There has been considerable media criticism of corrupt and unethical behaviour by a very small number of Victoria Police members following the publication of the 2008-09 Office of Police Integrity Annual Report.

Overall, we are very pleased with the report and believe it contains many positives about the direction Victoria Police is heading in, driving improvements in ethical health and the behaviour. Specifically, we welcome the OPI's acknowledgement that the vast majority of Victoria Police members inspire confidence in the people of Victoria, thanks to their integrity, work ethic and professionalism.

These comments are certainly echoed by Victoria Police management and we congratulate our members on their efforts to improve standards.

Nonetheless we still have some work to do in a number of areas, in particular, following up on recommendations that have been made by the OPI over the course of the year. And there remain small pockets of individuals within the organisation who continue to engage in corrupt or criminal conduct. This is very much the focus of the Ethical Standards Department within Victoria Police, who are working closely and effectively with the OPI in identifying and rooting out those individuals.

Over the past 12 months we have made significant inroads into investigating corruption within the force. For example, there has been a 22% increase in the reporting internally of serious misconduct. That is clear evidence of a very substantial cultural change within our organisation where members now have the confidence to report members involved in misconduct.

Although the vast majority of our members handle information appropriately, there have been occasions where individuals or workplaces have fallen short of those expectations and they consequently have been the subject of close scrutiny under robust investigation.

Victoria Police will continue to work towards a time when we have a corruption-free police force. This responsibility however ultimately comes down to each and every member making a positive choice to live up to the principles of policing and to have a focus on serving the community rather than serving their own personal interests.

Victoria Police has come a long way in the last 12 months to address many recommendations from previous OPI reports. The introduction of the Declarable Associations policy, the increased take up and development of our professional development committees, and the recent positive moves procure a replacement for the LEAP system are some examples. There is work still to be done but we will continue to work with the OPI in stamping out corruption.

It remains a sad fact that that there are still a handful of members who continue to engage in corrupt behaviour. The only solution is to continue working closely with the OPI and for members to keep their eyes and ears open for corrupt behaviour amongst the force.

To hear the audio of Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius' press conference on 15 October 2009 click here:

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