Mangement-by-committee is unworkable

The Victoria Police Force has recently advertised for the unsworn position of Director of Education and Development at the Education Department.

The position, targeted to a corporate, non-police practitioner, is designed as a ‘co-leadership’ role in partnership with the Assistant Commissioner, Education Services. This is of great concern to The Police Association.

A non-police practitioner acting in the role of Director of Education threatens to demean the policing profession.

A structure whereby the Director of Education, who, without any policing experience can dictate training issues across the Force is not only seriously misguided – it puts the quality of policing as a profession at risk. 

Moreover, the Director will be able to do this with no accountability to the Assistant Commissioner.

It is disappointing that the Victoria Police Force has failed to learn from its dubious record when it comes to management-by-committee. As members of the Crime Department, Region 4 and the Human Resources Department can attest, a management committee model simply doesn’t work, yet the Force continues to persevere with this flawed system within the Education Department.

The Police Association will continue to monitor the Director of Education vacancy closely in order to preserve the integrity and professionalism of policing for its members.

Bruce McKenzie

Assistant Secretary