Ombudsman Set to Lose Police Watchdog Role

A 3 year review of the police authority to work out there is a lack of independent scutiny of decisions......

Great Work Idiots....... Twisted Evil

http://www.policeforcesexposed.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=72&mode=&order=0&thold=0

THE state's top ombudsman, who also heads Victoria's controversial police watchdog, the Office of Police Integrity, could have his workload halved following a report highlighting his dual role's "conflict of interest".

It is believed a three-year review of the police authority has raised concerns about the lack of independent scrutiny of decisions.

A report by former judge David Jones, to be released next month, will make recommendations about the structure of the OPI.

Both the Police Association and the state Opposition have declared the current arrangement of Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer being director of the OPI to be unworkable.

On Friday, the State Government confirmed it was considering the future of the joint roles.

Alex Twomey, spokesman for Police Minister Bob Cameron, said the Government was "yet to make a decision on this issue".

A splitting of the roles could see Mr Brouwer return to his previous sole role as the Victorian Ombudsman.

Such a move would not be seen as an attack on Mr Brouwer, who enjoys support from both sides of politics — but as recognition that the current system could be improved.

The Sunday Age reported in November that a split of the dual role of Ombudsman and the Director of Police Integrity was being considered by the Government.

The dual title led to delays with the Office of Police Integrity being granted telephone intercept powers by the Federal Government because of a lack of a separate oversight authority to monitor the use of the intrusive powers.

The problem of oversight was highlighted again when confidential police files on more than 400 people were mistakenly mailed to a member of the public in 2005.

The same year, a complaint regarding an investigation by the Office of Police Integrity was handled by the Ombudsman's office, despite Mr Brouwer being the head of both organisations.

Mr Jones confirmed the current oversight arrangements would be scrutinised in his report.

"The area of operation of the OPI and the impact of it being a joint position on such things as dealing with complaints will be reviewed in the report," he said.

His review had considered also the oversight role of his office, the Special Investigations Monitor, and whether its powers and scope for investigation should be expanded.

Mr Jones said his review would not be examining the need for a broader anti-corruption commission or a royal commission for Victoria, as that was a decision for Government and was outside the scope his review.

Opposition police spokesman Andrew McIntosh said the splitting of the roles of Ombudsman and Director Police Integrity was overdue.

"It has to separated … the Office of the Ombudsman should not be linked with the Office of Police Integrity," Mr McIntosh said.

Police Association secretary Paul Mullet said the dual role was unworkable.

"It is clearly a conflict of interest," he said.

"That conflict of interest was demonstrated when he oversighted the Chief Commissioner's inappropriate investigation into the Police Association and then he had the gall to review that investigation in his capacity as an ombudsman.

"How can you review an investigation that you oversighted in the first place?"