Rats in ranks caught committing crimes

Herald Sun

April 18, 2011 12:00AM

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UPDATE 9am: ROGUE police are being caught breaking the law at a rate of more than one a week.

The breaches include serious crimes such as multiple assaults, sex attacks, thefts, threats to kill, firearms offences, burglary, stalking, child pornography and drug offences.

And four officers a week on average are caught failing to do their duty, with more than 2000 public complaints against police being proved in eight years.

Victorians also are paying a high price, with 373 suspended officers paid more than $15 million in the past decade.

Almost one officer a month had assault complaints against them upheld in eight years to 2009.

Twenty-five serious and 56 minor assault complaints proven included officers striking, choking, kicking, manhandling, pushing and spitting at people.

Chief Commissioner Simon Overland said it was "not OK" when police acted inappropriately.Other substantiated complaints include hundreds of incidents of cops behaving badly - making threats, indecent behaviour, abuse, being aggressive, insulting, harassing and behaving improperly.

"We probably attract more complaints here in Victoria than just about any other jurisdictions in Australia," he said on 3AW today.

"There's an argument (to say), 'Is that a bad thing (or) is that a good thing?'

"It could mean a number of things. It could actually mean we’re not as well behaved. It could actually mean people have more confidence in our systems here so they report more."

Mr Overland said officers who committed crimes were dealt with.

"We charge them criminally and or we take discipline action," he said.

He branded the complaints "customer service issues" not "criminality".

"They're people who behave rudely, duty failure, they haven’t done what they’re supposed to do or they’ve done it the wrong way so that’s about 50 per cent of the data you’re looking at," he said.

"Certainly that’s not good enough and we need to work to improve that.

"Anything that does involve criminality is clearly not OK but we deal with it and that’s what the data shows."

The Police Association said officers caught breaking the law should be punished like any other criminals.

"It is obviously a concern and no matter who it is whether they be a police officer or any other occupation if you break the law you deserve to be dealt with according to the law," Police Association Secretary Greg Davies told heraldsun.com.au.

Mr Davies said of the number of officers caught breaking the law were less than half a per cent of the total number of officers on the payroll.

"Our members don’t want to be working with criminals, they don’t join the police force to do that they join the police force to lock up criminals," he said.

"People convicted of criminal offences are almost inevitably dismissed from the police force."

Mr Davies said for minor offences officers might face an internal displinary process and be demoted or transferred.

Victoria Police has refused to release details of recent complaints under Freedom of Information laws or say how many complaints it receives.

The revelations have sparked fresh calls for a review of how police complaints are handled.

"You're complaining to the very people you have a problem with. It's the fox watching the hen house," said Law Institute Victoria president Caroline Counsel.

"You can complain to the ombudsman, the Office of Police Integrity or the police (but) all investigations should be independent of the police."

Ms Counsel said the lack of full disclosure made the data impossible to interpret.

"We're not getting a clear picture of what's going on," she said. "Are these the same rotten officers in the barrel committing these offences?"

The Victorian Ombudsman received 1000 complaints about Victoria Police in 2009-10, most of which were referred to the OPI.

Of the 712 complaints against police received by the OPI in 2009-10, more than two-thirds (493) were referred back to police.

Just 10 were investigated by the OPI, with 23 still under assessment and 268 complaints found to be outside the OPI's jurisdiction or "not warranting investigation".

The force said it encouraged complaints and had a history of disciplining members and laying criminal charges when appropriate.

"If the OPI refers matters to the police for investigation and complainants are not satisfied with the outcome they can make further approaches to the OPI," a spokesman said.

The data was released to the Herald Sun by Victoria Police outside the FoI laws.

- with Anne Wright, Amelia Harris

Drunk police officer wins job back despite smashing into parked car

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A SOUTH Coast police officer sacked for getting so drunk he wrecked two cars and asked a colleague to fake a breath test for him has won his job back.

