Chiral Posted December 11, 2009 SOURCE THE head of the Victoria Police drug and alcohol unit has been suspended after allegations of serious misconduct contained in an ombudsman's report released today. In a scathing report tabled to state parliament, ombudsman George Brouwer raised concerns over shoddy work practices and management of drug exhibits at the Victoria Police Forensics Services Centre. Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said the main problems were at the drug and alcohol branch. He has stood down the head of that branch, Cate Quinn, on full pay pending possible disciplinary action. Former Australian Federal Police officer Graham Ashton, who led the forensic investigation after the Bali bombings, will take over forensics management starting on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Ken Jones will personally ensure all of Mr Brouwer's recommendations will be implemented. Mr Overland admitted the revelations concerning forensics had tainted the entire force. "It would be naive of me to suggest that it doesn't in some way damage our reputation," he told reporters in Melbourne. Mr Overland said the ombudsman report had found no evidence any drugs had gone missing. ### Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 11, 2009 This is going to make for some juicy stories. Apparently there has been virtually no oversight of drug storage and no checks and balances on where drugs are suppsoed to be. I would be very surprised if someone/everyone in that department hadn't worked this out years ago and the pending review and stocktake will reveal some interesting corruption. I mean it just has to. It does everywhere else where there is no oversight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rogdog Posted December 11, 2009 This kind of story just makes me sick. If you get caught growing a few illegal plants, you can end up with a criminal record for the rest of your life. But the fuckers who are meant to be policing the law can run rampant in the cookie jar. Little wonder some people have no respect for the law. Notice the sound of silence from the people who shout so loud for harsher drug laws. The very same scumbags who sweep any controversy under the carpet when their church leaders get caught with their hand in the till, or other worse things Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reptyle Posted December 11, 2009 The laws are bollocks...make the most of it...if u get caught...deal with it...if ure evil...u will suffer...problem? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 12, 2009 It gets better. The head of the department that was just suspended also had an affair with a corrupt detective who was jailed in 2003. How dirty can it get? I think this is just the beginning. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/12/2769914.htm Affair with corrupt cop puts cases in jeopardy Cate Quinn has been stood down and is now under investigation for serious misconduct. Two major drug cases may be in jeopardy after the ABC revealed details of an affair between a senior manager at the Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre and a corrupt detective. The State Ombudsman this week raised serious concerns about the way drugs were recorded and stored at the centre. The head of the facility's drug and alcohol branch, Cate Quinn, was immediately stood down and is now under investigation for serious misconduct. Police Minister Bob Cameron said he was confident no court cases had been affected by the problems outlined by the Ombudsman, however revelations of Ms Quinn's affair has given the State Opposition fresh ammunition. Ms Quinn had an affair with former drug squad detective Stephen Paton while working at the centre. He was jailed for corrupt behaviour in 2003. The ABC understands Ms Quinn was due to give evidence in two major drug cases next year, but that may now be impossible. Community and Public Sector Union spokeswoman Karen Batt says Ms Quinn is the scapegoat for her superiors, including Mr Cameron. "She is not corrupt. She was unaware of [Paton's] behaviour," Ms Batt said. "She was in a relationship and when she found out his behaviour, she has not seen him since the year 2000. "I think it's a smear of the worst order." Opposition police spokesman Peter Ryan says Mr Cameron is not doing his job properly. "Bob Cameron's performance this week has been disgraceful. He should resign," Mr Ryan said. But Mr Cameron says the problems at the Victoria Police Forensic Services Centre are primarily a matter for the police. "What you have is a whole lot of staff employed by the chief commissioner, and we've had an Ombudsman's report. "And police command always made very clear that as soon as the Ombudsman's report was handed down, they would be taking firm and decisive action and that's what we've seen from police command this week." Mr Cameron would not be drawn on explaining how a woman who had an affair with a corrupt detective was allowed to remain in a senior role at the forensic centre. "These are matters for police, that when you have a look at the Ombudsman's report, what the Ombudsman's report is about, is poor work practices and poor management; no reference to other matters," he said. "That's what it is was about and police command has acted upon. "I'm the Police Minister and ultimately myself and the Government, we're accountable to the people of Victoria. "We of course have an independent chief commissioner and an independent police force, but they, of course, are accountable to us." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reptyle Posted December 12, 2009 I am convinced that the only reasonable thing to do here is outsource to an independent psychological assessment firm the testing and categorization of every single police officer in the country...there needs to be a specifically identified personality type that is known to be prone to becoming a poice officer...the type of someone who wishes to "enforce the law"... i think the path to becoming a police officer is a sordid last resort style mentality, to retarded to do anything else, only just tough enough, though to weak to become something a little independant. these people are generally bad decision makers, easily peer pressured and totally addicted to dangerous often persectutory situations. They are able to find and place faith in non-existent values laying well outside the area of human morality for the sake of "earning a crust"...and that is what it is...crust... there would be found an attraction to violent behavior and a general fascination with weapons...along side an inability to discern truth from fallacy... these are dangerous people...and they are not in the business of protecting anyone... social regulation comes down to education and equality. not to the hands of evil fools with to little intelligence to see past their own personal needs and tiny little world view. a badge is not like a star u recieve in preschool...its a responsibility... if u would get a tattoo on ure face...ure in. peace and refusal to carry a gun is the key. milgram anybody? