CCP's announcement a smoke screen for under resourcing

The Police Association welcomes the Chief Commissioner’s focus on last year’s enterprise bargaining agreement, but her attempts to repackage a six-month old industrial agreement as an anti-crime strategy is a triumph of spin over substance.

The implementation of the enterprise bargaining agreement is good news. However the overall problem of street crime and chronic under resourcing is too big, too serious and too ugly to be papered over with this tissue of spin.

Provisions that allow more flexible working conditions for members such as the ability to sell leave are nothing new - they are contained in the EB agreement that took effect in October 2007.

The Chief Commissioner’s announcement today confirms a well overdue change to work/life options for members, but more flexible working conditions should not be repackaged as a miracle solution to chronic under resourcing and rising street crime.

To suggest that new conditions contained in the EBA will alleviate the resourcing problem is fanciful – the Chief Commissioner’s estimate of 10,000 extra shifts is but a drop in the ocean against the reality of increasing crime and inadequate resources.

In fact, 10,000 extra shifts equates to an increase of just half of one per cent overall or as our most recent figures reveal, the number of shifts that are already missing from only four 24-hour police stations. 

Moe, Mill Park, Dandenong and Frankston police stations, for example, are collectively missing 59 members, equating to a deficit of 10,679 shifts.

The Chief Commissioner’s focus on implementing the enterprise bargaining outcomes is to be applauded. However, there remains a number of outstanding matters yet to implemented from the agreement such as the creation of additional sergeant positions and the long awaited inclusion of protective services officers into the police superannuation scheme.

The Police Association implores the Force to get serious on street crime and police resources by urgently conducting a thorough audit of police numbers to find our where our missing members are and return them to the front line.

The Force must produce proper detailed strategies along with real action to   address what is fast becoming the number one concern for our members and the Victorian community.

Bruce McKenzie

Assistant Secretary