Kiama Senior Constable Adam McDonald, 35, got so inebriated at a local ping-pong competition in January 2009 that when he drove home he totalled a parked car before smashing into a retaining wall, a court was told.

When the owner of the smashed car called police, Mr McDonald asked his colleagues to classify the crash as a "minor incident" and told them he would walk home.

They refused and arrested Mr McDonald, who they discovered had a penis drawn on his left cheek with a permanent marker.

The Industrial Court heard the officer was taken to Kiama Police Station where he asked another officer to take a breath test in his place before returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.205.

But Mr McDonald has won his job back after challenging his sacking in the Industrial Court of NSW.He was sacked in December 2009 by NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, a known teetotaller, who was furious about the incident.

The court heard that on the day of the crash Mr McDonald had been at a golf and poker day at Kiama Golf Club where he drank four schooners of beer over four hours.He then bought a 750ml bottle of bourbon and went to the ping-pong competition located "two to three" kilometres from his home.

After passing out at the competition, Mr McDonald woke up and attempted to drive home when he hit the parked car, according to the court judgment.

Police arrived at the scene on Meehan Drive and found a parked car had been "extensively damaged" with the bumper ripped off and the engine exposed.

Mr McDonald appeared to be heavily intoxicated, court documents said. He was "observed... as having drawings of penises on the left side of his face and on his left leg, apparently drawn with a black marker", court documents said.

He had the words "F*k the police" written on his back and his fly was undone, the court heard.

According to police, Mr McDonald was abusive and tried to use his position to have officers cover-up the incident.

Mr McDonald told the court he remembered little of the night.

He said people he didn't know were mixing his drinks and that they could have spiked them with drugs or large quantities of alcohol.

In court, Judge Wayne Haylen accepted the submissions and said the sacking was harsh.

He said Mr McDonald would have felt "fear and concern" when he awoke to find people drawing on him which may have "caused him to drive his vehicle when he otherwise would not have done so".Judge Haylen also said Mr McDonald, a father of three, was remorseful, had apologised and attended alcohol counselling.

He also said Mr McDonald was at risk of losing his house after being suspended without pay for 15 months.

Media adviser to Sports Minister Phil Reeves quits over car incident

March 07, 2011

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A MINISTERIAL staffer has quit his $135,000 a year job after he allegedly drove off from an inner-city hotel in a government-owned car, struck a four-wheel-drive while performing an illegal u-turn and kept going.

Former Fox Sports television presenter David Murdoch handed in his resignation yesterday following the incident about 7pm on Saturday.

Police sources have told The Courier-Mail, a large number of people at the Story Bridge Hotel witnessed the incident outside a fish and chip shop on Main Street at Kangaroo Point.

It is alleged a Holden Commodore left the hotel and drove for a short distance before attempting a u-turn and striking a Subaru Liberty four-wheel-drive, with a couple and their young child inside.

The Commodore then drove off, leaving the other vehicle's occupants shaken but unhurt.

The witnesses recorded the Commodore's registration number and informed police who were unable to track down the alleged driver until Sunday morning.

Officers are understood to be viewing video footage from the Story Bridge Hotel to determine how long the alleged driver had spent there, and how much he had to drink.Police yesterday confirmed they were investigating a hit and run incident at Kangaroo Point but no charges had as yet been laid.

The senior media adviser to Child Safety and Sport Minister Phil Reeves resigned on Sunday after the weekend incident.

No other details were provided in the statement from the minister's office.

Earlier, ministers arriving at today's Cabinet meeting were tight-lipped.

However, Community Services Minister Karen Struthers, who was caught drink driving in a government vehicle as a parliamentary secretary in 2007, said the staffer had done the right thing.

"These incidents are very unfortunate," she said.

"This fellow seems to have done the right thing and resigned and that's really a matter for him now."

Health Minister Geoff Wilson said he did not know the details and so couldn't comment on whether the community deserved to know what had happened.

