20th April 2022
Commentating on matters associated with Victoria Police is fraught with difficulty as we are often faced with conundrums that are particularly hard to decipher.
The current issue gaining community traction is the ‘crisis of trust’ in VicPol, and is a ‘case in point’.
We have all seen and been dismayed at the blatant criminality passed over by Vicpol but minor internal misdemeanours, are pursued with unbridled vigour, albeit many are not malicious.
This leaves the community lamenting why that vigour cannot be applied to blatant and more serious crimes.
Ironically, the current level of leak traffic to the media is directly proportionate to the disquiet of the police members. Police talk when frustrated and people listen, people talk to the journalists and that is how most information is leaked.
Police live in and are part of the community. Something often overlooked by Police Executives.
There appears to be a culture amongst Police executives that they live in a bubble and operate on flawed assumptions. Media letters from the public support this hypothesis.
The consequence of the ‘Bubble effect’ in policing is inward-looking policing rather than the obverse, which is the most effective Policing model, where community expectations are measured and met.
Although community Policing plays an important role in building a Trust surplus, creating an aura of politicisation by assuming a legal role beyond their remit negates these efforts.
Policing is a function for the people, not the few who run it. Trotting out the most inane spin or even worse, non-information, creates conjecture to replace facts within the community further fuelling the Trust Crisis deficit.
From the CAA’s first meeting with Shane Patton to recent times, an oxymoron has evolved. What was said and what we see do not gel.
There have been a number of own goals that have eroded trust but paradoxically they can be resolved and act as a net positive; all it takes is good management and leadership.
The Red Shirts and ICooks (Slug-Gate) matters could be resolved and converted overnight by simply having the matters bought before the Courts and having the Courts the arbiter, not VicPol.
Based, we assume on poor advice, VicPol hunkered down on these two matters but significantly and even at his stage it would not be embarrassing to change tack and properly investigate both matters and put perpetrators before the courts.
That would be leadership, something that the public believes is sadly lacking and will respond to positively.
The other hot issue in the community is the Policing of Anti-vax, Anti-lockdown demonstrations during the pandemic.
This hurt will not heal any time soon.
The community is divided on whether or not the demonstrations should have occurred, but united in condemnation of many of the police tactics.
It would be foolish to assume that opponents of the Police actions are only from the anti-vax lobby.
Rather than have this issue fester away VicPol should exercise strong leadership and acknowledge the community’s anguish and undertake its own public inquiry into the issues with the intent of shaping Police policy. Allowing the public to vent their anger may not be palatable for Police but would lead to effective policy changes.
Patton certainly has had multiple opportunities to right some wrongs, but it gives the appearance that he is not running the show.
For everybody in the CAA who had the privilege of meeting Patton and listening to his blueprint for the future of Policing, we are disappointed in the reality of that commitment.
We strongly suspect an informal cabal of executives similar to when Ashton was Chief is effectively holding sway because VicPol has continued on a similar trajectory from the previous administration to the current one. with little meaningful change apart from some peripheral rhetoric,
Whether that cabal is identifiable as an entity or is a linking of like-minded individuals is difficult to identify. It could be based on social, political or some other commonality but these movements are usually spawned by a leadership vacuum.
The seeds of this problem were cast before Patton’s tenure making the malcontents in the Executive easy to identify.
However, the excuse that it is a big ship to turn around is no longer valid.
There is a risk for Patton that the Government may decide to shorten his tenure so that all the negative aspects of policing, Gobbo, Red Shirts, Slug-gate, Cardinal Pell, some COVID failures, poorly managed Demonstrations, applying Vax mandates and several other issues can be brushed away with his demise.
His best defence is to resolve them.
If he doesn’t he could get to carry out the political baggage before November.
The Government has a strong track record in this dark art.
A newly minted Chief, a political apparatchik or one that has a high profile as a social progressive capable of moving Policing in that direction would be inevitable.
We are told the chatter in high places along these lines is mooted and advanced.
A strong and independent Patton is far more desirable than what the alternative may throw up. There would be no doubt he would know who the underminers are and he should show strength as a leader and remove them.
It is time for Patton to decide whether his legacy will be as a bag carrier, or will he be the Chief Commissioner that turns the ship around and be held up in perpetuity alongside other luminaries that have held this high office.
The Victoria Police “Force” is a terrorist organization and should be removed and replaced with a “Police Service” for the people not for the bought and paid for government who is under the control of Big Pharma and the WEF, The head of this snake is Dan Andrews and should be locked away for crimes against humanity, The fact is the point that we will not forgive and forget,
Vicpolice where eager in fact manic and in zealously flexing their thuggery against everyday citizens as well as intimidation and threat against the public in support of Andrews clear disdain of the public and treatment oi us as some sort of criminal combatants. From rolling extended false imprisonment of Lockdowns and curfews to physical abuse of people who dared protest to Ring of steel comments and actions to blockades. I for one will NEVER forgive this bastardry and will relish any opportunity for pay back no matter how long it may take. Forget crisis of management We have zero faith in the Police and now regard them for they have proven to be Enemies of the citizens. Cowards too afraid to address real criminals and other assorted mongrels but zealous bullies of unarmed honest citizens.
Chief Commissioner Patton must realize by now that once LockDan Andrews has given him, either a bribe, sorry, offer of another cushy job somewhere, or rescinded his contract, (because it is not worth the paper it was printed on), he will be blamed, overtly or covertly, for all the previous corruption, bad decisions and for destroying Victoria Police’s reputation and standing in the community. His personal and professional reputation will be shredded.
He has one chance now to avoid that fate. Take the steps necessary to clean it all up now, including removing excess fat from VicPol command. (I will leave you to work out who I am talking about there!)
