Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Victorian cops the most corrupt in Australia


A weekly round up of news on the cops. Former Australian Crime Commission Chair says Victorian cops are the most corrupt in Australia -- so they are given extra powers -- and so Melburnians can be patrolled by the army -- and have business deals with McDonalds. Top cops in NSW cleared after investigation -- but another one charged with child slavery. Western Australian police officer leaves the force under secrecy -- and Canberra hospital nurse tells the Federal Police to bugger off.

Victorian Police have won the prize of being the most corrupt police in Australia, in the opinion of the former chairman of the Australian Crime Commission, Peter Faris QC, according to the Sept 19 Australian.

Mr Faris further said that the Victorian Police Commissioner, Christine Nixon, was weak and a 'slave' to the Bracks Government, as he spoke to a parliamentary committee.

Corruption had been 'swept under the carpet' and allowed to fester, he said.

'I think there's a huge amount of corruption in the Victoria Police that's never been addressed,' Mr Faris said.

'When the balloon went up about the drug squad, that was only a small part of the corruption, and all the rest has never been looked at, it's all been swept under the carpet.'

The QC added 'I think we have dire problems here. I think we have a weak commissioner. I think the commissioner is a slave to the Government.'

The coppers in Victoria have been under sustained fire since the disgraced drug squad was disbanded in 2001.

Victoria: even more powers for the 'most corrupt police in Australia'

But your average copper these days is not so much the filth that we know of old, but a top notch counter-terrorism fighter. How appropriate, then, that they will be given police state powers.

Numerous media outlets reported on Sept. 21 that Victorian police will be given stop and search powers by the Bracks Labor government.

Police will also be able to search cars, demand identification, seize property, seize closed-circuit TV footage without a warrant and conduct secret property searches.

Some of these powers will be extended to officials and security guards at airports, power stations and reservoirs.

On the terrorism front, Premier Bracks has kissed the bottom of the Prime Minister, John Howard, saying that he approved of Federal Government plans to allow terrorist suspects to be detained for up to two weeks.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, has reciprocated by kissing the bottom of Premier Bracks, while at the same time indulging in a little bit of tongue action.

The Prime Minister said 'I think [the plans of Premier Bracks] are very sensible in the context of the preparations in this city for the Commonwealth Games' according to ABC's The World Today program on Sept. 21.

The President of Liberty Victoria, barrister Brian Walters, commented 'We've spent more than $5 billion on security since [the US false flag operations on] September the 11th, 2001 and it's hard to see that that reaction is proportionate to the threat that's posed,' said Brian Walters.

Walters continued 'Well I think there is some hysteria about the threat of terrorism and there is often the belief that getting rid of human rights will somehow make us safer, but our greatest security lies in our human rights.'

Further guranteeing our human rights will be the jackboots of the military, drafted in to occupy Melbourne during the Commonwealth Games, according to ABC news online.

Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon, described as weak and a 'slave' by a witness to a parliamentary committee (see above), will be the head of security for the games.

A total of 1,200 Australian Defence Force personnel will be in Melbourne in addition to the 13,000 police who will be deployed.

Melburnians have been warned to expect Defence Force personnel and equipment in and around the city in the lead-up to the Games. ADF tactical assault teams will be deployed.

Equipment to be used include Black Hawk helicopters and fighter jets, according to a Sept. 20 AAP report.

Melburnians have also been warned to expect personal searches, cars in the city to be subject to spot checks and residents could expect to see military aircraft overhead in the lead-up to, and during, the Games.

Meanwhile, doughnuts are being replaced by Big Macs as the favourite food of coppers in Victoria.

In a scene guaranteed to make any right-thinking person shudder with dread, Victorian Police have linked up with McDonalds to produce 'blue ribbons' for coppers killed on duty, according to the Sept 20 Ararat newspaper.

Blue Ribbon Foundation CEO Neil Soullier, in support of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation, has raised more than $4 million for community projects since 1993 which perpetuate the memory of police officers who have died in the line of duty.

No mention has been made in the various press releases about fundraising for the families of victims shot dead by police.

In New South Wales, Deputy Police Commissioner, Dave Madden, who is otherwise leaving the police service, will not be charged with any offence under the Telecommunications (Interception) Act in relation to phone tap leaking allegations, according to the Sept 20 Sydney Morning Herald.

The Assistant Commissioner, Peter Parsons, has also been told he is in the clear.

Mr Madden has applied for medical discharge because of stress.

The leaks related to allegations that some Bulldogs players had raped a woman at Coffs Harbour on February 22.

They haven't escaped yet though. The Department of Public Prosecutions has referred the matter back to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) to consider disciplinary action, according to a Sept 20 AAP report.

Although these two coppers might get off, that is not the case with former copper, Christopher White, who has been granted bail of 300,000 Thai baht ($A15,000) while facing child molestation charges, according to a Sept 20 AAP report.

White was arrested at his home in Bangkok on August 24 and denies charges that he sexually abused a teenage girl from Chiang Mai for four years. He is accused of forcing her to perform sexual acts on video with him and his friends.

In Western Australia, one of the state's most senior police officers has quit after making an 'error of judgment.'

Deputy commissioner Tim Atherton resigned, but we don't quite know why. The Sept 21 Advertiser reports that State Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan refused to provide details of the inappropriate conduct that led to his deputy's surprise resignation

He would not reveal when the conduct occurred and refused to say whether the behaviour involved sexual harassment.

But this week's round up has a happy ending. Australian Federal Police were put in their place by Canberra Hospital staff when they attempted to bully their way in past the emergency reception desk, according to the Sept. 16 Australian.

When the cops, with Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile in tow, tried to break the relatives-only visitor rule to see Senator Barnaby Joyce, the badge-flashing cops were told by the desk nurse 'That means nothing here, sonny.'

It was reported that Senator Joyce had arrived at the hospital at 8.45pm complaining of a migraine.


By Cop Watcher posted 27 September 05

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