5th of December 2018
As a pre-eminent international police force prior to 2000, top Commissioners were “poached” to leadership roles in WA, QLD, SA and Tasmania. Then in 2001,a new imported systematically purged command of the 2 deputy and 5 assistant commissioners in a phobic ‘social engineering’ policy unilaterally refusing contract renewal and forcing premature retirement.
In parallel, skill and competency-based qualifications screening senior management was dispensed with (Inspectors and Executive courses), enabling promotion and recruitment, without challenge, of inexperienced, poorly qualified and poorly trained people.
The results speak for themselves.
Following this self-appraised reform of the crime department, failing to acknowledge ethnic crime, a softly, softly approach towards criminals and the premature promotion of those in favour and after eight years of nepotism – we reap what we sow! Gangs on our streets, a ‘no arrest’ focus, a community feeling unsafe and a Royal Commission into dubious investigation practices (which automatically raise warning bells in the newest of detectives).
The Royal Commission must have the power to address the root cause of this mis-management allowing poorly framed policies and poorly monitored systems to flourish. Leadership, the integrity of Victoria Police and the safety of our community must be restored to pre-eminence.