By Newton Reynolds – CAA Member
In the 1930’s Victoria Police was moribund, corrupt and inefficient.
Chief Inspector Duncan from the Met “FLYING SQUAD” in London was tasked with a review.
He arrived in Melbourne on 12 October 1936 and commenced his review. Even before he presented his report, he informed the Government that the matter was urgent.
He was appointed Chief Commissioner and reformed the Force into arguably the best in the World.
Since the appointment of Nixon as Chief Commissioner, the force has been in a terminal state of decline. Alexander Mitchell DUNCAN’s appointment drew howls of protest from police and politicians: “Why not a local?” the reason was “there were none capable and incorruptible”.
Therefore, the search for a replacement Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police should go international. The current crop of Assistants and Deputy Commissioners are politically tainted. The Lawyer X, Red Shirts, the Cardinal Pell witch hunt, COVID-19 overkill, the anti-Jewish failures, the two-tiered political policing, the list goes on. They form part of a failed command. Bring back Sir Ken Jones from the UK, remember the British Bobby who was white anted by then Chief Commissioner Simon OVERLAND, known as” the LANTERN”. “Bright but had to be carried everywhere”.
A fresh approach to move to traditional policing and removing the Government’s sticky political fingers from law enforcement.
Building Taj Mahal-sized centralised Police Stations instead of smaller community Police Stations which, from a policing perspective, are far more effective, efficient and welcoming in connecting with their community. Victoria Police has lost sight of its main function, which is the protection of life and property and the prevention of crime. The force has morphed into being a reactionary arm of Government Policy
The worry is the current crop of politicians do not have the foresight or the will.
Here’s praying the next appointment will not be some POLITICAL DOG BODY more likely to also fall foul of the Force members, appointed to satisfy the equality and diversity brigade but a strong, decisive Commissioner with runs on the board in law enforcement and not tainted by recent performance in Victoria.
The immediate resignation of Chief Commissioner Shane Patton will add to the woes of VicPol and is unlikely to be the circuit breaker the Government is hoping for.
The Government needs to provide a Mea culpa on many of its poor decisions if it has any hope of even having a small influence on improving its relationship with the Police.
Rick Nugent is a good man, but that may not be good enough to turn the tide, we wish him luck.
If he has any hope of turning the tide, he will need to first rout out the rabbits of the Senior ranks, and the Government must support him in that endeavour.
I don’t know if you’re aware of a political commentator – Topher Field. He just posted on this very matter, I have pasted his thoughts below, I agree with most of his points.
1. Immediately prosecute with jury trials every officer caught on camera committing acts of unprovoked violence against Victorians, especially during lockdowns. Internal investigations or magistrate only trials are not good enough to restore public trust.
2. Immediately rehire and back-pay every officer that refused to be jabbed, issue a written apology, and formally reprimand every senior member that failed to object to the jab mandates on their members.
3. Immediately change the uniforms back to Blue. The switch to Black was a choice based on the psychology of colour… and it worked as intended, helping members to be psychologically ok with putting the ‘force’ into Police Force. This must end.
4. Find a non-political way to appoint the police commissioner. Clearly the current method is not working, commissioners are politically compromised and have participated in human rights abuses (per Ombudsman Deborah Glass) and the failure is now systemic, not merely a matter of the ‘wrong people’ being appointed. I suggest a vote within the membership of VicPol to appoint their commissioner as a starting point for discussions.
5. Immediately stop the enforcement of any victimless crimes. Every interaction the police has with the public is backed by the threat of force. It is absurd for the police to be having such interactions over things like jaywalking.
6. Introduce and enforce a new code of ethics which places individual moral responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the members at EVERY level, not only on the upper levels of the chain of command. In discussions with a new-ish member of Victoria Police I was told that they ‘are not morally responsible for the orders they carry out, the morality of the orders are the responsibility of the one giving the orders, my job is to do as I’m told’. My blood ran cold of course. This is an unacceptable attitude which echo’s the worst atrocities of history.
The article by Stephen Williams, above – quoting Topher Field, is an excellent guide, as a starting point, to sort out current unacceptable circumstances within VicPol. Victorians need to recover confidence in VicPol, and VicPol now needs to provide many opportunities to enable that. But wait, there’s more! At the centre of “The Troubles” has been numerous party-political appointments to police leadership, making the appointee and other high-ranking officers, captive to party politics rather than capable for the community. The former is proven to not deliver the latter. That rot must stop.
