Police Life SUMMER 2020

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THE VICTORIA POLICE MAGAZINE

SUMMER 2019-20

Caught in the darknet DETECTIVE GOES TO THE INTERNET’S DARKEST CORNER TO CATCH A DAD-TURNED-DRUG DEALER PLUS COUNTER TERRORISM MEASURES PUT TO THE TEST> SENIOR SERGEANTS SHARE THE LOAD> A 40-YEAR LEGACY AND MORE

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SUMMER 2019-20 COVER: Detective Senior Constable Igor Rusmir broke new ground when he delved into the darknet to catch a dealer of the lethal drug fentanyl. Not only did the landmark investigation lead police to the offender’s door, it also saw Det Sen Const Rusmir named detective of the year for 2019.

Setting out in a new suburb It’s Victoria Police’s newest location, but that hasn’t stopped officers stationed in the suburb of Mernda from already making their mark.

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The changing face of family violence A fresh approach to an all-too-familiar crime is helping police turn the tide against the scourge of family violence.

Photography: John Pallot Police Life is produced by the Media & Corporate Communications Department, Victoria Police, GPO Box 913, Melbourne, 3001, Fax: 9247 5982 Online police.vic.gov.au/policelife facebook.com/victoriapolice twitter.com/victoriapolice Email policelife-mgr@police.vic.gov.au

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Managing Editor Superintendent Jo Dolan

Counter terrorism test Victoria Police has put a new partnership with the Australian Defence Force to the test in a large-scale counter terrorism training exercise.

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Police Legacy’s landmark From humble beginnings in a meeting room, Victoria Police Legacy has been providing support to police families that have lost a loved one for 40 years.

Editor Grant Condon Journalists Jesse Wray-McCann Danielle Ford Emily Wan Graphic Design Fluid – fluid.com.au

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Subscriptions 9247 6894 ISSN 0032-2598L Crown Copyright in the state of Victoria.

For permission to reprint any part of this magazine, contact the editor.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Victoria Police.

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Snapped on Social By the Numbers Career in Focus True Crime

Students take the test Pupils in Cardinia have been put through their paces in a new program aimed at showing students just how fit they need to be to join Victoria Police.

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER In August, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) concluded its four year audit of sex discrimination and sexual harassment in Victoria Police. The release of the third and final report revealed that Victoria Police has taken considerable steps toward becoming an organisation that is safe, inclusive and provides career opportunities for all employees. The journey is not complete and Victoria Police has now taken ownership of the work required to transform our workplace culture and systems.

While there is still much work to be done, a positive finding from VEOHRC’s final report was an increase in the number of employees, both women and men, undertaking flexible work arrangements. In this edition, you can read about two senior sergeants who are successfully job-sharing a full-time role at the Victoria Police Academy. Theirs is a perfect example of how flexible work arrangements benefit our employees and the workplace.

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Victoria Police is not only becoming a more inclusive workplace for its employees, we are also taking important steps to create a more accessible service for our diverse community.

Police in Dandenong and Box Hill have learned new skills so they can more readily communicate with members of the public who have communication difficulties.

Their efforts help make Victoria Police more inclusive and enable members of the community to access police services more confidently.

We are also highlighting the work of Victoria Police Legacy, who provide incredible support to police families who have suffered the loss of a loved one. The story, which focusses on two of our legatees, underlines the valuable partnership Victoria Police shares with Police Legacy.

I wish you all the very best for a happy and safe festive season.

Follow Victoria Police on Twitter at @VictoriaPolice

MAKING NEWS For the latest police news visit police.vic.gov.au/news

A SAFEGUARD FOR SUMMER Victoria’s scorching summer weather means that fire is a constant threat.

Victoria Police has launched Operation Safeguard to deal with the ongoing danger of fire this summer, with the operation’s primary focus to target unintentional and reckless actions that could potentially cause an inferno.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Grainger said most fires start from non-deliberate activities, such as leaving a burning candle or campfire unattended, however these actions can have the same deadly consequence as arson.

To reduce the risk to the community during summer months, particularly on elevated fire danger days, police will patrol fire-prone areas with a hard-line approach to negligent behaviour.

“The bushfire catastrophes we have unfortunately experienced across our state are a reminder of the need to be vigilant when dealing with fire,” AC Grainger said.

“It can be as simple as paying attention to fire danger rating predictions, adhering to total fire ban days, and promoting fire safety among family and friends.”

AC Grainger said real-time intelligence provided by the public is the most valuable tool for fire prevention and detection.

For this reason, he encourages people to report dangerous behaviour and suspicious fire activity to authorities.

AC Grainger said the penalties for causing a fire intentionally or recklessly reflect the severity of the offence, which can cause significant harm including loss of life and property.

To prepare for this year’s summer season, residents of Powelltown, Three Bridges and Gilderoy in the state’s east took part in an evacuation exercise in late October. The aim was to test the response of residents and emergency services to a bushfire threat using a scenario-based exercise.

Penalties can range from a fine of up to $37,000 or two-years jail if caught lighting a fire on a total fire ban day, to 15 years imprisonment if found guilty of recklessly or intentionally causing a bushfire.

The exercise involved more than 120 community members and saw 62 people evacuated to an Emergency Relief Centre with the remainder of participants activating their plan to stay and defend their home or leaving the area.

Preparedness measures, including bushfire response plans, warning systems and procedures, were implemented and evaluated during the exercise to determine opportunities for improvement.

“These scenario exercises are a helpful way to improve our threat mitigation and operational response, to keep Victorians safe in the event of a bushfire threat,” AC Grainger said.

Image Recognising recklessness The launch of Operation Safeguard is a timely reminder about the dangers of fire and the devastation that can result from negligent or reckless fire behaviour.

Editorial: Emily Wan

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SMALL TALK VOXPOP

POLICE ASSISTANCE LINE PICKING UP CALLS

When did you first know you wanted to be a police officer?

LEADING SENIOR CONSTABLE PHILLIP LLOYD Koondrook Police Station

“When I was 24. I had been working odd jobs and I realised I wanted to do something that would make a difference in the community and help people.”

DETECTIVE SERGEANT MAL SIMPSON Swan Hill Family Violence Investigation Unit

“I didn’t get the grades for the university course I was interested in and was looking for other options. I decided to apply for Victoria Police and 30 years later, I’m still here and enjoying it.”

SENIOR SERGEANT ANGE HANSTIS St Kilda Police Station

“A family friend was a police officer and I remember having a conversation with her when I was about 23 and I thought, ‘This is what I want to do’. I started the process of joining not long after that conversation.”

BE PART OF THE STORY Join the Conversation Police Life loves hearing what you think about the magazine, your local police and Victoria Police in general.

Police Life GPO Box 913 Melbourne, 3001 Email: policelife-mgr@police.vic.gov.au

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With more than 400,00 calls having been made to the Police Assistance Line this year, Victorians are seeing the benefits of the dedicated contact centre.

The 131 444 number, officially launched in July, has helped thousands of community members report non-urgent crimes and events.

Inspector Steve Towers said the ability to lodge these reports at any time has created an added convenience for the community.

“The service is 24/7, meaning people can make a report at any time of the day,” Insp Towers said.

You can call us to report things that have already happened that don’t need urgent police assistance.

“It gives you the ability to call when you need to and when the details of the event are fresh, without having to contact local police.”

As well as by phone, people can go online to report theft, property damage, lost property, lodge Partysafe registrations and advise of absence from residence.

For more information, visit www.police.vic.gov.au/palolr

SECRET LIFE OF POLICE Police badges are swapped for pastry brushes when Inspector Guinevere Cleminson and Senior Constable Courtney Long are off duty.

