no doubt that the constable should be disciplined based on the information to hand and made an example of.

The greatest concern, however, is that the constable was in a work environment where he believed this type of behaviour was acceptable.

When the issue is formally investigated, and the facts within this report are confirmed, the list of those disciplined will be extensive when the phrase “the standard you walk past is the standard you accept” is applied to this incident.

The role of others and their breaches in order of their culpability are,

1. The Station Commander should bear the greatest responsibility for allowing a work environment and culture to evolve where this type of behaviour can be acceptable. The Station OC may not have been aware of the incident, which does not reduce culpability for cultural failings.
2. The Local Area Commander for failing to adequately oversee and manage the cultural failings of a Police Station where behaviours like this are acceptable, and in particular a Station where the officer is located. Whether the LAC was on duty or not is irrelevant.
3. The on-duty supervisor for not performing adequate supervision of staff. The Shift Supervisor must be aware of what is going on with all staff at all times, otherwise they can’t supervise.
4. The Policewoman for failing to take action or seeking out a supervisor to intervene and facilitate a private location for the continuation of the interview of the female complainant,
5. The Constable responsible.

A prima facie case against all the members engaging in conduct they displayed is likely to bring Victoria Police into disrepute or diminish public confidence in it, and is a defined breach of discipline under Section 125 of the Victoria Police Act 2013, which can attract severe penalties if found guilty.

The proliferation of domestic issues foisted onto the police is a major contributor to members downgrading the importance of these issues to generally not much more than annoyance, which is not an excuse for a professional Force.

But this may highlight an urgent need for the police, in domestic incidents, to further refine their role to keep the peace and, where necessary, to investigate to determine whether any party has committed an offence and to bring the suspect before the Court.

The welfare of the parties, victims or otherwise, and determining which party is at fault, or trying to adjudicate a solution, is not a police role, but the Courts

Other well-qualified individuals employed by the government would best serve these extended functions.

The solution is fairly simple.

The (original) model developed by the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) used in the Domestic space would alleviate a major workload issue for the police, freeing them up to attend to other matters requiring their attention.

It is well known that the most effective intervention for behavioural issues is an early one.

The Critical CATT Teams concept, which would translate to DVCATT, would, apart from reducing risks to victims, also allow the welfare of the families involved to be managed in real time, rather than through a future referral, reducing tensions.

Additionally, a fair proportion of the administrative workload created for Police attending DV incidents could be covered by the DVCATT system.

The interrelationship between the roles of the Police and DVCATT is a matter for the establishment of protocols.

For every DV incident allocated to a Police Unit, the same allocation must be made to the DVCATT to attend in a timely manner while Police are on scene.

This system will not only benefit the police but also the participants and families where DV incidents occur.

Having professionals attend in addition to the police in the first instance will most likely reduce the amount of DV requiring intervention by authorities, a win for everyone, including the broader community and the cost of DVCATT development and implementation will be offset by Police efficiencies, a dual benefit for the State.

A cost-benefit analysis on police overtime and administration hours alone would well cover this initiative.

The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you – your generosity is very much appreciated.

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MORE JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES OR MORE EFFICIENCY TO UNCLOG THE COURTS

by CAA | Apr 27, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

We would argue that both are critical because the escalation in crime rates is directly linked to the Judiciary’s performance and effectiveness.

Linking the crime rate is, heaven forbid, akin to making the Judicial fraternity accountable and providing a measure by which their performance can be assessed, both as a profession and individually.

The figures produced by the Herald Sun on the 25th of April should be a wake-up call to the Judiciary to lift their game in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

“There are currently an estimated 489 judicial officers and VCAT members, according to Court Services Victoria’s latest annual report, including more than 130 magistrates and 70 County Court judges, where the backlogs are growing fastest.

The growing backlog crisis is most pronounced in the County Court, where the number of pending criminal matters ballooned by 603 to 3000 between December 2024 and December 2025.

In the Magistrates’ Court, 3404 criminal cases were added to the waitlist over the same period, bringing to 65,788 the number of matters waiting to be finalised.”

The most damning statistic is the number of cases that remain unfinalised: 65,788, which equates to 134 unfinalised cases for each jurist – they need to put more time into their job and improve their decision-making efficiency dramatically.

We suggest that, unless radical changes are made, this number will grow to a level impossible to rein in.