"The public, and I'm sure the premier, expects the highest standards of behaviour from everyone associated with Government," he said.

In 2009, Premier Anna Bligh's top media adviser, Lidija Ivanovski , quit in disgrace after being charged with drink-driving in a government car after a post-Parliament booze-up.

Moving parked car was just the limit for DUI cop

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A SENIOR police officer caught more than three times over the legal alcohol limit said he was only moving his car out of a two-hour parking spot.

Darren Keith McCaughey, of Cromer, yesterday pleaded guilty to high-range drink driving after returning a blood-alcohol reading of 0.172 just after midnight on January 4. He was handed a one-year driving ban and fined $750.

The 39-year-old sergeant, who is attached to a special command, was pulled over in Pine St, Manly.

He had been drinking for nearly five hours and said he had consumed six schooners of beer without eating.

His lawyer Philippa Grant told the court her client had planned to get a taxi home and only went to his car to get his keys. "He noticed he was in a two-hour parking spot and decided to drive around the corner," she said.

Senior cop probed over Facebook photos

February 18, 2011

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THE Opposition has raised concerns about police officers using Facebook in light of revelations a senior constable posted photos of drunk Aboriginals in custody on the popular networking website.

Senior Constable John Trenouth is under investigation for allegedly posting the photographs on his Facebook profile on three occasions last year.

He was only stood down from WA Police after the photos were exposed in the media.

The pictures show the men intoxicated and barely conscious inside a police cell in the remote town of Wiluna in the Goldfields.

The caption on one photograph on Facebook reads: "I wonder if anyone will notice my spray-on tan?''

The photographs were allegedly found on Snr Const Trenouth's "profile pictures'' folder on his Facebook page.

Police internal affairs officers are investigating the allegations and have taken copies of the photographs, which appear to have been posted on August 11, August 16 and September 11 last year.

Opposition spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said that while the matter was under internal investigation, it was hard to contemplate any mitigating circumstances for the conduct.

Ms Quirk said she had raised her concerns about police officers using Facebook with senior police in the past.

"As well as the issue of airing official information, the breach of privacy and ignoring official directives about the use of Facebook, this case involves even more startling clear racist overtones,'' she said.

"As part of recruitment training, police officers are given a four-day course on diversity and a component of that relates to Aboriginal culture.

"The senior constable's actions and attitude raise the question about whether he received this training and also suggests he was not suitable to work in remote Western Australia.''

Snr Const Trenouth has been stood down from duty pending the outcome of the inv

Former Cunnamulla police officer sued by three Aborigines over pub arrests

February 18, 2011

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A POLICEMAN is being sued for $630,000 by three Aborigines who claim he racially taunted and arrested them while drunk almost six years ago.

The policeman is accused of the false imprisonment and assault and battery of the trio after he had allegedly consumed rum and more than 15 beers.

Former Cunnamulla constable Adam Millan Martin Reedy and the Queensland Government are being sued by Geraldine Lyn Robinson, Corinne Anne Mitchell and Malcolm John Mitchell over the incident, which started at the Club Hotel on May 15, 2005.

The trio, in documents lodged in the Brisbane District Court on Wednesday, claim Mr Reedy had been drinking beer and rum for up to 12 hours from 10am before becoming verbally aggressive and offensive to a group of pub patrons.

Documents sighted by The Courier-Mail yesterday allege Mr Reedy became aggressive towards Corinne Mitchell after he was earlier warned to "settle down" and then asked by hotel staff to leave the premises.

The trio, in an affidavit lodged by their lawyers, claim Mr Reedy arrested Ms Mitchell after falsely accusing her of spitting on him and dragged her from the pub with his arm around her neck.

It is claimed Ms Robinson rushed to Ms Mitchell's aid in fear for her safety, but that Mr Reedy then pulled Ms Robinson's hair and then pulled her blouse off, partially exposing her breasts to hotel patrons.

