Victoria Police
Categories: Law enforcement agencies of Australia | Victoria
The Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia.
As of 2002, the Victoria Police had over 10,500 personnel along with over 2,100 civilian staff in more than 330 police stations. Until the late 1990's the motto of Victoria Police was "Tenez le droit". It was changed to "Uphold the Right", an English translation of the previous Old French motto "Uphold the Law" but as officials believed that the Victorian Police Force was more than just upholding the law they changed it to it's present state.
Contents |
Early History
The Victoria Police was formally established on January 8, 1853 from an existing colonial police force of 875 men. The first appointment as Chief Commissioner was William Henry Fancourt Mitchell.
Their first major engagement was the following year, 1854, in support of British soldiers during the events leading up to, and confrontation at, the Eureka Stockade. A new Chief Commissioner, Charles MacMahon, was appointed that same year. The first death in the line of duty, that of Constable William Hogan, also occurred in 1854.
The following couple of decades saw the growth of the police force, including the beginning of construction of the Russell Street police station in 1859 and the establishment of a special station in William Street to protect the Royal Mint in 1872.
Six years later, three more officers (Kennedy, Lonigan and Scanlan) were killed by the Kelly Gang at Stringybark Creek. Two years later, in 1880, the police confronted the Kelly Gang at Glenrowan. A shoot-out ensued on June 28, during which three members of the Kelly Gang were killed and following which Ned Kelly was captured.
1880 also saw the formation of the Aboriginal Tracker Corps. The corps was disbanded in 1968.
In 1888 Senior Constable John Barry produced the first Victoria Police Guide, a manual for officers. (The Victoria Police Manual, as it is now known, remains the comprehensive guide to procedure in the Victoria Police.) Police officers were granted the right to vote in parliamentary elections the same year.
In 1899 the force introduced the Victoria Police Valour Award to recognise the bravery of members. Three years later, in 1902, the right to a police pension was revoked.
1923 Victorian Police strike
On October 31, 1923 members of the Victoria Police Force refused duty and went on strike over the introduction of a new supervisory system. The police strike led to riots in Melbourne's CBD. The Victorian government enlisted Special Constables, and the Commonwealth of Australia called out the Australian military. None of the strikers were ever employed as policemen again, and the government increased pay and conditions for police as a result.
"Members" of the Victoria Police (as its officers are generally known) now have among the highest union membership rates of any occupation, at well over 90%.The Victorian police union, the Police Association, remains a very powerful industrial and political force in Victoria.
Recent History
In the 1980s and 1990s most Australian police forces battled widespread allegations of corruption and graft. These allegations culminated in the establishment of several Royal Commissions and anti-corruption watchdogs. Yet the Victoria Police seemed remarkably free from corruption. Criticisms centred around the fact that Victoria Police members were shooting dead members of the public (both innocent and guilty) at a rate exceeding that of all other Australian police forces combined.
Mostly the deaths were alleged to be due to ineptitude and mistake by members - but some others were said to be deliberate executions. These views were fuelled when various members of the Armed Robbery and Homicide Squads were charged with murder-related offences after Armed Robbery Squad detectives shot an unarmed man, Graeme Jensen, in the back of the head. The Police Association campaigned vigourously on their behalf, and the charges were withdrawn.
The difference between the Victoria Police and other Australian police forces is illustrated by a popular joke: A group of Victoria Police and New South Wales Police Service officers meet for a law enforcement conference. One of the New South Welshmen says to the Victorians: "Now, if you guys promise not to shoot anybody, we'll promise not to steal anything!"
In 2001 Christine Nixon was appointed Chief Commissioner, becoming the first woman to head a police force in Australia.
In June 2003, Taskforce Purana was set up by Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Simon Overland to investigate Melbourne's "gangland killings".
Officers killed
On October 12, 1988, officers Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre were gunned down in the Walsh Street police shootings.
On August 16, 1998, officers Gary Silk and Rodney Miller were gunned down in the Silk-Miller police murders.