Simply more Judges will help, but may exacerbate the problem as well, particularly if the new Judges are as ineffective as those already serving.

This number alone shows the adverse impact on Victims, offenders, and the community overall, and addressing this issue will go a long way to unclogging the Court System.

In the Herald Sun article, the Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, announced that she was open to appointing new judges, which is a positive step toward resolving the current imbroglio. But the rationale is somewhat constrained, and the current problems are not quantitative alone.

The government claims in the same article that,

“The government has repeatedly said higher court volumes were not a failure, but a result of new laws introduced to crack down on crime.”

This claim may have some basis in fact, but if the ‘crime crack down’ is not applied throughout the Legal system, then the crackdown is a myth.

But the big question is how and what needs to be addressed.

The community is sick and tired of offenders who Police arrest for crime being granted bail on what would seem the flimsiest of excuses, only to be in the headlines within days, arrested for more of the continuation of their original criminal behaviours, and in some reports, the behaviour has escalated.

Anybody who follows the media reporting on the performance of the judiciary would easily conclude that some of the Legal brethren would rather play at being Social Justice warriors rather than administering the Law as it was intended by our legislators.

This churlish behaviour brings disrespect to all the judiciary, many of whom do not deserve that ridicule.

The, what some would argue, draconian Laws and processes where sanctions can be imposed without a trial in the domestic violence space have been largely accepted by the community. It may be time to look at taking a similar approach to crime more broadly, with built-in safeguards to stem the tide, as current strategies are not working.

This revolving-door mindset that the Judiciary sponsors must be challenged, and the best way to do that is to enshrine accountability for judges who grant bail and/or, upon conviction, allow perpetrators to re-enter the community without penalty for their indiscretions.

The vast majority of Juveniles appearing before a court for a crime see walking out at the end of the hearing as beating it. All the Court processes and lectures delivered from the bench are just white noise to be tolerated

Administrative penalties don’t cut it and are interpreted as non-penalties.

A perpetrator’s refusal to accept accountability for their indiscretions is a major factor in recidivism, so the Courts must accept responsibility for imposing sanctions that do not achieve the accountability objective.

Why should a Judicial Officer continue to serve in a Court Division where they constantly have offenders reoffending after conviction?

That surely must be a legitimate measure of the Jurist’s performance.

Further, the caseload of each Jurist must be measured and compared with their peers to assess the Jurist’s quantitative performance.

It is also relevant to measure the quantum of cases awaiting finalisation by each jurist so that ditherers can be identified and guided to better performance.

The CAA has long argued that a Judicial Review Committee should be created to oversee the Judiciary’s performance and that the Committee should include non-lawyers among its members.

As to the political bias of Jurist, we are not aware that it is a problem per se; however, there are serious problems in the Legal processes where important cases are not finalised, and perpetrators can escape prosecution. That is called ‘corruption.’

We would argue that there is a proliferation of matters that reek of political bias, and that the bias is generated not by the judiciary but within the Law Department itself.

The matters that have been at the forefront over the last decade include

• Slug Gate
• The Gobbo affair
• Politicians’ Travel Rorts
• Bike Boy
• Branch Stacking and Misuse of Public Resources (Operation Watts)
• Hotel Quarantine Failures and Accountability Gaps (COVID‑19
• Improper Influence over Public Contracts (IBAC – Operation Daintree)
• “Red Shirts” Affair – Use of Taxpayer Funds for Campaigning
• Planning, Developer Donations, and Political Access (Operation Sandon).

The one thing these items have in common is the dearth of culprits who have not been held to account; we are not talking about some junior participant; the architects of these rorts are the ones who need to be held to account. If that starts to happen, there will be an immediate lift in performance within the legal system.

The behaviour of those responsible for this disgraceful approach to Law and Order, where some are untouched by prosecution, sends an unequivocal message to all those Victorians with a criminal bent: crime pays.

One standard for one section of the community and a different standard for others is a recipe for failure of Law and Order.

There are other contributors, and a pattern seems to have emerged across the decade of:

• Politicisation of public administration
• Weak accountability for ministerial advisers
• Over‑centralisation of power
• Limited anti‑corruption jurisdiction and enforcement.

Victoria seems to have evolved a class of oligarchs similar to those in some places in Europe, the untouchables, and this must be curtailed.

Coupled with reviewing the Judicial performance, these areas are in critical need of attention.

