NEWS > 16 November 2005

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Melbourne Herald Sun - Austral
16 November 2005

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Dob in a copper

EVERY Victorian will be urged to dob in bent police officers.
Office of Police Integrity director George Brouwer yesterday revealed plans for a permanent 24-hour hotline so people can report police for alleged corruption and misconduct.
He also revealed he has found evidence of corruption and sloppy management in the Victoria Police force.

Mr Brouwer highlighted his concerns in the first OPI annual report, which was tabled in State Parliament yesterday.

He wants Victorians to use the new OPI hotline and vowed to provide more protection for police who want to inform on fellow officers.

"I do not believe that most honest and ethical police members deliberately turn a blind eye to signs of corruption and serious misconduct," Mr Brouwer said in the OPI annual report.

"However, it is clear that many members are fearful and/or reluctant to report incidents.

"Corrupt police play on such fears of retribution. Corrupt members often cultivate an aura of menace, some are ruthless.

"Such conduct is one of the reasons they can often continue their activities for so long."

The Herald Sun last week revealed the OPI had uncovered convincing evidence of police involvement in various corrupt activities.

Mr Brouwer's annual report detailed some of the areas of concern, including:

THE prevalence of allegations of theft by police during the execution of search warrants.

IMPROPER association by police with unregistered informers.

INAPPROPRIATE associations of police with private investigators and the private security industry.

CONTINUING and significant inappropriate access to LEAP and other police computerised information systems.

ALLEGATIONS some police are involved in drug dealing or green-lighting the activities of drug dealers.

THE incidence of bullying, predatory behaviour or other intimidation by some individual police members towards other police and to members of the public.

"Convincing evidence illustrating these problems has emerged from investigations of specific cases," the OPI report said.

"They are being, or will be, addressed in OPI's work on systemic issues and on the prevention of corruption and serious misconduct."

The OPI report is critical of a number of Victoria Police management practices.

"Questions about the quality of police investigation have arisen from a number of complaints, many of which have been well-founded," it said.

"Heavy work loads, limited guidance and supervision of less experienced detectives and poor investigative methodology generally emerge as central issues with those complaints which are substantiated.

"I have observed a tolerance on the part of some senior police for management processes and equipment which are long out of date.

"They can make corrupt conduct difficult to detect, even more so to investigate.

The OPI was created by the Bracks Government in November 2004 in response to calls for a royal commission into police corruption and a permanent anti-corruption body.

A VICTORIA Police spokesman said the force took allegations of misconduct against its staff very seriously and had effective internal processes to deal with any such allegation.

"Victoria Police's ethical standards department works in conjunction with the OPI with senior personnel meeting regularly to discuss police and integrity issues," she said.

"In May, Victoria Police launched its ethical health strategy. It is an ongoing strategy which focuses on professional standards, ethics and the eradication of unethical behaviour and corruption through a number of programs."

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Article sourced from

Melbourne Herald Sun - Austral16 November 2005

Dob in a copper

EiP Comments:

Melbourne Herald Sun - Austral
16 November 2005