“I find baking relaxing, because following a recipe is predictable and methodical, as opposed to the unpredictable nature of policing at times,” Keilor Downs Police Station’s Sen Const Long said.

Road Policing Command’s Insp Cleminson said she finds cake decorating a nice complement to walking her dogs and cycling.

Both started in the kitchen at young ages, with Sen Const Long baking yo-yo biscuits with her grandma and Insp Cleminson making birthday cakes with her mother, and later baking for her cat. At around nine years of age, Insp Cleminson asked her brothers to sing for a slice, making them belt out Happy Birthday to the family pet.

The joy their baking brings to others is why they love doing it so much, with family members, friends and colleagues the lucky recipients of their delicious cake creations.

But it’s not all ganache hearts and flowers, as the amateur bakers face some tricky downsides.

Sen Const Long cites weight gain from eating so many cakes as a challenge, while Insp Cleminson has had some nerve-racking cake delivery car journeys over the years.

Some people may compare picking a favourite cake flavour to picking a favourite child – you can’t – but Sen Const Long and Insp Cleminson state their choices with conviction; white chocolate mudcake and baked cheesecake respectively.

While dreams of The Great Victoria Police Bake Off, or Cop Cakes, may be an arresting idea for future television series, both say they won’t be signing up for reality TV fame.

“The contestants cry too much and there’s too much drama on those kind of shows, so it’s not my cup of tea,” Sen Const Long said.

But if celebrity cook Donna Hay happened to drop by the Victoria Police Centre headquarters and request a slice of cake, Insp Cleminson said she wouldn’t mind at all.

Image Baking it happen Inspector Guinevere Cleminson (top) and Senior Constable Courtney Long both find cake decorating a relaxing hobby away from the busy policing lifestyle.

Editorial: Emily Wan

BEHIND THE BADGE

ARTHUR MAKRIDIS Rank: Leading Senior Constable Age: 51 Graduated: 1989 Station: Melbourne East Police Station

Why did you join Victoria Police?

Becoming a police officer was something I had wanted to do for most of my life. I’ve always had an interest in crime, road safety and general law enforcement. On the odd occasion I would bump into local police that I had told of my aspirations. One day, one of my local officers said, ‘What are you waiting for?’. I joined when I was 20 years old. The rest is history.

Tell us about your role at Melbourne East Police Station.

I would consider myself in the trenches as a frontline first responder.

I’m also an in-the-field trainer of recruits in the Designated Training Workplace phase of their Academy studies, and of junior police officers.

I have had secondments to other areas such as the Retail Theft Group, the Melbourne Recidivist Tasking Unit and as a Law Instructor at the Academy. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a number of upgrading opportunities over the years as an Acting Sergeant.

When the opportunity arises, I enjoy being involved in, and in some cases managing, law enforcement operations.

You’ve worked at Melbourne East Police Station for 29 years, what has made you stay?

It’s the nature and the variety of work that’s kept me enthusiastic.

I enjoy dealing with crime matters, but I also enjoy the road safety aspect of policing. Melbourne East Police Station and the city environment provide many opportunities to deal with both. Since I started at this station in 1990, when it was known as the Melbourne District Traffic and Patrol Division, it has become a lot busier.

The focus has shifted from traffic, foot patrols and demonstrations, to general patrols and divisional van shifts. We still direct traffic and when necessary police are still deployed to protests and public events.

During the early 2000s the liquor licensing industry took off.

People were coming from across the state, and sometimes interstate and overseas, to party in Melbourne. The drug trafficking of the 1990s was replaced with public disorder and anti-social behaviour.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Detecting safety-related offences and processing offenders for those crimes. It can be anything from a road safety offence to a major high-profile arrest, such as that of Jonathan Dick.

Can you name a highlight of your time at Victoria Police?

Having a meeting room in the Melbourne East station named the Makridis Room is certainly one of my highlights. It’s cool to have a room named after you, particularly while you’re still alive.

When it was raised by the Officer in Charge and management here at Melbourne East Police Station, I actually thought they were kidding and we all had a laugh. It was not long after this new station was built that I discovered they were serious.

Police Minister Lisa Neville attended the opening of the Makridis Room, highlighting the significance of the occasion.

Image Part of the furniture Leading Senior Constable Arthur Makridis has worked at the Melbourne East Police Station for almost three decades. His loyalty to the station has been acknowledged with a meeting room at the station named in his honour.

Editorial: Emily Wan Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

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Transit police Constable Casandra O’Loughlin, Sergeant Adam Johnson, Leading Senior Constable Trevor Bergman and Constable David Luke were patrolling the Flemington Racecourse Railway Station after the Melbourne Cup and were lucky enough to get a photo with the day’s ultimate prize. The chance encounter came when Danny O’Brien, trainer of Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare, happened to pull up near the officers at the station and offered the authentic prized trophy up for a quick photo.

Like father, like daughter. Back in August, father-daughter duo Senior Constable Anthony Zivkovic and Constable Katey Zivkovic worked their first shift together. Const Zivkovic normally works in Geelong but asked if she could travel down to Horsham for the day to work a shift with her dad.

Constable Kyal Birt had a special, and very sleepy, visitor at a Coffee with a Cop event in Brandon Park Shopping Centre in Wheelers Hill. His four-week-old daughter stopped by for a visit, decked out in a police bib fit for a future officer.

ODD SPOT CORNER Some offenders go to great lengths to mask their crimes from police, while others make detection very, very easy.

Flemington police were patrolling the streets of the Moonee Valley area during a night shift in October when they intercepted a motorist who had literally spelt out the crime they were committing.

Police noticed a white Suzuki hatchback swerving across the road and decided to pull the vehicle over.

Upon closer inspection of the car, police discovered a bumper sticker on the back window that read ‘Drunk, Stoned or Stupid’.

Police didn’t have to wait long to get the answer from the driver, with a roadside breath test detecting the presence of alcohol.

The driver then accompanied police back to the Moonee Ponds Police Station where their blood alcohol reading was found to be a whopping 0.175, more than three times the legal limit.

A 30-year-old male from Thomastown had his car impounded and immediately lost his licence over the offending.

“While the driver wasn’t stoned, he was drunk and therefore very stupid to get behind the wheel,” Moonee Ponds Station Commander Senior Sergeant Ian Jones said.

“Hopefully he has now learned about the seriousness of drink driving and not only rethinks his actions on the road, but also his choice of bumper sticker, when he gets his licence back.”

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IN BRIEF police.vic.gov.au/news

PROACTIVE POLICING STORIES

TOP SHOW PRIZE FOR POLICE

EMPOWERED BY WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

Marking a successful return to the Royal Melbourne Show for Victoria Police, the organisation's display was named best in show.

After returning from the International Association of Women Police’s (IAWP) 2019 conference, Inspector Megan Dobbs has been inspired to help female officers at Victoria Police and across the globe.

Victoria Police picked up the Best Overall Exhibitor award for the 378 square metre interactive activation space, beating more than 250 exhibitors including long-standing show partners Woolworths and RACV. This year saw Victoria Police return as an exhibitor to the show for the first time in seven years and Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said it proved to be a rewarding experience for Victoria Police.

“Through the display, we were able to connect face-to-face with thousands of community members, with more than 400,000 people having visited the Royal Melbourne Show,” CCP Ashton said.

“It was a great opportunity for the community to engage with police, learn more about what it’s like to be an officer and to show the public what a modern Victoria Police looks like.”

CCP Ashton also thanked the community for visiting the display and said it was fantastic to see so many people excited by what Victoria Police had to offer.