Addressing these issues, where historical matters at last find resolution and those responsible are held to account, is imperative.

Making those who serve the community accountable has to be the State’s priority, and for that, we need to rely on the politicians.

The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you – your generosity is very much appreciated.

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A WIN FOR COMPASSION

by CAA | Mar 19, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

A few days ago, the Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) received information that a Victoria Police member of over nineteen years’ service was facing a life-threatening illness.

As a result, she had been afforded the grace of being excused from operational duties, which would have jeopardised her ongoing treatment.

This compassionate decision was overturned, and the member was placed back on the streets, putting her at substantial risk and interfering with her medical treatment.

The CAA contacted the Chief Commissioner’s Office seeking a review of this decision.

In fairness, it is believed that local Officers were considering the merits of that decision.

On March 16 the station received an unannounced visit from Chief Commissioner Mike Bush.  CCP Bush had a protracted discussion with the member concerned and promptly reaffirmed the decision not to return her to operational duties.  He also called those on the station together and demanded that this member receive every assistance and consideration in an act of compassion that does him great credit.

Bush’s actions were greatly appreciated by the affected member and sent a clear message to the decision makers who put her back on the street.

That the CCP found time in his busy schedule to take an interest in a single member shows he regards his members as individuals and not just numbers on a roster.

The CAA applauds CCP Bush for his humanity and common sense in intervening and further strengthens our view that Victoria Police is now in good hands.

CCP Bush is the real deal.

The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you – your generosity is very much appreciated.

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IS THE GOVERNMENT DEFUNDING THE POLICE?

by CAA | Mar 18, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

A byproduct of the shortfall in Police numbers, estimated at 1500, is saving the Government approximately $434 m in sworn police employees’ costs per annum.

• All in cost per sworn officer (organisation-wide total expenses ÷ sworn FTE)
  ≈ $289,800 per officer per year.
  Calculation uses Victoria Police’s 2024–25 total expenses of $4.610 b and sworn FTE of 15,909. [police.vic.gov.au], [police.vic.gov.au]
• Personnel component only (employee expenses ÷ sworn FTE)
  ≈ $230,600 per officer per year.
  (Employee expenses: $3.668 b). [police.vic.gov.au], [police.vic.gov.au]

You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to understand what is going on.

Add to that that the population of Victoria has increased by over 640k, dramatically diluting the overall ratio of Police to population.

This is clearly one of the drivers for the crime surge – there are not enough police to do the job.

Available Official Population Data

When you review the Budget allocated to Victoria Police since 2020, you will see a failure to keep pace with inflation, severely hampering the Force’s ability to provide optimal service and retain staff. Calculating the  Annual budgets,

Annual budgets (A$ billions)

* Two official sources present the 2024–25 figure slightly differently due to rounding: the Annual Report cites $4.499 b; the Corporate Plan. 

Since 2020, police budgets have severely constrained VicPol’s ability to provide the services Victoria needs.

Over that period, the average inflation rate applicable to the Budgets is 3.61%.

When you add the inflation shortfall of $124 m and the savings from not maintaining a fully staffed Police service of $463 m, the Budget allocation for 2026 should have been circa $6 m.

Average inflation rate, 2020–2026

Using the seven annual values:

Calculated average:

Average = 3.61%

These figures are worth looking at because they show clearly that the Force has been underfunded or deliberately defunded each year since about 2020. By a significant amount, aggravated by the estimated additional 648k increase in the States’ population. This population number does not include Temporary or Student Visa holders.

Increasing the population increases crime and disorder, so it is no wonder Police in this State are feeling the impact of underfunding over an extended period with no apparent relief on the horizon. Insufficient funding to attract police in sufficient numbers, the frustrations of the poor, unfit for purpose, IT tech the Force relies on, adds very much to the frustration, causing the exit of many experienced police, skills that cannot be easily replaced.

It is no wonder Police are leaving in droves when they are required to fill out multiple forms, repeating the same data entry multiple times just because they used their discretion to warn somebody, and the computer system integration is either non-existent or an abysmal and embarrassing failure.

Just one example that frustrates the community, which translates into a lack of intel on crime. A victim contacts the Police Advice Line 131444 and provides their details to the operator, who may see fit to transfer the call to 000.  There, the operator starts again from the beginning with basic details of the complainant. All the while, the victim has to bide their time while an inefficient system cannot even get the basics right. Bad luck if the victim is hanging on by their fingernails, and the likelihood of that person ringing again to get help is dramatically reduced.

