This round-up includes: disgraced officers may get reinstated with back pay - more confidential information gets released into the public domain by police - body searching at the Sydney Opera House - and Irish police pissed off over WA police poaching campaign in Ireland.Two Victorian coppers, disgraced by their dismissals for sexual harassment and corruption, may be reinstated to the force with back pay, The Australian newspaper reported on August 12.
In an embarrassing blow to Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that the police stuffed up the prosecution case against the coppers by not giving them full disclosure.
Ex-coppers Paul Dale and Edward Robb were the first to be dismissed under new powers allowing their boss, the Police Commissioner, to dismiss coppers who have been deemed to have acted corruptly or inappropriately.
Dale was dismissed in September 2004 following an (alleged) 'inappropriate relationship' with a criminal turned police informer, Terence Hodson.
Hodson claimed that his former mate, the copper Dale, helped him with a raid on a house which netted $,1,300,000 worth of drugs and cash.
For some reason, Hodson and his wife were murdered at their home in Kew, last year.
Of course, with the main witness out of the way, the criminal charges against ex-copper Dale were dropped.
Being as sharp as a hungry copper to spot a free sausage at a bbq, Commissioner Christine Nixon observed of Dale that 'the nature of your association with known criminals leads me to the preliminary conclusion your integrity is so damaged that I can no longer have confidence in it...'
As far as the other dismissed copper, Mr Robb, is concerned, the Commissioner cited a number of reasons for her loosing confidence in him, including the little matters of his 'propensity for violence' and his 'poor treatment of women.'
Ex-copper Robb was on the receiving end of 25 complaints, covering 60 allegations, of which 19 were proved.
An example of how he upheld the fine traditions of the force occurred when he was stationed at Benalla, in Victoria's northeast, in May 2001.
He attended a distressed woman who thought she had a prowler on her property. On arrival at the property, constable Robb demanded coffee and told the woman she had a 'nice arse.'
To be honest, I dont know what Comissioner Nixon's problem is, he sounds like a regular copper to me. Alas, we await the outcome of Nixon's decision on what she will do next with the alleged disgraced coppers.
Still in Victoria, a recent Cop Watch referred to the Office of Police Integrity releasing hundreds of confidential files to a member of the public. Nevertheless, Victoria's Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon has full confidence.
However, the habit of confidential police documents turning up in strange places seems to be morphing into a permanent personality characterisic.
The August 15 Border Mail reports that the widow of a man violently killed had confidential family information broadcast on breakfast radio after the police seemingly disposed of police documents at a nearby tip.
Jenny Murphy, wife of the deceased, said that 'I was in such a state that I couldn't think...It is just not good enough, it just can't keep going on.'
A reporter from the Border Mail (really, they should have known better) phoned Victoria Police media who would not comment on the incident, merely referring the reporter to...the Office of Police Integrity. No one from the Office of Police Integrity could be contacted, according to the reporter.
In Sydney, coppers are looking forward to bigger erections and greater lubrication the next time they go to the Opera. The August 13 Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sydneysiders face intrusive 'counter-terrorism' measures, including being touched up by the local cops.
From September 1, patrons may face the prospect of removing coats, jackets, gloves, shoes, hats and to be electronicly scanned. Staff will be able to demand names and addresses. Those refusing can be removed using 'reasonable force.'
The boys and girls from the force, obviously reaching a stage of near-climax, are demanding 'more, more!'
A detailed submission from NSW police will be given to the Police Minister next month asking for more powers. The Herald says that it understands that police want the right to randomly search bags and to frisk people at will - anywhere - and not just the Opera House.
'Yes ! Yes ! you can have all the powers you want !' the NSW Premier is expected to ejaculate in response to the request for more powers.
The president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Cameron Murphy, says that further powers at the Opera House risked privacy violations, abuse of personal information and racial profiling.
'We need to take reasonable steps to secure important public institutions like the Opera House but not by railroading people's basic human rights,' he said.
On the other side of the world, a poaching campaign by Western Australian police has caused unhappines, according to the August 13 Irish Examiner.
'I have never been shy in saying that we have the finest policemen and women in the world in An Garda S’ochana [the Irish Police] and I think this is an indication of that,' said Garda [Police] Representative Association (GRA) president Dermot O'Donnell.
'The point is, we need what we have here. I would be hopeful that the Government would be responsible enough to ensure we wouldn't loose any of them to [the] Western Australia people.'
The Western Australian government wishes to recruit 1,400 police officers over the next four years.
Egg-heads and nerdy types who have read this far may want to read about the cultural changes that affect people trying to be part-time coppers. These part-timers are often made to feel unwelcome, the poor little dears, according to research at RMIT. The reference is ‘Part-time and Part-committed’?: The Cultural Challenges of Part-time Work in Policing.
Finally, Cop Watch sadly reports that it is not just in Australia that the mailed fist of the state is becoming more violent in its job. A recent update to the StateWatch website reports on more oppressive laws across Europe.
StateWatch
Indymedia readers may be especially interested in reports on the seizure of Indymedia servers, which can be found here: Censorship Indymedia
and here
Was the seizure of Indymedia's servers in London unlawful or did the UK government collude?
By Julie Smith 15 August 05
Related:
Australia: Copwatch No.2
A review of what the boys and girls in blue have been up to shows that their respective juices have been stimulated by their ability to demand greater and greater police powers.
Australia: Cop Watch
The roundup this week - dodgy riot gear, shooting French photographers, senior coppers being 4 times over the legal limit, dodgy promotions in NSW, more terrorism powers in WA and drug-dealing coppers in Melbourne (it is alleged).
Assaulted, intimidated or harassed in custody?