Insp Dobbs (pictured above, far right) attended the conference in Alaska in September after being named as the first ever Australian winner of IAWP’s International Scholarship and Recognition Award.

Insp Dobbs joined 700 female police from 43 nations in sharing their career achievements and focused on the importance of mentoring, networking and the progression of women in policing.

“A key takeaway from the conference for me is that while we at Victoria Police still have areas to improve, we are among the leaders when it comes to gender equality, mentoring and advancement of women,” Insp Dobbs said.

Insp Dobbs said she was encouraged and empowered by the work IAWP does to unite and inspire police women.

“I’m really excited to pay it forward, including sponsoring a police woman from Papua New Guinea to become a member of IAWP,” she said.

VETERANS CARD BRINGS BENEFITS A new benefit card will help to improve the welfare of Victoria Police officers and Protective Services Officers after they have handed in their badge.

The Veteran Benefit Card, an Australian policing first, provides mental health and wellbeing support to police veterans through a range of discounts and benefits for physical fitness, health, lifestyle and family-related products and activities.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the initiative is a way for the community to acknowledge the service of veterans, while bridging a gap in mental health support for retired and resigned police.

“Our veterans are still part of the Victoria Police family, and we have a duty to help improve their quality of life once out of the job,” CCP Ashton said.

“This card aims to increase their community involvement, retain the policing connection, and provide discounted access to a range of state-wide health and wellbeing services for better self-care.”

More than 2,000 police veterans have already applied for the card. All police veterans, regardless of age and duration of employment, can apply for the card at the Police Veterans Support Victoria website pvsv.org.au

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OUR STORY

SHARING A WORK-LIFE BALANCE JUGGLING THEIR YOUNG FAMILIES AND PASSION TO PROGRESS THEIR POLICING CAREERS, SENIOR SERGEANTS TAMARA CORNFORD AND SAM GROVES WERE UNSURE THEY COULD FIND ROLES THAT SUITED THEM.

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But in job-sharing a full-time senior sergeant position as two part-time employees, the pair is a shining example of the success of Victoria Police’s flexible work arrangements.

Police Life sat down with them to find out how they make it work.

WHAT IS THE ROLE YOU BOTH PERFORM AND WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PARTS OF THE JOB? Sam: The Dedicated Training Workplace Program (DTWP), is a unit that sits within the Foundation Training Division at the Police Academy. As officers in charge of DTWP, we manage a unit of six staff and oversee the 102 DTWP-accredited stations around the state that train our students on their four field placements during their recruit training.

Tamara: I love the small team environment and the support I have sharing the position with Sam in my first management role.

WHAT HAVE YOUR CAREERS LOOKED LIKE BEFORE THIS ROLE? WHAT STANDS OUT AS A HIGHLIGHT? Tamara: The biggest part of my career has been spent working as a detective senior constable at Crime Command investigating sexual crimes.

I loved working in that area but after years in the office, I decided to seek promotion.

Sam: I have a background in prosecutions and was promoted to Transit Safety Division as a sergeant in 2013 before coming to the academy as a law instructor in 2017. People development is my passion, so a highlight was gaining promotion earlier this year to senior sergeant in charge of a unit that is doing such important work involving our newest police.

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE IN A JOB-SHARING ROLE AND WHY DID IT APPEAL TO YOU? Tamara: This position was advertised as full-time, but I knew how supportive People Development Command was of part-time employees and flexible working arrangements, so I didn’t hesitate to apply. Once successful, I made an application to convert the position to part-time, which was supported.

Sam: I saw a part-time position advertised, knowing that the other hours were already filled

by Tamara. Before applying, I went to meet Tamara and knew after the first conversation that she was someone who I could work with.

It appealed to me because I have a young family at home and while I was ready for the rank and responsibility, I couldn’t do the full-time hours.

WHAT ARE THE KEYS TO MAKING JOB-SHARING WORK WELL? Sam: We don’t stop talking to each other.

A 50/50 split of the position’s email account is important so that you never come back after days off to a million emails. And always backing each other.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOB-SHARING FOR YOU BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? Sam: I can work at the level I am ready to operate at, but still strike a good balance between work and home. I know you can take a job and convert it to part-time, but there is far too much work in this role to be part-time without someone sharing the other half of the hours. So it simply wouldn’t happen if there weren’t two of us in this together.

Tamara: While working part-time, I leave after my three days in the office and know that the business will continue in my absence. With the job-sharing situation, I feel confident the team is supported and decisions are made while I am away. I can return with confidence knowing the work has not built up and I never feel overwhelmed. Without the ability to work part-time at a senior sergeant rank, I would not have been in a position to apply for promotion and progress my career.

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WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF YOUR SHARED ROLE FOR VICTORIA POLICE?

WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO CONSIDER JOB-SHARING?

Sam: We bring twice the experience to one role.

In our case, we blend crime and prosecuting backgrounds, and operational and corporate experience, so we can bring two different perspectives to our decision-making, which leads to better outcomes. If more police see this setup as a real option, we may attract and retain the right staff in the right roles, even as they juggle family, study, professional sport, or other outside interests.

Tamara: Yes, absolutely. I believe it can be beneficial for both our employees and the organisation.

Tamara: Sam and I are able to support each other to cover absences, which means that we haven’t needed unplanned leave. By having this work-life balance, we find greater satisfaction in our employment and it makes it easy for us to come to work.

Sam: It would be great to see this as more of a common occurrence among all our ranks.

Images A shared success 01 Senior sergeants Tamara Cornford and Sam Groves are a tight-knit job-sharing team.

02 Clear communication is one of the reasons senior sergeants Sam Groves and Tamara Cornford work well together.

03 The pair is proud to be continuing the rich history of women police officers at Victoria Police Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Tamara: Good, constant communication and clearly allocated roles and portfolios. Ensuring we are providing each other with clear updates and handovers.

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OUT & ABOUT

GROWING A STATION FROM THE GROUND UP 10

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WHEN THE MERNDA COMMUNITY’S FOUR-YEAR CAMPAIGN FOR A POLICE STATION WAS FINALLY REALISED, SENIOR SERGEANT DEAN DELLE-VERGINI WANTED HIS TROOPS TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

Mernda and surrounding suburbs in Melbourne’s northern fringe had been experiencing a population boom for years and, although the area was covered by nearby stations, locals were crying out for a station of their own.

So on 19 November 2017, the opening of the $15 million, 24-hour Mernda Police Station was met with the cheers of the community.

It was a rubber-meets-the-road moment for Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini, who had been methodically planning and preparing his new team of 45 police for months.

With at least 10 of the officers being new constables fresh from the Victoria Police Academy, Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini wanted to recruit some experienced heads to help settle them in.

“I knew I’d need senior police who were good field coaches, good at mentoring and would have the patience to bring those new officers up to speed,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.

They got the balance right and set about establishing a culture and standards that would ensure the people of Mernda got the police service they had fought for.

“We made sure everyone who arrived here knew they were expected to get out in the community to work hand-in-hand with them,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.

This meant running projects and engaging with local schools and youth groups was an early priority.

“Embedding ourselves within the community was probably our most significant win over the last two years,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.

Having the right staff culture is crucial for Mernda Police Station, and Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini is always encouraging his team to work hard and be “humble yet proud Merndarites”.

In adopting this approach, police at Mernda have been able to achieve great results for their community.

In June 2014, the population of Whittlesea – the local government area Mernda sits within – was 187,000 and the annual crime rate was 7,477 reported offences per 100,000 people.

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By June this year, the area’s population had boomed to more than 230,000.