Malcolm Mitchell was also detained and charged when he tried to help Ms Robinson.

The trio were all charged the following day, based on a complaint by Mr Reedy, and remanded in custody on charges of grievous bodily harm and assault causing bodily harm while in company.

Documents reveal Ms Mitchell was held in custody for 10 months and Ms Robinson for six weeks until they were released on bail.

All three were committed to stand trial until the Crown withdrew all charges three years ago.

The three are collectively suing Mr Reedy and the Queensland Government for $300,000 in general damages and $180,000 for aggravated damages.

Mr Mitchell is suing both for $30,000 in exemplary damages.

However, Mr Robinson and Ms Mitchell are suing only Mr Reedy for $150,000 in exemplary damages.

The three claim Mr Reedy's actions resulted in them being publicly "ridiculed and humiliated".

"(They all) suffered deprivation of liberty, outrage, humiliation, indignity, anxiety and distress," the court documents say.

A date has yet to be listed to hear the matter.

Quigley blasts Police Commissioner over 'litany of lies'

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February 17, 2011

WESTERN Australia's shadow attorney-general John Quigley has launched a blistering attack on the state's police commissioner for distributing what he calls "a litany of lies".

In state parliament, Mr Quigley criticised the role of Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan in "vilifying" an Aboriginal man who was tasered up to 41 times in a week by police and corrective services officers.

The behaviour of officers in arresting Kevin Spratt and his treatment at Perth lock-up was the subject of a Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) inquiry in December.

Mr Spratt's treatment came to light when a video was released last year of police tasering him 14 times while in custody at Perth Watchhouse on August 31, 2008.

Following the release of initial video, which pixellated Mr Spratt's face, WA police issued a flow chart to media outlining the events leading up his tasering and involvement with police, including charges previously brought against him.

Mr Quigley told parliament that when examined against police documents and evidence before the CCC, the flow chart was a "litany of lies".

He called on the government to get to the bottom of the creation of the document, which he said was compiled by the WA police internal affairs unit.

"What discussion (did they have) with Commissioner O'Callaghan and Deputy Commissioner (Chris) Dawson before they so willingly went out into a press conference selling these lies to the public of WA to vilify Kevin Spratt?" Mr Quigley told parliament.

"It is beyond imagination as to why they did it ... but it's got to mark them down as the worst commissioner and deputy commissioner in Australia by their conduct."

Mr Quigley told parliament Mr Spratt had complained to Mr O'Callaghan about his alleged vilification, but was told via a letter in October that police did not identify him.

He said that following the press conference in which Mr O'Callaghan released the flow chart, a Seven Network TV news crew went to the home of Mr Spratt's parents, who told them he was at work.

"The commissioner of police would want us to believe this eye-wash, that there was no communication with Channel Seven of the address or person ... that's just a lie," he said.

Mr Quigley said the flow chart stated Mr Spratt had acted violently and obstructed police at Perth lock-up before being tasered, and as a result had been charged over that behaviour.

However the CCC hearing in December was told Mr Spratt had not been violent and had been convicted on the basis of a misleading statement of facts.

"There's a day of reckoning coming," Mr Quigley said.

"The commissioner of police in this lie had the knees kicked from under him by his staff who went to the CCC one after the other and said he was calm at the watchhouse; he was not violent and was not resisting."

Mr Quigley accused Police Minister Rob Johnson of allowing WA police to vilify Mr Spratt and called on him to request a full explanation from Mr O'Callaghan.

Mr Johnson accused Mr Quigley of abusing parliamentary privilege and said he was "showboating" in front of an ABC documentary crew.

"It's the most disgraceful speech I have ever heard and which not only targets and defamed our senior police officer and many of them, but the whole of the WA police force," he told Fairfax Radio.

"I think they will be disgusted."

He said he would consider referring the matter to the parliamentary privileges committee.