Private eyes are watching Victoria’s police force as claims of bullying are probed

Victorian Police Department Commissioner Graham Ashton speaks to the media.

 

PRIVATE investigators are being used to pursue “bullying” and other claims in the corridors of power of Victoria’s police force. 

Julie Baker-Smith and Associates is routinely hired by Victoria Police to conduct confidential investigations, with six invoices for work commissioned by Deputy Commissioner Specialist Operations Graham Ashton and the Deputy Commissioner Strategy Lucinda Nolan since July, 2012. A seventh job commissioned by the force’s Western Region was subsequently cancelled.

In one case, JBSA spent six months investigating a number of claims of “inappropriate behaviour” by an executive officer working in the office of Assistant Commissioner Road Policing Robert Hill.

The $18,000 probe concluded in May last year but the force refuses to release the findings, saying none of the allegations was substantiated “and accordingly there have been no criminal or disciplinary charges as a result”.

JBSA promotes itself as a “niche investigations consultancy practising exclusively in sensitive HR issues management”.

It says its all-female investigators are of the “highest standing” but are not lawyers or HR professionals and “do not come from a police culture”.

“Your sensitive employment issues are dealt with urgently, discreetly, comprehensively and analytically, and are concluded with a confidential report tailored to your specific requirements,” the firm’s website says.

According to documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws, JBSA was called in to conduct “fresh investigations of the allegations of inappropriate behaviour” in Mr Hill’s office.

The force refuses to say what the alleged behaviour involved, although the documents make it clear there were several instances of “alleged bullying conduct”.

Just three heavily censored pages from the 286-page report were released to the Herald Sun under FoI. Access to a separate 33-page executive summary was denied in full.

At the conclusion of its investigation JBSA reported to Mr Hill that its instructions had been to conduct a “fresh” investigation and determine whether each allegation “occurred, did not occur, or cannot be substantiated”.

JBSA said it was also told its investigation should include any allegations against the alleged perpetrator involving other police members but did not extend to other actions such as preferential treatment, not the conduct of other police members.

It also reported its probe had been delayed for a number of reasons, including the time it took to contact other complainants and obtain their original statements.

Insp Ian Geddes said there was no statutory obligation to undertake such reviews but it was considered “best practice” in circumstances where the nature of the complaint and the individuals involved warranted.
“It is a subjective assessment as to whether this process is undertaken,” he said.

Insp Geddes said JBSA had been “engaged randomly” from the State Services Authority Panel list of approved independent review officers.

JBSA says it has undertaken some 500 investigations of public sector misconduct, complaints and Whistleblower matters for the Public Sector Standards Commissioner.

Company spokesman Peter Richards said: “We are not at liberty to discuss any relationship JBSA has with any client, and in saying so I do not acknowledge, nor should it be inferred by this response, that the Victoria Police is or has ever been a client of JBSA.”

heraldsun.com.au 14 July 2014

Victoria Police are in fact criminal thugs, where there is much more crime committed by Victoria Police than is being reported by the corporate media.

Victoria Police are involved in corporate crimes ranging from white collar banking fraud, extortion to just plain theft.

This all seems to be supported by the legal system and Australia's Admiralty / Maritime court system.