Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland wants to expand his powers. Herald Sun
UPDATE 9.30am: THE Police Association says Simon Overland's proposed law changes to expand his powers while scaling back external oversight of the police force would be a "recipe for disaster".
The commissioner wants the office of the chief empowered to promote or dismiss rogue officers, and to determine police employment conditions including pay.
He has also asked that only the Office of Police Integrity handle serious misconduct complaints about the chief, the Herald Sun has learnt.
Now, the Police Regulation Act says whistleblowers may take such complaints to the Ombudsman.
Mr Overland has claimed the dual structure is confusing.
Police Association boss Snr-Sgt Greg Davies said the union opposed the proposal.
"We opposed the push for these sorts of powers last time. We would oppose for them this time," Snr-Sgt Davies said this morning.
Mr Overland faces resistance from the Baillieu Government, which said his proposals were doomed."We have no problem with external contractors being held accountable for security breaches but that’s the end of it. We certainly don't support the abolition of the Police Appeals Board. We don’t support the centralising of this completely unfettered power in any one person anywhere."
Setting the scene for a potential showdown between Mr Overland and the Government, Mr Overland wants the law amended to:
GIVE the chief more power to sack or discipline police, particularly those suspected of corruption.
ABOLISH the Police Appeals Board, preferring instead to have police challenge promotion and transfer decisions in-house.
BAN contractors to Victoria Police disclosing sensitive police information to which they might have access.
The changes reflect those proposed by former chief Christine Nixon in 2008. The Coalition refused to back the Nixon changes while in opposition.
Victoria Police last night confirmed it had again raised the changes with the Government.
But a spokeswoman for Police Minister Peter Ryan said: "Consistent with that (previous) stance we will not pursue these amendments in Government."
The Ombudsman is investigating a claim Mr Overland released crime statistics favourable to Labor before the election.
Mr Overland this month complained to the OPI his former deputy Sir Ken Jones had been leaking information to the media.
In doing so, he reportedly met former AFP officer Paul Jevtovic, who is the OPI's deputy director. Mr Overland served two decades with the AFP.
The Baillieu Government's plan to replace the OPI with a wide-ranging anti-corruption body has been delayed with no start date.
crawfordc@newsltd.com.au
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