It is hard to believe that Patton is not as corrupted as Daniel Andrews and therefore highly unlikely he will do anything worthwhile to begin to correct the wrongs that have been perpetuated, by those corrupt officers of what was once a respected force. Patton has had plenty of time to make a positive move if he wished to. I’m not holding my breath!
Well my story
1.Harrassed by Police- up to 5 in my office ( a travel agency in country Vic!) re my QR code which I filed against the Health Dept- had a win- Fine thrown
2.Fined 10K for working after hours- behind a closed door , sitting in an office out the back, out of sight-bringing stranded passengers ( I am a travel agent) back from overseas where the govt could not assist-Apparently I am not essential-perhaps ask my valued clients…..I Have forced this to Court- bring it on!!!!
3.Still waiting to sight this SOE Was there even a SOE???????????? No one seems to know. Wonder if CC Patton does?
I feel very embarrassed for the policing of this state! Disgraceful to say the least.
Patton is part of the problem, it is blatantly obvious he is acting on edicts from the Premier, as was the underwhelming CHO. Both are active participants in the Labor political machine.
The state is a gulag run by a dictatorship and protected by a hopelessly corrupted police force, judiciary and bureauracracy.
As far as I am concerned Victoria police is at its lowest level of community respect since the miners hunts and Kelly persecutions. They carry out investigation and prosecution in many cases with little or no evidence and complete ignore clear evidence in cases such as those mentioned. I’ve never seen such selective enforcement in my 60 years as a Victorian… including 10 years in the justice department.
We’ve gone from Ashtons circus to pattons pariahs. Sorry member’s…. your not my police force any more.
Sooner we have a royal commission into victim and th e political interference the better. For all of our sakes including the decent servants of the crown and the people in their ranks. I’m disgusted at the fall I’ve witnessed.
Deputy Police Commissioner Shane Patton (now Chief Police Commissioner) stated 16 MP’s had been exonerated by the police Investigation (ABC report 13/2/19) How can this be, the 16 MP’s were not interviewed by Victorian Police Officers under instructions by Senior Police Officers? Who are these Senior Police Officers? How can Patton exonerate people who may have committed a crime without an investigation and under what authority can a Victoria Police Officer exonerate accused criminals? If I recall correctly Vic Pol is the arm of the law, not the law. Vic Pol’s job is to investigate, arrest and charge accused criminals and bring them before the Courts. Judges exonerate accused persons not a Victorian Police Officer.
Why doesn’t the media share these concerns – especially our ABC?
So true never give up trying to get some sort of justice for Victorians we have been treated abominably by VIC Pol and Daniel Andrews
The police force is still recovering, ( I hope) from the total disasterous political appointment of Christine Nixon and her recommended replacement of Simon Overland. These appointments virtually destroyed any credibility or goodwill that the police had built up over time and dragged the force to an all time low. To be politically correct at the expense of the basic aims and direction of the force is unforgivable. Who would want to be a member with all the disciplinary bodies wanting a piece of you when you are just doing your job.
The premier Dan Andrews controlled and dictated everything that happened, the police force did his bidding of how brutal they were with people,he did not listen to the health people, etc. He was and is a rule unto himself, blame others for his incompetence and yet very sad to say many people believe he did good, sheeples
The sad fact of life is that you do not bite the hand that feeds you. That can at least in part explain the conduct of Chief Commissioner Patton. The face of Victoria Police has not changed noticeably since the departure of previous CCP Ashton. I do realise though that profound change takes time. At least we can applaud Mr Patton for re-introducing the Police in Schools Program which was shamefully dropped by CCP Nixon. Let us hope (and pray) that other socially significant changes to policing in Victoria will take place in not so distant future. It is fundamental that police listen to the community they serve. Suffice to say that currently that community is not very happy with the police service delivery.
Administrative failures and failure to investigate seem to me to be the best place to start
Thank you for that excellent, accurate summary.
There must be something wrong because there’s a lot of dis grunted people out there…
No ones listening……?????????
Daniel Andrews.
The Fascist psychological ‘label’ of ‘Anti-vax’ in this article is purely projecting MSM propaganda that plays into the hands of State. Most of the hundreds of thousands of Aussies who attended the protests aren’t anti-vax they are ‘pro-choice’ and believe in ‘informed consent’ as per the Constitution, Charter of Human Rights and Medical Health Act. There was also once the Dr/patient relationship rather than coercive inoculation in a failed vaccinated economy of experimental gene altering & DNA altering mRNA vaccines which appear to be having widespread adverse affects on immune systems as suppressed by MSM and the medical fraternity. The result has been a decimated economy, decimated health, a Fascist Police State and medical apartheid – ‘Anti-vax’ labels are unhelpful, misleading and divisive. Labels such as these diminish transparency created by the healthy protestors – my opinion.
Corruption will never be knocked on the head it lives it breaths , only corn can come from corn and if we ignore what kings and Queens did hundreds of years ago we are ignorant and not being honest with ourselves
clearly Dan Andrews like police are untouchable never admit to wrong doing . Its a dream to think we are all equal and its unfortunate that corruption and underhanded dealings are the very things that get people ahead as the average joe blow cannot get ahead without being corrupt , also if we look holistically at the judicial system that to fails the public as if it didn’t we would not have an appeal high court .
Not a single comment supporting CCP Patton and his politicised Force! Speaks for itself. It is of concern that Victorians have largely lost their faith in the Police Force which should be THEIR Force, completely divorced from the Government of the day. I nostalgically recall the good old days under the outstanding leadership of Mick Miller and Kel Glare. Then the Victoria Police force enjoyed full trust and support of the community. Sadly, opposite is true these days!