ANNUAL REPORT 2015 – 2016 1 CONTENTS Victoria Police pay respect to the traditional owners of lands on which we live and work. We pay our respects to Elders and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who continue to care for their country, culture and people. Authorised and published by Victoria Police Victoria Police Centre 637 Flinders Street, Docklands VIC 3008 2 YEAR IN REVIEW www.police.vic.gov.au Print managed by Finsbury Green. 6 FOREWORD FROM THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER This publication is available in PDF format on the internet at www.police.vic.gov.au 8 ABOUT VICTORIA POLICE Consistent with the DataVic Access Policy issued by the Victorian Government in 2012, relevant information included in this 17 OUR PERFORMANCE Annual Report will be available at www.data.vic.gov.au in electronic readable format. 29 REGIONAL OPERATIONS © State of Victoria (Victoria Police) 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form 37 SPECIALIST OPERATIONS or by any means without the prior written permission of the State of Victoria (through Victoria Police). 45 CAPABILITY ISSN 2202-9672 (Print) ISSN 2202-9680 (Online) 54 INFRASTRUCTURE Published October 2016 58 BUSINESS SERVICES This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the 65 APPENDICES publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information is this publication. 115 FINANCIALS 1 VICTORIA POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 ‘…The Chief Commissioner welcomed the 2016-17 Budget announcement that Victoria Police would benefit from a YEAR IN $596 million Public Safety – Police Response package to tackle crime through additional frontline personnel, specialist REVIEW equipment, resources and new technology.’ During the 2015-16 financial year, Victoria Police faced In 2015-16, there was a high-profile spate of gang Recommendations were made to address post- The Protective Services Officers (PSOs) project, which a number of challenges, including the continued activity, aggravated burglaries and carjackings, many of traumatic stress, alongside a greater focus on peer began more than four years ago, was fully rolled out in changing nature of crime and increases in recorded which were committed by young offenders including a support, counselling and support services for retired June 2016, with 215 train stations now patrolled by crime across the majority of the key crime categories. small group of individuals who are committing a large officers. PSOs. With patrols in designated areas from 6pm until number of offences. The impact of this type of offending after the last train has departed and throughout the Statistics show that in 2015-16 the overall crime rate per The findings and recommendations of the Victorian is significant. Victoria Police is focused on preventing weekend as part of the Night Network, PSOs perform a 100,000 population increased by 11.2 per cent compared Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission these offences, apprehending offenders and ensuring crucial role in increasing train commuters’ perceptions of to the same period last year, driven by significant increases (VEOHRC) Independent Review into sex community safety. safety. in property and deception offences. discrimination and sexual harassment, including In 2015-16, Victoria Police committed to undertaking predatory behaviour in Victoria Police, released in Victoria Police held a memorial service on 24 March In 2015-16, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton AM an evaluation of several youth cautioning and diversion December 2015, were accepted in full by the Chief 2016 to pay tribute to Constable Angela Taylor, who formalised the development of a Capability Plan for the pilot programs to identify opportunities to better meet Commissioner. A number of recommendations were was murdered in the Russell Street bombings 30 years organisation to deliver a roadmap and investment towards the needs of young people who come into contact with actioned immediately, including the establishment of ago. Constable Taylor’s parents, as well as hundreds our desired future state. Building on the Corporate the justice system. Victoria Police also has ongoing the Workplace Harm Hotline, Safe Space and of serving members and former police, government Plan 2015-18, the Capability Plan will capture both the involvement with the Children’s Court Diversion Pilot Taskforce Salus. representatives and the community, gathered at the intent of and challenges articulated in the Victoria Program which operates across the state. In addition, Old Police Garage on Russell Street, where Constable Police Blue Paper: A Vision for Victoria Police in 2025 Family violence continued to be a high priority for police Victoria Police hosted a series of community forums in Taylor was remembered as an inspiring and dedicated and recent changes in the strategic environment. The and the Family Violence Command has continued to 2015-16 to discuss opportunities for grassroots initiatives police officer. The Chief Commissioner presented the Capability Plan will deliver a roadmap and investment develop a more effective response and approach to promoting social cohesion for youth. Taylor family with Constable Taylor’s National Police plan to incrementally develop the capabilities Victoria family violence. The Victoria Police submission to the Service Medal. Police needs to remain effective in delivering community Operation Cosmas commenced in early May, focusing Royal Commission into Family Violence contributed to safety through a future state where police are better on theft of motor vehicle offences associated with either the 227 recommendations to reform the family violence A summary of our key achievements in 2015-16, aimed at connected to communities, connected in responses and aggravated burglaries or armed robberies, leading to 69 system in Victoria. delivering a safer Victoria, is listed in the following table, along with page references for further detail on each connected by technology. Cosmas related arrests to 30 June 2016. The rollout of Police Custody Officers (PCOs) for achievement. In light of the heightened security environment, The Chief Commissioner has a renewed focus on Victoria the management of persons held in police custody 2015-16 saw the establishment of our Counter Terrorism Police as an employer of choice and welcomed the commenced in 2015-16. A total of 214 PCOs have In 2015-16 the Chief Commissioner welcomed the 2016- Command, strengthening Victoria Police’s counter terrorism release of the Victoria Police Mental Health Review 2016. been employed as at 30 June 2016. PCOs have been 17 Budget announcement that Victoria Police would benefit capacity and capability. In April 2015 the 2016-17 Victorian The independent review was commissioned to better deployed across 21 of the 22 primary stations due to from a $596 million Public Safety – Police Response State Budget announced Victoria Police would receive understand the mental health issues of our employees receive PCOs, freeing up police resources for other package to tackle crime through additional frontline $62.9 million for counter terrorism capability and response. and identify how we could improve support of our people. activities. Recruitment is well underway for the remainder personnel, specialist equipment, resources and new of the PCOs funded to be delivered by December 2017. technology. This funding will address some of our most critical policing challenges, through strengthening our ability to deliver a more flexible, responsive and visible service to the community and enhancing capacity through additional specialist police. The funding will ‘The Chief Commissioner has a renewed focus on Victoria also assist with the introduction of mobile technology for police in the field, the deployment of body worn cameras Police as an employer of choice and welcomed the release and improvements to Victoria Police’s intelligence of the Victoria Police Mental Health Review 2016.’ capability. YEAR IN REVIEW | ABOUT VICTORIA POLICE | OUR PERFORMANCE | REGIONAL OPERATIONS | SPECIALIST OPERATIONS | CAPABILITY | INFRASTRUCTURE | BUSINESS SERVICES | APPENDICES | FINANCIALS 3 VICTORIA POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 TABLE 1.1: MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST CORPORATE PLAN AREAS OF FOCUS AREAS OF FOCUS ACTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS PAGE AREAS OF FOCUS ACTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS PAGE IMPROVING Established the Counter Terrorism Command. 39 ACHIEVING THROUGH Implemented the Zero Harm Strategy to improve workplace safety. 12 COMMUNITY SAFETY OUR PEOPLE Supported the Royal Commission into Family Violence. 30 Undertook the Victoria Police Mental Health Review, resulting in 39 recommendations which are now 2 being actioned. Rolled out the Protective Service Officers (PSOs) project, with 215 train stations now being patrolled 31 by PSOs. All recommendations of the VEOHRC Independent Review into sex discrimination and sexual harassment, 13 including predatory behaviour in Victoria Police, were accepted and a number have already been actioned. Developed and implemented the Vehicle Theft Reduction Plan. 31 Developed our organisational Capability Plan. 14 Taskforce Tense commenced in February 2016 in Southern Metro Region in response to a spate 31 of violent aggravated burglary, robbery (carjacking), vehicle