“With an increase like that, you would think that crime would be skyrocketing,” Sen Sgt DelleVergini said.

“But because we are now in the area, constantly patrolling and engaging with the community, we’ve actually contributed to significant reductions in the crime rate while at the same time increasing community perceptions of safety and satisfaction with the organisation.”

The annual crime rate as at June this year had dropped to 6,952 recorded offences per 100,000 people.

Images Starting from scratch 01 Sgt David Magnavacca and A/Sgt Vanessa Seddon continue Mernda Police Station’s focus on connecting with the community.

02 Sen Sgt Dean Delle-Vergini heads up the team at Mernda Police Station.

03 Mernda is one of the fastest growing suburbs in Melbourne.

Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Keep up-to-date with the latest Mernda policing news by visiting the Whittlesea Police Service Area Eyewatch page at facebook.com/eyewatchwhittlesea

“I couldn’t be prouder of all that our officers here have been able to achieve in such a short time,” Sen Sgt Delle-Vergini said.

“The community also has a lot of pride in their police station.

“We get letters all the time complimenting the work our officers do.

“We regularly have members of the community from all backgrounds coming in to say thank you, or to drop off some chocolates, home-made biscuits and cakes.

“It’s pleasing for our officers to see that their hard work is being recognised and appreciated.”

Among those most thankful is Whittlesea Council deputy mayor Tom Joseph, who founded and led the four-year 'Mernda Needs a Police Station' campaign.

More than 5,000 people signed the campaign’s petition calling for a police station in the suburb.

“Since the opening of the 24-hour Mernda Police Station, crime against property has come down significantly and there’s been a huge reduction in burglary and car break-ins,” Cr Joseph said.

“More importantly, the perception of safety in our community has significantly improved.

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“We feel much safer now in Mernda.”

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a new focus on family

VIOLENCE A young Frankston woman is one of the many people to have seen the benefits of Victoria Police’s new family violence risk assessment tool.

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If you feel at risk of being involved in a family violence incident or believe that someone you know is, please seek some help from police or a support service, such as Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre by calling 1800 015 188.

In immediate danger, always call Triple Zero (000).

In early 2019, Sarah* (not her real name) was headbutted in the face by her partner, something that had happened on a number of previous occasions.

Attending police at each incident filled out a Family Violence Risk Assessment and Management Report, as is required for every reported incidence of family violence.

But when police were called to this latest attack, they were equipped with a new risk assessment and management tool, the recently launched Family Violence Report.

The report is completed at the scene on police-issued mobile devices and instantly gives officers a set of in-depth, scientificallydeveloped questions to ask victims of family violence, resulting in a score as to the likelihood of abuse escalating within the next 12 months.

Officers attending Sarah’s incident completed the Family Violence Report and through the questioning deemed her case to be high-risk.

The risk scoring in the report ensures decision making is no longer a subjective judgement made by frontline officers.

The report’s risk assessment tool is now the first step in determining the police response and the ongoing management required to prevent or reduce future family violence.

As Sarah’s case was deemed high-risk, the investigation was handed over to the local Family Violence Investigation Unit (FVIU) and investigators were able to build an excellent rapport with her and her family.

Sarah has now left the violent relationship and has been engaging with police and specialised family violence services.

With officers attending thousands of cases like Sarah’s each year, Family Violence Command Senior Sergeant Kirei Blackley said the ability to identify the level of risk is fundamental to continued victim support, child protection and offender management.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to mitigating family violence,” Sen Sgt Blackley said.

“Each situation will have its own unique set of circumstances that will mean some courses of action will help and others won’t.

“In Sarah’s case, there was a history of incidents and there had already been intervention orders placed on the offender. He obviously didn’t adhere to these orders, meaning simply issuing another one wasn’t likely to stop the offending from occurring.

“The new Family Violence Report looks at the whole situation, including history of incidents, to help our investigators develop a course of action that is most likely to lessen particular situations.”

According to Sen Sgt Blackley, who is a part of the Family Violence Report project team, what makes the report so beneficial is that it was built from real-world, Victorian cases.

Developed in conjunction with Swinburne University and Forensicare, the report was created through extensive research conducted on more than 14,000 Victoria Police family violence cases.

“It’s a tool that’s been developed for use in Victoria based on research done on actual Victorian cases. That makes it quite unique, with solid scientific backing,” Sen Sgt Blackley said.

Sen Sgt Blackley has travelled to several countries to present at domestic violence management conferences, particularly about the development and implementation of the Family Violence Report.

While she said there are other police organisations using evidence-based reporting, Victoria Police is leading the way by using real police cases to develop the research.

Once the report had been developed, an extensive two-year trial period was conducted in two North West Metro Region divisions, with data showing the report had a significant impact in both areas.

“While we had all this amazing scientific research done to develop this new report, what made us really stand back and think this could make a huge impact was the data we saw from the pilot period,” Sen Sgt Blackley said.

“Both divisions saw at least a 30 per cent reduction in family violence incidents during the pilot, which are really impressive figures.”

The Family Violence Report was rolled out state-wide in July and is one part of the Victoria Police Family Violence Response Model.

The model was created in response to recommendations made to Victoria Police following the Royal Commission into Family Violence and several Coronial inquiries.

It also included the introduction of a mandatory organisation-wide education program, the creation of the Centre for Family Violence at the Victoria Police Academy and the formation of Family Violence Investigation Units across the state.

“Family violence is one of the biggest issues the community and our officers face,” Sen Sgt Blackley said.

“While no one thing will put an end to the incidents, we are seeing great results from the initiatives being rolled out across Victoria.

“Any case we can reduce or eliminate is a win and we will keep reviewing our processes to ensure we can provide the best support to all victims of family violence.”

Images On-scene answers The new Family Violence Report can now be completed by police at the scene of an incident, helping officers get thorough answers to the report's in-depth, scientifically-developed questions.

(Main photo, file image).

Editorial: Danielle Ford Photography: John Pallot

POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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Signs of inclusi e ommunity Constable Joshua Durdin doesn’t remember his exact first word, but he does know it wasn’t a spoken one, but rather something signed.

Both of Const Durdin’s parents are deaf, so growing up the first language he learnt to communicate in was Auslan.

Auslan is the sign language of the Australian deaf community and was developed by people who are deaf as a way to communicate with others.

“It was actually more of an effort for me to learn to speak than it was to learn to sign,” Const Durdin said.

“I just naturally picked Auslan up from my parents and family members who would communicate with them.”

Knowing Auslan is something that has proved beneficial on several occasions for the 27-yearold, not just with his family.

“It’s amazing how much a person who signs just brightens and opens up when they realise you can communicate with them in their language,” Const Durdin said.

“Growing up I would act as the interpreter for Mum whenever we went to the bank or the phone store, so I’ve had a lot of experience at it over the years.

“But I’ve also helped people in the community when I’ve seen them trying to communicate with someone. I’ve just politely offered my help and when they see that I can sign and communicate in their language their face just lights up and they are so appreciative.”

This assistance is something Const Durdin has been able to use since joining Victoria Police in 2017.

Const Durdin works at Dandenong Police Station and said while he hasn’t been required to use Auslan in an official police capability, there have been several occasions at community events where he’s been able to communicate with the public.

"The Dandenong area has a large deaf community,” he said.

“We attend a lot of community events as police and if I see people who sign, I always stop and have a chat with them.

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“I want to be able to show the community that there are people within Victoria Police who are equipped with Auslan skills and can assist.”

Image Clear communication Const Joshua Durdin wants to be able to use his Auslan skills to show members of the deaf community that they can feel confident and comfortable engaging with police.

