Police break ranks on youth crime outcomes.
This headline screamed in the Herald Sun, 8th of September 2025, suggesting a rift has been triggered between the Government and the Police.
It is a pity that the reality escaped the journalist because in this instance, a Detective Inspector gave a press statement expressing his professional view, and that should be encouraged, not pilloried.
We do not see a rift, breaking ranks or anything resembling that. What we do see, however, and it is very pleasing, is the Police exercising the separation of powers.
The Politicians are entitled to express their views, and because the Police Force is an independent authority, they should be able to express theirs.
Something we have failed to see for over a decade, as consecutive Police Commissioners gagged Police members.
It does not help us at all to have the Government, the Judiciary and the Police collaborating on communication to the people who employ them, us.
An independent approach is much healthier for the community and the State overall, as it will highlight where the problems exist and make the various Pillars of Law enforcement accountable; they can’t hide behind each other.
If the Judiciary, the Government, or the Police are not performing to community expectations, it is incumbent on the professionals within these branches of law enforcement to expose the truth. Law enforcement will benefit, as will the community.
We may now see many more members of the Force who express their professional views, like Detective Inspector Graham Banks.
There will be several major benefits in this shift away from gagging the Police.
A better-informed community will therefore pressure the areas of Law enforcement that are failing to perform to their expectations, and we accept that on occasions this will impact the Force; however, exposing factual information about police failings makes for a better Police Force.
A former Chief Commissioner, the late Mick Miller, once told me that praise for the work of the Police was welcome, albeit warm and fuzzy, but the real benefit came from the Force critics that bring about improved performance.
The Force has no hope of improving without positive feedback.
For too long, the Force has operated under a cone of silence, hoping that any failings will go unnoticed and unexposed by the Police themselves.
The immediate and positive consequence of this change will be a dramatic improvement in the satisfaction levels and confidence the community has in their Force.
This change will also have a dramatic and positive effect on Police morale. Seeing their leaders demonstrate leadership is very healthy, and it gives confidence to all Police that others are not manipulating them. This approach also ensures that the views of the police are being heard.
It behoves all former Police to make themselves heard on this issue in support of Banks and the Chief Commissioner.
The experiences the Police were exposed to during the COVID-19 Pandemic at times were akin to stormtroopers, and had a deleterious effect on all members, current and former, and most of the impact resonates to this day, having perhaps irreparably damaged the relationship between the Police and the community.
Seeing the Police Force used as an instrument of Government must never happen again.
To avoid repetition, more Police leaders like Banks should stand up to express their professional views, making the force healthier.
There have been far too many good former Police officers who lost their careers because they spoke out, making this change even more refreshing, if not bittersweet.
The New Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, can proudly accept the plaudits for this change under his regime and leadership.
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Absolutely agree with these comments. The barbaric murders on the weekend must be the last straw for all Victorians. Fact. You and your children are no longer safe in your home state and this Labor government and its social engineering and meddling and politicisation of the police force is absolutely to blame. At least if Brad batton becomes premier we will have an ex bobby in the top job. Crime is the number one priority.
I respectfully suggest to ms Allen that the community is better served with police focussing on violent crime immediately..rather than backing up every so called and untrained “proper officer” public servant they hand authority to buy way of a job title and piece of paper. Frankly if police have to stand along side parks Victoria to cite people for collecting firewood … Then maybe the petty laws need to be reviewed?
The police must not be used as an “armed show of force” to back up every petty enforcement agency this government has created. If they can’t stand alone it’s because those laws are not respected and were never asked for in the first place. Yet they sack experienced fisheries officers who largely did stand alone?…including with criminal abalone gangs?
Since covid the public has been trained to see the Victorian police as an armed enforcement agency of the state…used and appearing in every aspect of their lives…while policing of crime has never seemed to be their priority.
This is direct government policy. Not the policy of our Bobby’s. The prior commissioners post Neil comry frankly have been nothing more than gutless political appointment folk who thought it was ok to bend the law in their favour..e.g lawyer X…no accountability for that either and criminal cases being overturned.
It’s time the no longer a Labor party got out of our lives and left the police command alone to give fearless advice and do their jobs. Andrews and Allen did this to our police force our society and our state.
We want “our coppers” back please…back to what they have always done best. We want to give them our respect …but we will no longer give any respect to this rogue government who defies us and arrogantly sails on its merry way. They don’t care about the parents of last weekend. The silence from Allen is deafening. We wish they’d just go now.
I hope this kiwi shows some guts…he’s never had a better chance. The public are beyond fed up. ….we are in fear. Do your job Mike. They wouldn’t dare risk the political scandal of sacking you in the middle of this…not with an election coming. Get stuck in mate! Take back the streets.
100%
Great to see the new CCP backing his member on this.
I will précis. The above comment wonderful! I am so pleased that we have a Police Commissioner who is breaking away from Government ideology, and proceeding to grow our Boys in Blue back to believe in WHY they are there, under the Oath they swore to!
Now, let’s build us back again! With pride and honour! Thank you.
From a little girl who’s Father told her, you can always trust a Policeman……to a now 76 year old, who STILL believes!
Totally agree, give us back the police force we respected and had confidence in.
Maybe at the same time other established enforcement agencies like the fisheries officers can be reinstated also
I am complete agreement. It will be refreshing to see senior Police addressing the media without the nodding heads bringing up the rear.