The government must apply some of the savings it is reaping to fix the very embarrassing Force IT shemozzle.

Although only one step to fixing the Force issues, it is a major one, and the savings realised must be applied in part to rectifying and making the Force fit for purpose.

A 1970s-designed system that is expected (and fails) to perform adequately in the 2026 police environment is totally unacceptable.

When reality strikes, as it currently is, with the escalating crime rates, the community will demand a proper Police response to their needs for safety.

To do that, the Force is not 1500 down but more likely 4000 thousand below what the strength should be to deliver an effective service.

The irony is that the cost of crime to the community has become so outrageously high (most of it hidden), an effective and properly resourced Police Force will save money.

A Force capable of preventing crime, a hypothetical police on every corner, will save the State and the community millions.

Preventing crime has a flow-on effect, reducing demand on Courts, Jails, Support services and other Emergency services. Education is more effective and even the pressure on Health Services will be lower.

Spending more in the right places reduces budget impacts, not increasing them.

Police in this State are being defunded by stealth, and the community pays.

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POLICE SHUT DOWN ILLEGAL POLICE STATION

by CAA | Mar 17, 2026 | Library, Uncategorized

Authorities shocked to discover criminals had better service delivery

Authorities confirmed this week that they have shut down an illegal police station operating in a suburban garage for nearly eight months.

According to stunned investigators, the rogue station had been functioning so efficiently that residents only became suspicious when officers there actually answered the phone, arrived at crime scenes, and filled out paperwork on the same day.

“This immediately raised red flags,” said a spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS). “Real police stations simply don’t operate like that.”

“We thought it was legit”

Local residents say they had no idea the station was fake. In fact, many praised the service.

“They helped me open a case in under ten minutes,” said one resident. “They even gave me a case number and followed up the next day. Looking back, that should have been the first clue something was wrong.”

Another resident said the officers politely asked for statements, offered advice, and did not once suggest that the printer was broken or that the detective was ‘on lunch’ for the sixth hour in a row.

“That level of efficiency was suspicious,” he admitted.

The shocking discovery

The illegal station was eventually uncovered after a senior officer visited the premises and noticed several irregularities:

The building had working computers

Officers answered questions clearly

The kettle in the break room was not the most important piece of equipment in the building

“These things simply do not match official SAPS operating procedures,” said investigators.

Authorities also became suspicious when officers at the station reportedly solved three cases in a single week, a pace analysts described as “reckless and unrealistic.”

Suspects arrested

The group running the operation has been arrested and charged with impersonating police officers, providing competent public service, and creating unrealistic expectations among citizens.

Police confirmed the suspects were not hardened criminals but former security guards, two retired detectives, and a man who once binge-watched an entire season of crime documentaries.

Officials say the group will also face charges for making the real police look bad.

Community reaction

Residents expressed disappointment after the closure.

“To be honest, it was the safest we’ve felt in years,” said a shop owner. “They even walked around the neighbourhood at night.”

One pensioner added:
“They caught the guy who stole my washing line clips. I didn’t even know that was a solvable crime.”

Government response

Officials reassured the public that law enforcement remains committed to maintaining the proper standards of inefficiency expected at legitimate police stations.

“We cannot allow unregulated law enforcement to operate,” the spokesperson said. “If people start thinking crimes can be solved quickly, it could destabilise the entire system.”

Authorities confirmed that residents seeking assistance should now report crimes to the nearest official police station run by the South African Police Service, where the traditional process of waiting, returning tomorrow, and being told the detective is currently ‘in a meeting’ will resume as normal.

Meanwhile, investigators say they are searching for two more suspected illegal police stations, believed to be operating somewhere in the country after reports that stolen bicycles were returned within 48 hours.

“This kind of behaviour cannot be allowed to spread,” officials warned.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

 Satire Disclaimer: “This satire piece was widely circulated online; original author unknown.”

This article is a work of satire intended purely for humour and commentary. It is not factual reporting and should not be interpreted as real news. Any resemblance to actual events, institutions, or service delivery experiences is purely coincidental… or just part of the joke.

The Community Advocacy Alliance (CAA) is funded by the members and the generous donations from the public. Please consider donating to help us continue to work for you. Simply click on the button below. Thank you – your generosity is very much appreciated.

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