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| NEWS > 20 October 2006 |
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Police integrity cops a hiding
SECURITY is a protected jewel at the Office of Police Integrity in Collins St.
The lift is protected by a security swipe card system. Internal doors have the added protection of a palm reader to keep out prying eyes and unwanted visitors.
The police watchdog's "court room" is small, seating about 30 people. Six seats are reserved for the media. The rest of the media pack sits in an adjacent room, watching a video link.
The $16.48 million budget and 97 staff may be relatively boutique, but the OPI still packs a punch, as this week's developments have proved. <... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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The Age - Melbourne,Victoria,A
20 October 2006
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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Nixon seeks random testing of
POLICE Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon wants the Government to grant her the power to conduct random drug and alcohol testing of officers next year.
A plan for psychological, drug and alcohol testing of police working in the major drug investigation division was raised in the first report of the Ceja Taskforce in 2003 but has not progressed beyond encouraging police with drug and alcohol problems to seek help.
Ms Nixon said reform of the Police Regulations Act was needed to enable the testing to go ahead.
"We need legislation," she said. "I understand that the Police Regulations Act will be certainly on the agenda for the current Government, and if we had a change of government (at next month's election) then they would have to consider that legislation."
Police Minister Tim Holding said the Government would continue drafting new police regulations, but recent controversies over Office of Police Integrity hearings and the trials of drug squad members showed it was important "to get the balance right".
OPI assistant director Graham Ashton said the office's long-awaited report on the history of police corruption in Victoria would be released in the next session of State Parliament.
Its release was delayed to avoid prejudicing the trial of former senior drug investigator Wayne Strawhorn, convicted on Wednesday of trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
Mr Ashton said a final report into the Ceja investigation, which prosecuted Strawhorn and four colleagues from the discredited drug squad, would also be released next year.
He said it may be another two years before the full benefits of investigations from Ceja were realised.
The police investigation had given the OPI, which was formed in late 2004, a useful insight into the environment in which it had to function.
"There's a large amount of intelligence generated. From our point of view, that intelligence will be useful for progressing our investigations," Mr Ashton said.
Ms Nixon said she hoped reform of the act would also clarify the commissioner's confidence powers, which could enable the police chief to sack police. She tried last year to use the powers against two officers, but both men succeeded in having the decision overturned by the Victorian Supreme Court. They later resigned.
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