These filthy pigs uphold the Reich
Corrupt police 'protect' organised crime bosses - By Gary Hughes
VICTORIA'S corruption watchdog has uncovered links between organised crime and corrupt police, including claims that criminal networks are being protected and "green-lighted".
There also are allegations that some corrupt police are directly involved in drug dealing.
The Office of Police Integrity's director, George Brouwer, and assistant director for investigations, Graham Ashton, told The Age the extent of the alleged links between organised crime and police corruption was still being assessed.
"We have members of the criminal fraternities telling us about their police associations," Mr Ashton said.
"At the moment that's intelligence. Some of it is evidence, but mostly it is intelligence and we are working to corroborate and flesh out that information and work out if it is information we can actively deal with in relation to working on those individuals."
In an extensive briefing to The Age to mark the OPI's first 12 months of operating under its extended powers, Mr Brouwer also revealed:
? He has held 24 secret hearings at which he has used his coercive powers to force people to answer questions, even if they incriminate themselves.
? He has started 61 major investigations in the past year. Some of them have been kept secret even from Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon.
? Some members of the police's own anti-corruption unit, the Ethical Standards Department, have been trying to undermine his office through leaks to the media.
A new OPI covert surveillance team started undercover operations about six weeks ago against selected targets. Investigators using assumed identities will also be used.
Corruption prevention strategies have been implemented at Bairnsdale and Geelong police stations after analysis of patterns in complaints showed them to be "hot spots".
Financial institutions, including banks and credit card companies, have been forced to hand over records to help trace the financial dealings of suspected corrupt police.
Mr Ashton said a "brotherhood" or culture of silence still operated within the police force to protect corruption, although there had been an "incremental increase" in the number of police members coming forward to blow the whistle on crooked colleagues.
"Police are coming to us and saying, 'I've seen this and I don't like it'," he said. The OPI recently established a hotline where police can anonymously provide tip-offs about corruption.
But he said corruption still existed in the police force, despite the success of Operation Ceja in breaking links between corrupt drug squad officers and drug dealers. "We do still see corruption in the Victoria Police," he said. "There's still much work to be done."
The OPI has developed its own counterintelligence capabilities to protect investigators and stop corrupt police skilled in investigative techniques from finding out details of operations.
A high-tech computer unit within the OPI is targeting the increasing use of computers by corrupt police.
Mr Brouwer, whose first annual report is due to be tabled in State Parliament next week, said he hoped to begin public hearings into suspected corrupt police early next year in a high-security hearing room built at the OPI offices in Collins Street.
He also foreshadowed seeking from the State Government greater power to override the abuse of legal privilege covering dealings between lawyers and clients. It is the only power he lacks compared with a royal commission and the only place his coercive powers cannot reach. "Not all members of the legal profession behave equally honourably," Mr Brouwer said. "There will be occasions when their relationships with criminal figures are a bit too close for comfort. There are certain things that could be hidden under legal professional privilege."
Mr Brouwer said individuals within the Ethical Standards Department had tried to undermine OPI by leaking damaging information to the media. He had raised his concerns with Chief Commissioner Nixon.
"I am not going to be distracted by that kind of game playing," Mr Brouwer said. He blamed "transitional difficulties" for problems between his office and ESD. Most ESD investigators were dedicated and committed to cleaning up the force. END
Theres one I know in ' ethical standards'. I'll post his name soon...real soon.
VICTORIA'S corruption watchdog has uncovered links between organised crime and corrupt police, including claims that criminal networks are being protected and "green-lighted".
There also are allegations that some corrupt police are directly involved in drug dealing.
The Office of Police Integrity's director, George Brouwer, and assistant director for investigations, Graham Ashton, told The Age the extent of the alleged links between organised crime and police corruption was still being assessed.
"We have members of the criminal fraternities telling us about their police associations," Mr Ashton said.
"At the moment that's intelligence. Some of it is evidence, but mostly it is intelligence and we are working to corroborate and flesh out that information and work out if it is information we can actively deal with in relation to working on those individuals."
In an extensive briefing to The Age to mark the OPI's first 12 months of operating under its extended powers, Mr Brouwer also revealed:
? He has held 24 secret hearings at which he has used his coercive powers to force people to answer questions, even if they incriminate themselves.
? He has started 61 major investigations in the past year. Some of them have been kept secret even from Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon.
? Some members of the police's own anti-corruption unit, the Ethical Standards Department, have been trying to undermine his office through leaks to the media.
A new OPI covert surveillance team started undercover operations about six weeks ago against selected targets. Investigators using assumed identities will also be used.
Corruption prevention strategies have been implemented at Bairnsdale and Geelong police stations after analysis of patterns in complaints showed them to be "hot spots".
Financial institutions, including banks and credit card companies, have been forced to hand over records to help trace the financial dealings of suspected corrupt police.
Mr Ashton said a "brotherhood" or culture of silence still operated within the police force to protect corruption, although there had been an "incremental increase" in the number of police members coming forward to blow the whistle on crooked colleagues.
"Police are coming to us and saying, 'I've seen this and I don't like it'," he said. The OPI recently established a hotline where police can anonymously provide tip-offs about corruption.
But he said corruption still existed in the police force, despite the success of Operation Ceja in breaking links between corrupt drug squad officers and drug dealers. "We do still see corruption in the Victoria Police," he said. "There's still much work to be done."
The OPI has developed its own counterintelligence capabilities to protect investigators and stop corrupt police skilled in investigative techniques from finding out details of operations.
A high-tech computer unit within the OPI is targeting the increasing use of computers by corrupt police.
Mr Brouwer, whose first annual report is due to be tabled in State Parliament next week, said he hoped to begin public hearings into suspected corrupt police early next year in a high-security hearing room built at the OPI offices in Collins Street.
He also foreshadowed seeking from the State Government greater power to override the abuse of legal privilege covering dealings between lawyers and clients. It is the only power he lacks compared with a royal commission and the only place his coercive powers cannot reach. "Not all members of the legal profession behave equally honourably," Mr Brouwer said. "There will be occasions when their relationships with criminal figures are a bit too close for comfort. There are certain things that could be hidden under legal professional privilege."
Mr Brouwer said individuals within the Ethical Standards Department had tried to undermine OPI by leaking damaging information to the media. He had raised his concerns with Chief Commissioner Nixon.
"I am not going to be distracted by that kind of game playing," Mr Brouwer said. He blamed "transitional difficulties" for problems between his office and ESD. Most ESD investigators were dedicated and committed to cleaning up the force. END
Theres one I know in ' ethical standards'. I'll post his name soon...real soon.
posted by professor rat at 2:27 PM
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