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C_T Posted December 12, 2009 and still on full pay... thats what grinds my gears. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 13, 2009 well said reptyle. But there is a better solution. If you make the police a truely honourable and respected profession and provide good career pay then you would automatically get better cops. The problem is thatw e can't afford to because we need to have so many cops on hand for policing laws that don't make sense or that make criminals out of half the population. When I spent a few months in amsterdam some years back I was amazed at how well respected and liked the cops there are. People actually greet them, wave at them and talk to them. In australia when I feel like I am in a tricky situation or not feeling well, or too drug fucked to deal with my shit, the top priority is to stay aay from cops. In Amsterdam when I greened out the cops looked after me until i was ready to move on, or when I was too wasted on 'e' to find my way home I asked them for directions. The australian drug laws put a wedge between the cops and the community that is so deep and so destructive that we as a community have divorced us from our protectors in the same way that our protectors have divorced themselves from us. They hate us as much as we hate them. The main problem with this isn't just the immediate effect though, rather it is the cascade of perceptions that follows. eg, a pot smoker gets mistreated by cops, loses respect for the law and moves onto small crime. Once you are branded a criminal because of your pot smoking there is no reason why you shouldn't be a criminal for other things. Look at all the law abiding ravers who take pills. Most of them were from a cultural background that would not allow criminal behaviour, but because they were branded criminals due to their drug consumption many have since decided that crossing the line is OK. If we remove the drug laws we would immediately only need half the cops and half the prisons. The savings would be astronomical and would allow for the improvement of the police force into something people can respect. prohibition has only ever increased crime, but in this case it has also caused a complete shift in the way we perceive our police as the corrupt, stupid, lazy, dead enders they have become. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reptyle Posted December 13, 2009 Celibate, monastic individuals who form partnerships for life (cathar parfait is a good model), who do not have the power to detain anyone who is not directly threatening the peace with violence... Jedi knights...anyone who thinks they have the right to possibly commit a person to 6 months, a year, 5 years prison time should be held and tried as a war criminal! retrospectively! time served by those captured equals duration of sentence...sounds fair...i wonder how they would feel being judged for their utter stupidity and lack of discernment given the slightest amount of hindsight... respect is earned, it has nothing to do with carrying a gun...or tazed! kung fu munkeys...how about a 5 years initiation...that would sort the wheat from the chaff... there's just to many badies...something about the grapical representation of spending ratio's of military and educational investments... it looks insane from a vantage point of peace...and if u have ever watched someone take of their socks on George street during an on the spot search u can understand why they need a gun...they had better hope they have guns... as i said....peace. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Torsten Posted December 30, 2009 The following news item is probably unrelatded to the drug unit head, but certainly related to the victorian police: Drugs found at police station Victoria Police is investigating drugs found within one of its main buildings. A building contractor found the drugs and drug-related items in a maintenance room at the St Kilda Road police complex in Melbourne yesterday. The Ethical Standards Department is investigating, and a forensic examination is being carried out to determine what the substances are. Police will not say how long it will take to get the results and when they will be released publicly. In a statement, they say it appears the items had been in the maintenance room for a considerable amount of time. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/30/2782889.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nabraxas Posted December 30, 2009 (edited) the St Kilda Road police complex seem to be the center for corrupt cops in Melbourne. make the police a truely honourable and respected profession and provide good career pay then you would automatically get better cops. That sounds good & i agree w/most ov what you're saying, but i think reptyle was closer to the truth, in that there's a specific personality type that is drawn to the job that even if you increase the pay they will still be greedy for more. Those corrupt drug squad detectives were well paid & respected. Also the police are used as the political wing ov the government. During the 1980's UK miners strike the police were used to break the most powerful union in the country, i'm not sure if the force will ever recover from the loss ov respect & goodwill in those coal mining areas that saw the brunt ov the violence. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/suffolk/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8281000/8281335.stm Anyone who's ever been on a lawful demonstration that's been broken up by police will also find it hard to have any respect for the institution. Edited December 30, 2009 by nabraxas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
