2/3/04
The State Government today tabled the final report (two volumes) of the Royal Commission into allegations of police corruption.
Premier Geoff Gallop said the commission had exposed significant and sustained corruption and criminal behaviour within the WA Police Service.
Dr Gallop said the Royal Commission had unmasked nearly 20 years of corruption by police officers including stealing, assaults, perjury, drug dealings, obtaining search warrants improperly and disclosing confidential information from the police computer.
"This behaviour is utterly unacceptable to the Government and the people of Western Australia and it has now been fully investigated and exposed," he said.
"The commission not only exposed corruption, it also exposed a system manifestly inadequate to deal with corrupt conduct. In other words, the many honest rank and file officers were being let down.
"The Government and Western Australians stand 1,000 per cent in support of honest cops. They deserve the best support, and they will get it."
The Premier said the Royal Commission was an election commitment by his Government in response to long-standing community concerns about the alleged activities of some police officers.
"The commission has now confirmed my Government's position, the corrupt activities of those police officers has been revealed and the appropriate action can now be taken," he said.
The Royal Commission examined the activities of approximately 500 past and present police officers over a two-year period. Serious allegations concerning the WA Police Service had persisted for many years and the Royal Commission had covered incidents as far back as 1985.
As a consequence of the Royal Commission, inquiries have been initiated into the conduct of 121 past and present serving officers in relation to the allegations. Of those, 73 are presently serving and 48 are past serving members.
So far police investigations/inquiries have led to:
- two police officers being charged with criminal offences. These include corruption, stealing, aggravated burglary and attempting to defeat the course of justice;
- three civilians have also been charged in relation to the above offences;
- two officers are currently subject to the Commissioner's 'Loss of Confidence', while two others are under consideration;
- four officers have been stood down from all duty;
- 16 police officers are facing disciplinary charges, while another two officers have been given disciplinary charges; and
- five officers have resigned during the period of the commission.
The Premier said while the appropriate action was being taken against those police officers, what did concern Commissioner Kennedy QC and the State Government was the extent to which WAPS had been ineffective in monitoring those events.
"The Royal Commission stated that the WA Police Service was not in a position to adequately achieve an appropriate level of corruption resistance without formulating and then implementing a wide ranging corruption plan," he said.
Dr Gallop said as part of the reform process the State Government supported the two-pronged approach outlined in the three volumes of the Royal Commission Report, which stated:
- there should be a new, powerful independent and appropriately resourced watchdog agency to maintain permanent vigilance for corrupt and criminal conduct in WAPS; and
- the WAPS itself should be rendered as corruption-proof as possible through a broad-based reform program that lifts its performance to best practice.
The first of these two initiatives is already in place with the creation of the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) following the Royal Commission's Interim Report in December 2002.
Police Minister Michelle Roberts said as part of the corruption fighting process the Royal Commission recommended that CCC would independently monitor the WA Police Service.
Mrs Roberts said the State Government strongly supported the proposal and the CCC would also assess the WA Police Service's risk management, their leadership, human resource and information management areas.
"This will assist the Police Service to improve its performance, reform its culture and make it more corruption proof," she said.
In terms of the second prong, Mrs Roberts said the Government also supported the Commission's call for the introduction of appropriate corruption prevention strategies, an improved police culture and leadership.
"This approach to reform will reduce corruption, reduce misconduct, increase ethical behaviour and improve the performance of the service," she said.
The Minister said, as recommended by Commissioner Kennedy, the impending appointment of a new police executive team, including a new Police Commissioner, two deputy commissioners and an executive director, was a timely opportunity for the WA Police Service.
"Police Commissioner Barry Matthews will finish his term within four months and I would like to thank him on behalf of the State Government for the initiatives that he has instigated to reform the organisation during his term of office," she said.
Mrs Roberts said advertising for the positions of Police Commissioner and two deputy commissioners would begin in the weekend press. The position of executive director would be filled for a 12-month secondment by the current chief executive officer of Fire and Emergency Services Authority, Bob Mitchell.
"The reform process will not only fight corruption, but go towards providing a police service which is more focussed on making our communities safe and secure," the Minister said.
Media contacts:
Premier's office - 9222 9475
Minister's office - 9213 6600
