24th March 2021
Victoria; do not underestimate the importance of the announcement by Chief Commissioner Patton of a Police in Schools Program (PISP) (Herald Sun 24/3/21).
This change in the policing approach is very significant and will have a positive impact on the lives of us all.
The failure of former Police Chief Commissioners to re-implement this important Policing strategy is in no small part responsible for the increased crime rates in past years, particularly in serious crimes committed by juveniles.
The reintroduction of a structured PISP has been the cornerstone and the basis for the formation of the Community Advocacy Alliance Inc. (CAA) which I have the privilege to chair.
As a group we have worked for six years for this outcome and we unreservedly congratulate Chief Commissioner Patton for reintroducing this program.
It is ironic that this program originated in Victoria and was so successful it was taken up and continues to operate in all other States and Territories.
Former Chief Commissioner Nixon shut the PISP down and every Chief Commissioner that followed her failed to grasp the importance of the program with former Chief Commissioner Ashton actively engaging in trying to thwart attempts by the CAA to establish a PISP using Police veterans.
There were many other very encouraging strategies announced by CCP Patton today. The engagement that CCP Patton has established with the CAA will now ensure that many other strategies both proven from the past and new will be ventilated and considered by him.
Through the CAA the community now has a much louder voice.
We are now entering a new phase of Policing that serves the people of Victoria with a service that the people can influence.
The nirvana of policing.
Kelvin Glare
Kelvin (Kel) Glare AO APM
Chair, Community Advocacy Alliance.
Shane Patton ought to be congratulated as too the CAA for making this policy a reality. Now let’s hope that the police hierarchy turn their attention to what the role of the police is and develop strategies to make this occur. Arrogance has replaced assertiveness, innocent until proven guilty has been replaced with summary guilt, commonsense and discretion has now been replaced with fear and politics and the victim under this mantra becomes the public and its confidence in the police force.
This is excellent news. Kel Glare, Ivan Ray and the CAA team have done a marvelous job on this issue. Credit for the CCP’s announcement should go to Commissioner Patton and the CAA team equally.