Editorial: Danielle Ford Photography: Clare O’Donnell

“To show them that there is a local police officer who can communicate in their language is something I always try and do. It will hopefully help build a connection with police, so they don’t feel hesitant to come to us.”

With Census data showing that more than 3,000 Victorians communicate in Auslan, Const Durdin said it’s important Victoria Police has staff who can help these people feel connected.

Const Durdin said if it weren’t for him or his siblings, there may have been occasions when he was growing up where his parents wouldn’t have gone to certain places for help.

“I know from experience that some people who are deaf may be hesitant to go into a police station to report something because they feel like they won’t be properly understood,” Const Durdin said.

“I want to be able to show the community that there are people within Victoria Police who are equipped with Auslan skills and can assist.”

Symbol communicating access for all Walking into a police station to report a crime can be an intimidating experience for anyone, but for people with a communication disability it can be even more daunting.

Officers at Box Hill Police Station spent the past two years undergoing communication access training with disability service Scope to ensure everyone in the community feels safe and comfortable when entering the station.

“Our officers put a lot of time into creating communication tools they can use when people with a communication disability come in to the station,” Box Hill Senior Sergeant Ronald Sinclair said.

“They spent time training with Scope staff, who have communication disabilities themselves, to learn what needed to be implemented to make the station more accessible.”

This training culminated in Box Hill becoming the first police station in Australia to be awarded the nationally-recognised Communication Access Symbol.

The symbol, presented by Scope in August, shows the public that station staff are trained and equipped to communicate effectively.

Communication disabilities can arise if a person has a health condition or other disability that affects their speech, language, listening, understanding, reading, writing, or social skills.

They can be lifelong, as for people with cerebral palsy or intellectual disability, or acquired, as for people with stroke and aphasia, motor neurone disease, or traumatic brain injury.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton attended a special event at the station to accept the accreditation on behalf of Victoria Police.

Sen Sgt Sinclair said he was proud the station was Australia’s first law enforcement agency to be involved in the project.

“We hope this symbol offers confidence to anyone who walks into our police station that they will receive fair and equal access to our services”

“We hope this symbol offers confidence to anyone who walks into our police station that they will receive fair and equal access to our services,” he said.

“Officers have worked hard to earn this recognition, participating in tailored training sessions, and speaking openly and genuinely to trainers with lived experiences.”

Police from the station who participated in the training now wear a communication access pin, which helps identify officers with the skills and strategies to communicate effectively with people who have a communication disability.

Geelong Police Station was also given the accreditation in October after officers there successfully completed the training.

Image A significant symbol CCP Graham Ashton (back left) joined officers from Box Hill Police Station and Scope staff to accept the Communication Access Symbol accreditation.

Editorial and photography: Danielle Ford

POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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Coming together to counter terrorism IT’S A FICTIONAL SCENARIO THAT WAS PLAYED OUT IN A VERY REAL WAY – VICTORIA POLICE UNCOVER A TERRORISM PLOT TO ATTACK AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST POWER STATION, SO THEY CALL ON THE MIGHT OF THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE TO HELP PROTECT IT.

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The simulation was the setting of a major joint training exercise designed to refine the response of Victoria Police and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to domestic terrorism incidents.

More than 250 Victoria Police, ADF and Department of Home Affairs personnel descended upon the Loy Yang Power Station in the Latrobe Valley over three days in October, as part of Exercise Southern Magpie 19.

The exercise was run to test recent legislative changes that make it easier for states and territories to request ADF support in response to ongoing or anticipated situations on Australian soil, such as a terrorist incident.

Loy Yang Power Station is crucial to the nation’s electricity network, so in the scenario, Victoria Police called upon the ADF and Home Affairs to help protect the power station and thwart the threat.

With help from role-playing personnel, police and soldiers joined together over the three days to act out situations such as cordon and search operations and vehicle checkpoints.

“In a crawl, walk, run sense, this is very much a crawling exercise,” he said.

Victoria Police’s Counter Terrorism Command Assistant Commissioner Ross Guenther said the aim of the exercise was to have Victoria Police lead the response, backed up by the ADF and Home Affairs.

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Rick Burr visited Loy Yang along with Victoria Police’s Specialist Operations Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam to see the new legislation in action.

On top of frontline police and army personnel working together, Victoria Police’s Special Operations Group was involved along with police and ADF legal teams.

“From top to bottom, we have learned a lot at each of those levels on how we can work together,” AC Guenther said.

“The legislation is only a few months old, so this is about developing those initial procedures.”

“This has been a great chance to get together and test out how we can work together,” Lieutenant General Burr said.

“Victoria Police is always highly professional and to see the levels of cooperation here is inspiring.”

“The more practice we do around this, testing our own arrangements in practical terms, it is going to make it safer for our community.”

Throughout the exercise, participants in both the blue of police and the camouflage green of the army were constantly talking over the intricacies of how their different units approach certain situations and how their interoperability can strengthen their response.

Discussions included the optimal positioning of police vehicles and army troops, how the different radio systems worked, and even the differences in police and army speak.

ADF Wing Commander John Leo, one of the main exercise organisers, said the ADF learned a lot from Victoria Police.

“In some ways, the police and ADF are very similar, and in other ways, they’re actually quite different,” Wing Commander Leo said.

“The police are used to operating in and around the Australian public and generally the ADF is not.”

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He said the ADF made it their aim as part of the exercise to “blend with the blue”.

03 Images Joint approach 01 Loy Yang Power Plant in the Latrobe Valley was the scene of the large counter terrorism training exercise.

02 Police and army personnel worked side by side to enhance the way they protect Victoria.

03 The training exercise allowed police and soldiers to refine their combined patrol methods.

04 Exercise Southern Magpie 19 involved police and army personnel acting out a fictional terrorism threat scenario.

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann and Australian Defence Force

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VICTORIA POLICE

BY THE NUMBERS:

82,000 10,000,000 incidents of family violence were responded to by Victoria Police in the 12 months prior to June 2019. Find out how advancements in techniques and technology are assisting police respond to these crimes in new ways on Page 12.

number plates have already been scanned by mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology since it was first installed in Victoria Police vehicles in February.

All 221 highway patrol cars will have the technology installed

by March 2021.

57% 391

of the more than 450,000 people who attended the 2019 Royal Melbourne Show visited Victoria Police’s award-winning activation.

Read more on Page 7.

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people were saved from a sinking car by a heroic police officer and tradie in November. The elderly couple’s vehicle launched into a dam after leaving a road near Creswick, with the witness and a leading senior constable diving into the water to free the pair, both aged in their eighties, from the submerged car.

burglaries were investigated during Operation Swing as detectives pursued a prolific smash-and-grab gang in 2007. Find out how police brought the offenders to justice in the True Crime feature on Page 28.

170 mobile phones were seized by North West Metro Region detectives as they executed warrants on commercial and residential properties in Melbourne’s CBD last month.

More than 20 of the phones were identified as stolen.

A 39-year-old man was charged with handling stolen goods.

45 police work in the Melbourne suburb of Mernda, the latest locality to receive a dedicated police station.

Read more on Page 10.

5 successive push-ups on toes is one of the physical tests that applicants must pass in order to join Victoria Police.

Students in the Cardinia region found out exactly how fit police officers need to be during a special, nine-week interactive program. Read more on Page 26.

Keep up with the latest police news at police.vic.gov.au/news

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FACING ROAD TRAUMA REALITIES HEAD-ON 01

“Shattered to pieces” is how Alex Eleftheriou described his body after a horrific motorcycle accident when he was 17.

“Every bone in my body was broken, from my cervical in my spine down to the navicular in my foot,” Mr Eleftheriou said.

