Police Corruption Victoria

On the radio news a week or two back, Chief Commissioner of Police Simon Overlander said that he underestimated the level of corruption in the Victoria Police when he joined as an Assistant Commissioner in 2004. This followed the recent dropping of murder charges against a drug squad detective who was alleged to have been implicated in the the execution style killing of a Crown witness and his wife. The witness was to testify that the detective was involved with him and and another policeman in the theft of drugs. The murder case was withdrawn after the natural death of a witness and the ill health of another.

Pretty strong stuff right here in our 'great state', as ex Premier Steve Bracks described it, after receiving his Queen's Birthday medal.

The Chief Commissioner's comments came as no surprise to me. He first joined the Australian Federal Police as young man, in 1984 I think.  A person close to me had been married to a member of the Victoria Police for some years by then. I was a frequent visitor to their house for a meal and a relaxed evening, particularly before I married in 1981. I saw many on and off duty police visit to sit by the blazing open fire in winter, and the the back yard barbecue in summer. Beer flowed, tongues loosened.

There were exceptions who showed discipline and didn't drink while on duty. These were few. I formed the general impression that many police officers saw the public purse as something to be milked while doing as little work as possible. A comparatively innocuous example was one who boasted he hung on to his morning bowel motion till he arrived at work. He loved being paid while doing it. He'd take an hour and read the paper. He'd knock off the station's toilet paper, saying that if he had to go at home, at least he'd use their toilet paper. It's better I don't relate more serious examples of dishonesty and flagrant disregard for the law. It was a long time ago. I'm unable to substantiate.

It tarnished the image I'd grown up with, that of a squeaky clean police force ranking up there with the best in the world. I watched the corruption scandals in Queensland and New South Wales unfold in the 1980's and 90's, still with some expectation that Victoria was above that. That's shattered now also, after the gangland wars, drug caches disappearing from police headquarters, the execution of witnesses, and a couple of whistle blowers.

There's a bitterness that creeps vinelike over me if I dwell too much on the negatives. Better that I move on and open my heart. Police, after all, are flawed human beings like the rest of us. There's greed and corruption in other areas of public service and commerce. Ethical battles go on all the time, all of us face them.

I wish Simon Overlander all the best in what must be the toughest job of all, but perhaps also the most important. There's something rotten in the state of Victoria, for sure, and it must rooted out.

We don't want it.