"Then make an Apprehended Violence Order application against the police, says assault victim Ms Teresa Kiernan.
NSW Police Force: 2 dead, $1 million dollars to catch a thief?
NSW police have expressed concern about their response to the Macquarie Fields riots in south-western Sydney after a police pursuit that killed two young youths Dylan Rayward 17, and Mathew Robertson, 19 that went horribly wrong.
OUR STORIES MUST BE TOLD. THEY HAVE TO BE
On Sunday 13th February, a Community gathering will be held to enable all people to remember the death of one of our young Community members, 'TJ' Hickey.
Vic police chief moves to sack officers
The Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon, has moved to dismiss two police officers as part of a crackdown on corruption and says up to 20 more dismissals could follow.
Vic flop cop warns there's more corruption
Victorian Police Chief Commissioner, Christine Nixon, says Victorians should brace themselves for more evidence of police corruption.
Vic police corruption report tabled in Parliament
The Victorian Ombudsman's report on the Ceja Taskforce and drug related corruption in Victoria police has been tabled in State Parliament.
Bent police compromise Bulldogs gang-rape case
Deputy Commissioner Dave Madden could have compromised gang-rape investigation? Steve Mortimer resigned!
More NSW Police Corruption?
Line of fire? [Bullshit! Line of Lick Arse Noble Cause NSW Corrupt Cops] (clockwise from top left) Deputy Commissioner Dave Madden, Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons, Superintendent Dave Swilkes, Assistant Commissioner Bob Waites and Superintendent Dave Owens.
NSW Cop suspect in murder?
A sacked Sydney police officer has finished giving testimony at a hearing into his corrupt activities over the past eight years. Christopher John Laycock was yesterday recalled to the witness stand at the Police Integrity Commission (PIC).
Corrupt NSW police officer sacked
New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has sacked an officer who confessed to being involved in corrupt activities over the past eight years.
Policeman draws blank on fake raids
A suspended Sydney policeman has told an inquiry that he has "little recollection" of the details of fake police raids he set up.
Officer planned to kidnap criminals
A senior Sydney police officer who has admitted taking money for tipping off a child porn suspect had also been planning to kidnap criminals and extort money from them, the Police Integrity Commission heard yesterday.
Police offer protection to family following gang rape allegations
The parents of a 14-year-old girl claim their daughter was gang-raped in Sydney earlier this year, and have raised concerns about corrupt policeman Detective Sergeant Christopher Laycock's review of the case.
NSW police prosecutor charged with child porn possession
A New South Wales police prosecutor has been charged with the possession of child pornography.
Police, teachers charged in child porn bust
One-hundred-and-fifty people, including police officers and teachers, have been arrested in what the Federal Police (AFP) describe as Australia's biggest Internet child pornography bust.
A corrupt way to treat the community?
I seen the police bleeding on Nine's Sunday program arguing that promotion should depend on how many crimes police have solved and not how many brains they have and that was coming from police commissioner Ken Moroney and Police Minister John Watkins?
Judges Blood Sample: After the fact of the fact of a hangover?
Lawyers say New South Wales Supreme Court judge Jeff Shaw should not give police his own sample of blood taken after he crashed his car near his Sydney home last month.
NSW police drug amnesty under review
A drug amnesty for the New South Wales police force is under review, Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has said.
Police to uphold law not decide mental health
A diagnosis of mental illness could be made over the phone instead of in person, and involuntary psychiatric patients could lose the right to have their case reviewed by a magistrate, under proposed changes to NSW mental health laws.
Redfern police need education not weapons
According to the description of one senior police officer, the ACLO called out on the afternoon before the Redfern violence escalated was "hopeless, intoxicated and had no driver's licence."
Bulldogs simply not the best!
SIMPLY NOT THE BEST AND DEFINITELY NOT BETTER THAN ANYONE, ANYONE I'VE MET.
Clive Small, NSW Inspector Gadget
NSW Police has revived controversial plans for a specialist discriminative squad to tackle the wave of violent crime that has plagued Sydney's south-west for more than a decade.
2,500, crooked detectives? Or a corrupt Government?
The Wood Royal Commission into police corruption. Where did the police learn their trade skills? Led by example perhaps?
Australia's Political Underworld...And their enforcers
The promotion of law and order means money to big business. Profits from insurance, security fixtures, patrol services and the like can only continue to grow if the perceived threat of uncontrollable crime wave escalates. In the past few months there have been many examples of the true nature of our blood thirsty politicians and their sinister attempts to spoon-feed a not so gullible public with their repetitious rhetoric.
Lord Denning
Interesting how a member of the Police Board Mr. Tim Priest would hold grave fears for his safety from dangerouse senior police but fails to name them or have them sacked. Rather Priest resigns as if he had no powers. Could that mean what he was saying is that the Governments are also corrupt?
Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.
Partners in crime - history!
Roger Rogerson, the old hero, who never faced a result in the Lanfranchy, or Huckstepp murders, was let off in my opinion when the New South Wales Government rolled the legal system (deciding what evidence to give the police prosecutor) to have the jury believe the illusion they (the Government wanted to create).Similarly, Peter Ryan facing the Police Integrity Commission for questions about his involvement in the demise of the dysfunctional reform unit. Chess in the court (rolling the legal system).
Police Chronology 1994-2001
View events in the NSW Police Force since the Wood Royal Commission began in 1994. 1994 May Justice James Wood is appointed Commissioner of the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service ('WRC').
Federal Police
AFP: The unlikely CRIMINAL
It was born of a bombing and it made its name after a far more devastating act of terrorism. But for most of the 25 years in between, little was known about the Australian Federal Police force or the work it did.