The accident, which the now 24-year-old said was the result of him not paying proper attention while riding, left him a quadriplegic, unable to use his body from the neck down.

“Before my accident, I thought I was invincible,” he said.

“Testosterone and a high-powered bike mixed with not giving 100 per cent attention is probably the worst concoction you can get.”

More than 1,200 students, all a similar age to Mr Eleftheriou at the time of his accident, faced the reality of road trauma head on earlier this year while listening to him recount the story of his accident and recovery.

Year 11 and 12 students from schools in the Geelong region heard Mr Eleftheriou’s story as part of the You Just Never Know program, a firstof-its-kind Victoria Police initiative aimed at raising awareness and providing education to teenagers about the dangers of irresponsible driving.

For attendee Kiah Williams from Sacred Heart College, Mr Eleftheriou’s story hit hard, with the 16-year-old having recently started driving.

“It really highlighted how a serious road accident can have a huge ripple effect on so many people,” Kiah said.

“Alex was a similar age to me when he had his accident and that really made it hit home that anything can happen at any time, so you’ve got to be so alert and sensible on the road.”

Presented as a three-hour session, the program involved Geelong police joining with representatives from Ambulance Victoria, University Hospital Geelong, Geelong Football Club and Geelong Magistrates' Court to show students the wide-ranging impact irresponsible driving can have.

Geelong Community Engagement Unit Leading Senior Constable Andrew Brittain said the program differed from other road safety events, as it was designed to be a harsh and confronting look at the realities of road accidents.

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“The impact road accidents have on the people involved in them, their family and friends, the emergency services workers who attend and the wider community is huge, so we wanted to show the not-so-pretty side of it,” Ldg Sen Const Brittain said.

Representatives from each organisation shared personal experiences of road accidents, ranging from a paramedic who has attended countless scenes, to Geelong Football Club star Patrick Dangerfield, who lost his uncle in a car accident.

“He made the terrible choice to drink and drive and my family has to live without him now. We also live with the knowledge that had he made a different choice, he could still be with us,” Dangerfield said.

Ldg Sen Const Brittain said the response to the sessions was extremely positive and police in the Geelong region are planning to make them an annual event.

“By showing the students straight up what the impacts of their choices can be, we are hopefully helping them stop and think before they make one silly mistake that could change their whole life,” he said.

03 Images Sharing stories 01 Motorcycle crash survivor Alex Eleftheriou shared the story of his horrific accident and lengthy recovery with more than 1,200 senior students at the You Just Never Know road safety event.

02 Surf Coast Secondary College students Zakhele Stevens and Kayla Hardy, Ambulance Victoria’s Michael Sheriden, Alex Eleftheriou, Supt Craig Gillard and Sacred Heart College students Kiah Williams and Erin Dystra.

03 Supt Craig Gillard, Ldg Sen Const Andy Brittain, Patrick Dangerfield and Magistrate Ann McGarvie all spoke at the event, sharing their personal stories of road trauma.

Editorial and photography: Danielle Ford

POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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Caught in the darknet Tracking down a drug dealer operating in the hidden recesses of the darknet was long thought to be near impossible.

The team even had the United States’ powerful Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) present to them in preparation for the case.

The suburban father had hidden behind the darknet’s much-vaunted walls of security and anonymity, yet they had come crashing down.

So impenetrable did criminals consider the walls of the darknet, that when Detective Senior Constable Igor Rusmir arrested a man at his suburban Melbourne home for trafficking fentanyl through the internet’s most clandestine channel, police thought the man was having a shock-induced heart attack and would need an ambulance.

Despite being warned about the darknet’s formidable encryption protection and of the lack of fentanyl dealers in Victoria, Det Sen Const Rusmir was like a dog with a bone, determined to bring the dealer to justice.

“Even right now, I’m certain there are other crooks on the darknet feeling the same invincibility. It’s false,” Det Sen Const Rusmir said.

For the offender, the surprise arrest at his front door only lasted a few moments.

But for Det Sen Const Rusmir and his fellow Drug Taskforce detectives, it was the culmination of an extraordinary, year-long investigation that made law enforcement agencies across the world take notice.

The case file first came across Det Sen Const Rusmir’s desk in July 2017, following the fentanyl overdose death of a 25-year-old Western Australia man.

Fentanyl is an incredibly powerful and dangerous synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine.

It is legally used in minute doses for medicallysupervised pain management but is increasingly being abused illegally and has caused countless overdose deaths globally.

The man’s family had discovered on his computer that he had bought the fentanyl using the cryptocurrency Bitcoin over the darknet, an area of the internet hidden beyond the reach of mainstream search engines.

The case landed with Det Sen Const Rusmir after aspects of the sale suggested the man’s darknet dealer may have been from Victoria.

It didn’t take long for the detective to realise this was a job the likes of which the Drug Taskforce had never before dealt with.

“We had to do a lot of work to educate ourselves on things like the darknet, fentanyl and cryptocurrency just to get the job off the ground,” Det Sen Const Rusmir said.

Victoria Police’s E-Crime squad was brought in to help the Drug Taskforce understand how to delve into the darknet and the use of cryptocurrency, while the Clandestine Laboratory Squad educated them on fentanyl.

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The investigation began in earnest in November 2017 and Det Sen Const Rusmir identified six active fentanyl dealers in Victoria, one of which was linked to the dead Western Australia man.

Due to its toxicity and role in so many overdose deaths, fentanyl sales were being banned on various darknet marketplaces, making it even more difficult to track the suspect.

“We had to follow the target through the darknet world to other websites and forums where he could still sell fentanyl,” Det Sen Const Rusmir said.

“The E-Crime guys worked their magic on the darknet and purchased two samples of fentanyl from him.”

So lethal is the substance, that when 100 milligrams of fentanyl arrived via Australia Post, police needed the opioid antidote naloxone at the ready in case of accidental exposure.

In getting the suspect to send the sample, Det Sen Const Rusmir had forced him to surface from the darknet into the real world, allowing him to turn to the traditional tricks of the drug investigation trade.

After finally tracking him down, Det Sen Const Rusmir was surprised with who he discovered.

“He was a 45-year-old family man who lived in a normal suburban house, was well-educated, had a very well-paying job and his two daughters would often stay with him,” he said.

“He’d never been in trouble with the law.

He was a cleanskin, as clean as they get.

“We realised it was from the darknet to the dad next door.”

But the bigger shock was reserved for the offender when police knocked on his front door on 7 August 2018.

“We genuinely thought he was having a heart attack and were about to call an ambulance,” Det Sen Const Rusmir said.

The man made full admissions about his two-year fentanyl trafficking history and even told police about another shipment of the drug that was due to arrive at his home.

In preparing the case for court, the taskforce and prosecutors decided there wasn’t any evidence that specifically linked the accused to the overdose that killed the Western Australian man.

And despite being active for two years, the total amount of fentanyl he sold still did not meet the commercial trafficking threshold of 50 grams.

This, combined with his cooperation with police, resulted in the man receiving a three-year Community Corrections Order.

But the impact of Det Sen Const Rusmir’s investigation goes far beyond this case itself.

The Drug Taskforce’s Detective Inspector Phil Harrison said it helped establish the team’s darknet, cryptocurrency and fentanyl expertise.

“We’re in a new age and Det Sen Const Rusmir was a pioneer in relation to these capabilities,” Det Insp Harrison said.

“The success of this demonstrates Victoria Police can meet the challenge of new threats, even with difficult technology.”

Law enforcement agencies from around the world, including the United States’ DEA, have been asking Victoria Police how it was done.