The left have been working since 2006 to weaken and corrupt police. It will take a person who can do what is needed undoubtedly and a government supporting them. Agree entirely with this article but if we get a minority government we will be cooked
I, for one, am happy to see Shane Patton walk out of that building. If I was able, I’d have my boot in his butt on the way out.
He may have had a long and good career, though the way he allowed the people he swore to protect and serve to be treated during the “Covid” period and, if fact, presiding over that disgusting and oppressive treatment, has destroyed any credible legacy he could have otherwise had.
Good riddance to yet another abuser of power. He should be investigated for Human Rights abuses and corruption.
Stephen Williams:
You have GOT to be joking.
1. OUTRIGHT NO
2. OUTRIGHT NO
3. YES. BUT FOR REASONS OTHER THAN STATED. THOSE REASONS BORDER ON PARANOID PSYCHOSIS
4. AGREE IN PART – BUT UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN.
5. OUTRIGHT NO – ABSURD
6. OUTRIGHT NO – DANGEROUS.
Topher Field – a well known Human Rights Advocate that, like most advocates of this nature never got the ‘notice’ that human rights advocacy needs to be balanced against the right of all humans to be protected against the unfettered human rights of others.
Get real.
Obviously you don’t like the idea of people (well people you like) being held accountable for their actions.
Nothing will improve for vicpol as long as people have ideas like yours.
No doubt the very best person to now be the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Force is Sir Ken Jones who has the experience, skill and strength of character to implement the urgently needed reforms.
Sir Ken Jones was Deputy Commissioner under Chief Commissioner Overland and his shameful demise was a disgrace.
Yes, Sir Ken Jones must be Chief Commissioner.
The Shane Patton Pity Party. I have said many times that Shane was a good policeman and a good man and I am sure he is still a good man. Unfortunately, this does not necessarily translate to a good CCP. It takes a lot of courage to defy those that control your position and income. Too many seek the position (at whatever level) without being prepared to fight for what is right. The threat of losing position and/or income is real, but to win over the troops you HAVE to stand your ground and fight. Good luck sacking a popular CCP; one who is popular with the majority of the public and the majority of the workforce. Once you back down and hope things will change, you are a failure. It comes down to this, stand your ground, challenge them, threaten them with public disclosure, and be aware you might get shafted. But never back down if you believe you are right. Too many braid forget where they came from and capitulate. The bottom line is this. He is the boss – check out his Command structure. It is pathetic. Who has he sacked or moved for incompetence? As an organisation, the structure and many of the incumbents are woeful. It doesn’t pass Organisational Efficiency 101. Know what structure will work, know who is going to fill that structure, and believe in your own skills. Surround yourself with good, strong people who will back you, advise you, advocate for you, and not betray you. Don’t try and tell me that is what happened here. People change – simple – DON’T CHANGE. I’ve been through this in the police force, in the public service, and in private enterprise (where I had a right hand man I could trust completely). Once you give in – they’ve got you. NEVER BOW TO PRESSURE and be prepared to lose your job. If you do, and you are strong, you will survive, and probably thrive. It’s only when you get older and retirement is imminent can you not afford to be quite this ruthless. By then, you should be able to tough it out with a little bit of bending.
I don’t subscribe to this pity party. It’s pathetic and hosted by weaklings.
Sadly the once great “peoples force” has sunk faster then the Titanic. It is so broken that I doubt it can EVER be fixed.
The citizens of Victoria deserve so much better!
Years ago, Vicpol had the reputation of being like a joint of marijuana – the harder you sucked, the higher you went. That was true then and it is sadly true today. We have senior police who say all the right things like ridding the organisation of corruption, but when confronted with proof of corruption that even blind Freddy can see, successive chief commissioners have chosen to ignore their duty. Vicpol needs a leader who understands that policing is more than just giving the appearance of enforcing the law, the role demands that like cases be treated alike and that no man is above the law and that means prosecuting politicians when warranted. Patton and his team have been tainted by too many scandals such as the car accident involving Andews and his wife which an independent retired traffic AC who investigated the incident disputed the police’s finding, the on going corruption.within the ranks at the highest level and the allegations of mutliple bullying by a current DC to name just a few. Patton may have been a great cop but as a chief commissioner he joins the ranks of Nixon, Overland and Ashton as a poor appointment Let’s hope that not one of the current leadership team is appointed to the role
I feel sorry for Patten but it seems he allowed himself to be led by successive Victorian Premiers. Policing in Vic has gone to the pack. Thete are too many extraneous duites instead of grass roots policing. The public are pissed off regarding out of control crime etc… God help the next poor bastard