Special report on police misconduct issues and risks associated with Victoria Police's Critical Incident Response Team
- Recommendations
- 6
- Report length
- 68 pages
Summary
The report's own summary: Overview, main findings, and recommendations, pages 7 to 14
Generated summary: written by an AI model from the report text and checked against the cited pages.
IBAC reviewed misconduct risks involving Victoria Police’s Critical Incident Response Team through investigations, oversight and research.
Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 7 · Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 8
It focused on the Inflation Nightclub incident and Operations Lynd and Wingan, while drawing on other police and coronial work.
IBAC found that force was proportionate in Lynd and Wingan, but officers failed to tell detained people why they were being held, contrary to human rights requirements.
It identified recurring weaknesses in force reporting, risk assessment, deployment communication and gender diversity.
Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 10 · Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 11 · Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 12 · Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 53
IBAC made six further recommendations on force reporting, operational risk, deployment responsibilities and diversity.
Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 13 · Attachment_A_The_CIRT_Special_Report_vgkVKs3j, page 14
In the body's own words
- Finding
CIRT officers have repeatedly failed to accurately and comprehensively report their use of force.
- Finding
In Operation Lynd, IBAC found that CIRT lacked a handover procedure for individuals in its custody, and that CIRT officers did not understand their arrest and handover responsibilities, placing them at risk of acting inconsistently with the human rights of persons in their custody.
Findings, opinions and statements
Allegations are not findings. A commission's finding or opinion of corrupt conduct or misconduct is not a finding that a person is guilty of a criminal offence, and the commissions say so in their reports.
No findings are reproduced in this record. This does not establish that the report contains none.
Recommendations 6
Recommendation 1
Within six months Victoria Police reports to IBAC on how the new use-of-force database will: • improve the accuracy of use-of-force reports • improve compliance by officers to submit reports after each incident • be audited to make sure that officers complete use-of-force forms when required, and that they complete them accurately • be used to identify trends in officers using force against members of the public, and officers at risk of using excessive force.
Recommendation 2
Within 12 months Victoria Police reports to IBAC on what new steps it is taking in relation to the use-of-force database to make sure that: • officers understand what constitutes force and what must be reported • it overcomes the risk of inaccurate or incomplete reporting when an incident is attended by more than one police unit.
Recommendation 3
Within 12 months Victoria Police, as part of the development of the new use-of-force database, consults with other Australian police agencies and any other agencies who report the use of force electronically, to identify barriers or risks to accurate and complete reporting, and that Victoria Police work to remove these barriers or risks. IBAC requests that, when Victoria Police responds to this recommendation, the response includes: • a list of the agencies that Victoria Police has consulted • the barriers or risks to accurate and complete reporting that the consulted agency identified • the steps that Victoria Police has taken or intends to take to remove each risk and barrier.
Recommendation 4
Within six months Victoria Police strengthens CIRT’s method for assessing operational risk, to remove the vulnerabilities highlighted in this report, including: • developing risk assessment principles for CIRT to standardise approaches to risk management as suggested in Victoria Police’s internal review of the Inflation Nightclub incident • specifically considering risk assessment practices as part of incident debriefs.
Recommendation 5
Within six months Victoria Police amends the Victoria Police Manual – Specialist Support to clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of CIRT officers and general duties officers whenever CIRT attends an incident in an ‘assist’ capacity, including in relation to: • communicating with other attending officers and the police forward commander • custody handover procedures and human rights • handling evidence • notifications to Professional Standards Command regarding deaths and serious injury incidents involving police.
Recommendation 6
Within 12 months Victoria Police diversifies CIRT’s leadership and make-up, including: • reporting to IBAC on how Victoria Police’s Gender Equality Action Plan 2022–24 and CIRT’s Gender Equality Action Plan have removed gender barriers to joining CIRT • reporting on other actions taken by Victoria Police to improve gender diversity in CIRT, including by reviewing role requirements (beyond physical training requirements) as recommended by VEOHRC’s Independent Review of Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment, Including Predatory Behaviour, in Victoria Police: Phase One Report • giving IBAC an updated report on the diversity of CIRT’s leadership and other officers.
Published responses
Responses to this report have not been checked.
Notes on this record
- Tabled: Legislative Assembly 2022-12-20; Legislative Council 2022-12-20.
- Authority: Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission Act 2011.
Coverage
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