For his innovation and tenacity, Det Sen Const Rusmir was rewarded with Victoria Police’s highest annual investigative honour, the 2019 Mick Miller Detective of the Year Award.

But accolades and international attention were never Det Sen Const Rusmir’s motivations during the seemingly impossible job.

“I just wanted to prove it could be done,” he said.

Image Pioneer policing Det Sen Const Igor Rusmir’s determination and willingness to embrace new technology resulted in a ground-breaking investigation.

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann Photography: John Pallot POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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CAREER IN FOCUS

FINDING A PURPOSE IN POLICING 01

Few people know the value of good police work more than Samantha Davidson.

In May 2005, the now-Constable with Victoria Police was just like any other teenage girl living in the tiny rural township of Picola, undertaking year seven at high school and spending her weekends playing netball.

But during a weekend drive with her father, sister and two brothers, her life both literally and metaphorically took a turn for the worse.

Const Davidson’s father, Jon, lost consciousness behind the wheel and the car left the road and careened into a creek.

As water flooded the car, Const Davidson helped her siblings onto the roof and managed to rouse her father and help him to safety with the aid of some nearby campers.

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Davidson suffered an injury to her spleen in the accident and spent the next week in hospital, but her father didn’t come to visit her.

Once she was discharged from hospital, Const Davidson learned why.

“I got home and dad had a large scar and a lot of staples running along the side of his head,” Const Davidson said.

“Doctors had discovered he had stage three glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain cancer, and the tumour had caused him to lose consciousness while driving.”

Despite being told he had five months left to live, Jon bravely battled the cancer for the next five years. In that time, Jon’s repeat surgeries and frequent seizures were a reality the family had to cope with.

In November 2010, Const Davidson again saved her father from drowning, this time from a bathtub after he suffered another seizure.

He was taken to hospital after the incident but would never come home. A stroke derailed his recovery and the subsequent complications resulted in him passing away at the age of 40.

Sadly, only another six months would go by before Const Davidson and her siblings buried their other parent.

In May 2011, a trivial argument about the household being out of milk upset Const Davidson’s mother, Julia, who had been diagnosed with bi-polar schizophrenia years earlier.

Tragically, the small argument led to Julia locking herself in a bedroom and taking a massive dosage of prescription medication.

Const Davidson cleared the house of her siblings and paramedics rushed to the home, but Julia couldn’t be saved and died in the arms of her daughter on the living room floor as a result of the overdose.

At 18, Const Davidson had lost both her parents in what was undoubtedly the darkest chapter of her young life.

But then there was Leading Senior Constable Kerry-Anne Rappell, the only police woman in the neighbouring three-officer town of Nathalia, who managed to shine some light in the darkness.

Through their involvement with the Picola Football Netball Club, Ldg Sen Const Rappell and her husband had been family friends of the Davidsons since moving to the nearby town of Numurkah shortly after Jon’s cancer diagnosis.

Ldg Sen Const Rappell was a source of inspiration to Const Davidson, who had wanted to become a police officer since the age of four.

“I had always had a lot to do with Kerry-Anne and spoke to her a lot about life after my dad passed away, but she really took on a mentoring role after my mum died,” Const Davidson said.

“That was the turning point in our relationship and she really started to influence my life.

“It didn’t matter what I needed, she was there.

She took the statement when my mum passed and helped during the inquest into her death, she did everything."

While Const Davidson was keen to join Victoria Police almost immediately after her mother’s death, Ldg Sen Const Rappell suggested she take some time to process what had happened.

So Const Davidson continued working jobs at a petrol station, the local fish and chip shop and a dairy factory to help support her three younger siblings.

By her own admission, the application process wasn’t smooth.

similar impact on the community as Ldg Sen Const Rappell had on her.

She narrowly failed in her first and second attempts at the police entrance exam, but as her results were so close to passing, Victoria Police offered her a position as a Protective Services Officer (PSO).

“Kerry-Anne didn’t have to take me on and help like she did, it wasn’t part of her job, but I’m so lucky she did,” Const Davidson said.

“Being from a country town in the middle of nowhere that had one train arrive and leave per day, I barely even knew what a PSO was,” Const Davidson said.

“I was hesitant but needed to make the decision that day, so the first person I called was Kerry-Anne and she encouraged me to take it.”

A fast-tracked application process meant a hasty transition, with Const Davidson finishing her work in Picola and moving to the Victoria Police Academy all in a single weekend.

With guidance from Ldg Sen Const Rappell during her time at the Academy, Const Davidson graduated in September 2016, with her biggest supporter in attendance.

After two years of “loving” PSO duties in Collingwood, Richmond and Footscray, Const Davidson was ready to take the next step and entered the Constable Qualifying Program to transition from PSO to police officer.

Again, Ldg Sen Const Rappell was there for Const Davidson’s graduation day in June of 2019.

One day, she finally took the leap.

Const Davidson’s parents were there too, in the form of a treasured framed photograph her family had brought to the ceremony.

“I just randomly decided to finally do it.

I messaged Kerry-Anne to let her know and I applied to join Victoria Police that day,” Const Davidson said.

Currently stationed at Moonee Ponds and using her past experiences to better relate to the people she deals with while on patrol, Const Davidson says she wants to have a

Images Strong supporters 01 Const Samantha Davidson says working for Victoria Police has provided her with a purpose after a difficult upbringing, which saw her lose both her parents as a teenager.

02 Ldg Sen Const Kerry-Anne Rappell helped Const Davidson throughout her childhood and was again right by her side when she graduated as a Protective Services Officer in 2016.

“If I could have half the impact on someone as Kerry-Anne had on me, my career will be worthwhile."

“I’ve already had parents back home ask me to speak to their daughters because they’re interested in working for the police.”

Const Davidson wanted to share her story to let people know they can still pursue a career within Victoria Police, regardless of their backgrounds.

“It doesn’t matter if you speak one language or 10, or if you’ve had a difficult past – when you work for the police, you work to provide a service,” Const Davidson said.

“The reason it is a strong organisation is because of the diverse backgrounds of the people who work here.

“I reached a crossroads in my life and was looking for a purpose – Victoria Police gave me that.”

For 24/7 crisis support or suicide prevention services, please call 13 11 14. If life is in danger, call Triple Zero (000). Current and former Victoria Police employees and their families can also access wellbeing services via bluespacewellbeing.com.au

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Editorial: Grant Condon

POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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b

legacy

A LASTING On 6 February 1980, a group of Victoria Police officers held a meeting to discuss setting up “an organised body to care for the families of deceased members”.

This humble meeting marked the start of Victoria Police Legacy, a not-for-profit organisation that provides ongoing support services for police families who have suffered the loss of a loved one.

February 2020 will mark 40 years since that first meeting and four decades of helping thousands of families in any way possible.

Victoria Police Legacy Chair Commander Lauren Callaway said since its creation the organisation had grown to become a professional and reputable charity, without losing the people-focused response that was the basis of its foundation.

“The most fundamental value of Police Legacy is that it creates a space where you are never expected to stop acknowledging your grief, where it’s acceptable to feel the full range of emotions about your loss,” Cmdr Callaway said.

“While we continue to grow into a much larger organisation each year, we have not lost that human aspect of our response, which is what makes Police Legacy such a special and vital organisation to policing families.”

The 40-year milestone has provided an opportunity for the organisation to reflect on its history and look to the future.

“While the organisation still operates on the core values it was founded on, there have been many changes over the years to ensure Police Legacy reflects the changing family dynamics present in society,” Cmdr Callaway said.

One of the biggest changes for the organisation has been the evolution of the police legatee status.

