Tragedy exposes Victoria Police leadership failings
The Bourke Street multiple homicides has brought to the fore the startling lack of insight of those in senior command positions within Victoria Police.
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The police who work the Victorian streets and protect the community are confused and are lacking senior leadership and direction.
Deputy Commissioner Crisp is on record as saying his whole of organisation email in September 2016, which informed police members not to shoot at moving vehicles, was a “safety message”.
He stated it was not a direction and he himself is confused why it was taken as a directive.
The fact of the matter is if a deputy commissioner sends an email out to staff, then the staff will take the contents of the email to be a directive.
He is the second highest ranking officer within Victoria Police. Questions arise as to his understanding of his position and the authority that comes with such.
Of course the police members engaged with the community and confronted with incidents that fall under the contents of his email are going to take it as a directive. What if they did not?
The email would have been used as part of a disciplinary investigation, which more than likely would have seen the police members charged with discipline offences.
There is no backtracking or misinterpretation of the email, except by Mr Crisp.
The honourable stance would see Mr Crisp take responsibility for the email and understand his position within the organisation.
The lack of leadership and responsibility shown by him in the aftermath of Bourke Street is astonishing.
We the have the chief commissioner, whose ability is very questionable at present. Crime is up by 12.4 per cent in the last year under his command. The road toll has risen under his command.
No one doubts his ability within the terrorism arena, as he has proved himself to be very competent in the past. However, his ability to lead and manage Victoria Police is now in doubt. He has lost control of Victoria’s law and order and lost the confidence of the public and his staff.
The Victorian public are asking themselves, how can his position be tenable with the 12.4 per cent crime rate rise, a rising road toll and policy that does not protect the community but protects the criminal?
Despite this, the government is silent on examining what is best for the Victorian public and are failing to deliver their constitutional obligation to provide law and order.
It is time that the government stood up and examined the current state of law and order and the ability of senior police contracted to reduce crime and lead.
The Andrews government needs to take action, and needs to do so with haste.
Darren Wiseman, retired senior sergeant and Emergency Services Party founder, Bendigo
Research shows alcohol availability fuels family violence
Victoria's Auditor General has found that the government system for approving liquor outlets is just a rubber stamp that takes little account of the harm the saturation of bottle shops is causing.
In the last year there were 65,000 cases of family violence that involved alcohol – more than half of all such cases.
Further, cases of family violence involving alcohol are more brutal and violent.
Research clearly shows that more bottle shops drive up the number of cases of family violence.
The government needs to demonstrate it is serious about protecting women and children from family violence by restricting the numbers of bottle shops.
And shop owners should be required to close by 10pm and not use advertising strategies that drive alcohol misuse.
