Former police officers pen open letter criticising Victoria Police

STAFF WRITER
JUNE 09, 2015
HERALD SUN
A GROUP of former officers including an ex-Chief Commissioner have penned a letter critical of how Victoria Police is being run.
The police critics — including former top cop Kelvin Glare — disagree with the public decision to insist all officers work in pairs in the face of potential terror attacks.
Mr Glare is also critical of police vacating the field on crime issues like petrol drive offs.
The letter reads:
OPEN LETTER TO ALL VICTORIANS
The Victoria Police Blue Paper: ‘A Vision for Victoria Police in 2025’ was released in early June 2014. This paper accepts the original manifesto for policing of Sir Robert Peel and reinforces the need for the Victoria Police (“VicPol”) to become more engaged with the community.
This is not occurring and this must change.
Policing in Victoria is moving back to the dark ages and it seems a fortress mentality is emerging where VicPol is becoming more and more disengaged from the community, particularly youth.
This is at a time when engagement with the community in general and youth in particular has never been more important, particularly given terrorist acts are often perpetrated by youth.
We note the recent instruction that police must work in pairs and wear protective vests on duty, not travel to and from home in uniform and not take police cars home or park them where police live.
An edict promulgated in response to the perceived increased threat of terrorism.
We are of the view that this is a win for terrorists and sends the message that VicPol fears these barbarians. This is completely the antithesis of what community leaders from the Prime Minister and Premier down, are urging the community to do, be alert not alarmed.
Present and past serving police can rightfully feel offended as they have all served and will continue to serve their sworn duty to protect the citizens of this state. This capitulation is at a time when VicPol ought to be providing leadership and setting an example that terrorism can never win in Australia.
Extremism is being allowed to effectively compromise Police operations.
Additionally VicPol seems to be moving rapidly to where resources will be cloistered in larger Police Stations with personnel only leaving to respond to specific incidents. This siege mentality will force police members to a further disconnection from the community.
A basic policing tool is the gathering of information which can only occur through engagement with the community. Without it policing becomes ineffective and crime and social disorder flourishes.
The fundamentals of good policing are being increasingly unheeded.
A striking example is the withdrawal of VicPol from supporting youth programs like Blue Light, New Start and the now abolished highly successful Police in Schools program.
Given the current environment these programs should be promoted and supported not discarded.
We urge an urgent independent review of policing policy to return VicPol to being “The People’s Force”, for all Victorians. And invite the support of the community.
Signed:
Kelvin Glare AO APM OStJ . LLB (Hon) Former Chief Commissioner Victoria Police, Former Company Director
Noel Newman APM NPSM Former Commissioner Queensland Police, Former Deputy Commissioner Victoria Police
Neil O’Loughlin Former Deputy Commissioner Victoria Police
Ivan Ray Former Inspector Victoria Police, Foundation President Blue Light, Former CEO Blue Light, Former Company Director
Edward Hart Former Chief Inspector Victoria Police, Bachelor of Business Management Accounting, Bachelor of Business Management Business, Principle Ted Hart and Associates Liquor Licensing Consultant