When Police Legacy launched in 1980, police legatees could only be the spouse or child of a deceased officer.

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However, in the past four decades this has changed many times, with the term now covering a larger range of people to reflect modern-day families.

“Our police legatee status now covers parents of officers who have died and didn’t have a partner or children,” Cmdr Callaway said.

“It also now includes police families who have lost a child. We are always looking to develop support that reflects the ever-evolving world.”

As for the future of the organisation, Cmdr Callaway believes it lies in the connection with the ever-growing number of young police legatees.

“We want them to remain connected to the policing family in ways that will inspire them to either join the police ranks or to give back to an organisation that helped them cope with grief and loss,” she said.

“We have several ambassadors and volunteers who have experienced Victoria Police Legacy first-hand and are now assisting us to help others.

“One day some of these young police legatees will be future leaders within Victoria Police, Police Legacy or the wider community and will continue to build our services in ways that are personal and meaningful.”

“It also now includes police families who have lost a child.

We are always looking to develop support that reflects the ever-evolving world.”

Editorial: Danielle Ford Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

Police Legacy timeline The tragic murder of Swan Hill Detective Senior Constable Robert Lane intensified concerns about what support – including financial, emotional and hardship – was available to police and their families following a death. The following month, The Police Association directed a pilot committee to set up a Victoria Police Legacy Scheme.

6 February 1980 Strongly supported by then Chief Commissioner Sinclair Imrie ‘Mick’ Miller, the Victoria Police Legacy Scheme was formally established.

It was led by founding committee members Superintendent Peter Ryan, Inspector Bryan Kelly, Inspector Gary Storey and other officers.

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13 November 1980 CCP Mick Miller arranged for every police officer of Victoria Police to have 20 cents deducted from their wages to support police legatees.

1981 Victoria Police Legacy employed office manager, Angela Stuckey, signalling the start of non-police being engaged to perform specialist roles as needed.

1994 Meg Galpin was appointed Chief Executive Officer, further integrating external employees.

2005 Police legatees were taken on their first country getaway. CEO Galpin and board members Gary Storey and Peter O’Neill accompanied 38 police legatees to the National Police Tattoo hosted by the South Australia Police Force.

2006 Victoria Police Legacy moved its shared office from the main building of the Victoria Police Credit CoOperative to its own space in front of the Co-Op. 20 April 2006 Two large Victoria Police Legacy banners were created and hung out the front of the Police Chapel at the Victoria Police Academy. They were unveiled by Governor of Victoria and Patron-inChief Professor David de Kretser AO.

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Brendan Mason Having grown up with two parents who were police officers, Constable Brendan Mason’s connection to Victoria Police far pre-dates him joining the force.

“I was that kid in playgroup who always said, ‘When I grow up I want to be a police officer’ because I’d grown up hearing about Mum and Dad doing it and I always thought it sounded interesting,” Const Mason said.

After his father, Detective Sergeant Kenneth Mason, died when he was 16, Const Mason said Victoria Police Legacy provided a huge support and comfort for him, his siblings and his mother.

“Losing a family member is obviously a tough time and it’s all the things you don’t think of during that grieving period that Police Legacy are there for,” he said.

Images Feeling supported 01 Const Brendan Mason credits the support of Victoria Police Legacy for cementing his life-long desire to follow in his parents' footsteps and join the police force.

02 Val Moran is honoured to be a Victoria Police Legatee and said her husband, Sgt Edward Moran, would be looking down smiling, knowing she is being taken care of.

Val Moran Police widow Val Moran is honoured to be part of the Victoria Police Legacy family.

“It keeps us all connected and we really are one big family,” Mrs Moran said.

“We have all lost someone very close to us and we all have times when we are struggling and feel sad and on our own.

"I love the fact that through Victoria Police Legacy, we can feel supported and help support each other.”

Mrs Moran’s husband, Sergeant Edward Moran, was a police veteran who tragically died in a motorcycle accident in 2004.

“When you’re the widow of a police officer, you share two things profoundly in common with other police widows,” she said.

“First, we know what it’s like to be married to a police officer, which comes with its own

20 September 2011 Victoria Police Legacy foundation board member Gary Storey retired after serving on the board for 31 continuous years.

“They know the policing world and they’ve all been through similar situations so they’re well across it and have a great understanding of where you’re at.

“They help you just feel what you’re feeling and have such great experience in where they can help and what they can do.”

During his later teenage years, Const Mason took part in many Police Legacy social activities and set of worries. Plus, we also know what it’s like to then have to live without our partners.

"This makes us a unique group of people who can understand each other in a very special way.”

Mrs Moran connected with Victoria Police Legacy in 2017, when she moved back to Victoria from Queensland, where she and her husband had retired.

She regularly attends Police Legacy events, including going to police graduations and joining other police widows on annual getaways.

She describes the trips as a lot of fun and a chance to see some great places, but admits they are about much more than a short holiday.

“They are therapeutic for many of us women,” Mrs Moran said.

“Some never get away and some have young children, so these trips give them an opportunity to have a break and relax while bonding with people who understand their situation.

“They certainly helped me transition back to my home state, which was a big move on my own after so many years living interstate.”

September 2016 Former board member Superintendent Peter O’Neill was appointed as the first Ambassador for Victoria Police Legacy. A further 22 have since been appointed.

2012-2013 Nearly $900,000 of assistance was provided to police legatees – the biggest financial year expenditure on police legatees in its history.

2014 Victoria Police Legacy purchased and relocated into its own premises in Carlton. Money saved on commercial rent could now be directed towards police legatees.

programs, which he said provided a great sense of connection to others with similar experiences.

“The social activities for me were one of the most helpful things during those years because they connected me with people of a similar age in similar circumstances as they were also police legatees,” he said.

“I’d always had that desire to join Victoria Police as an officer but after Dad passed away the influence Police Legacy had on my life, through these activities, really cemented that desire and strengthened my connection to Victoria Police.”

This connection with Victoria Police Legacy is something Const Mason continues to foster today.

After joining Victoria Police in 2017, the now 24-year-old Melbourne East constable volunteers with Police Legacy, assisting on youth camps and helping other young police legatees who are going through similar losses he did.

“It’s a good way to give back and keep that connection with Police Legacy going,” he said.

“They’re always looking for people to volunteer, particularly police, and I thought it would be a great way to give back since they’ve done so much over the years to help make things a bit easier after losing Dad.”

Mrs Moran said she was incredibly grateful to the serving police officers who give so generously to help support police legatees.

“What our police do for us is very much appreciated,” she said.

“They may not always see us, they may not even know us, but we appreciate their time, their kindness and their financial contributions which make so many wonderful and meaningful things possible.

“Emotionally it’s huge. Some women would have totally lost their connection to Victoria Police if it wasn’t for the reach of Victoria Police Legacy. That’s why it’s so important.

“When I am around police, I am taken back to my early years of marriage and my handsome young husband in his uniform.

He would be really happy to know that the comradery he enjoyed so much in the job still exists and that I am now a small part of it.”

15 November 2017 The CEO of Bank Vic (formerly the Police Credit Co-Op), Stephen Capello, was elected as the first non-police member to the board.

16 October 2018

16 November 2016 Commander Lauren Callaway was the first female to be elected Chair of Victoria Police Legacy.

Detective Inspector Roger Schranz retired from the Victoria Police Legacy board after 18 years, 13 of which were served as Chair.

19 July 2017 The new Carlton offices were officially dedicated and named the ‘S.I. Mick Miller Victoria Police Legacy Building’. Former CCP Mick Miller attended the dedication with founding members Peter Ryan and Bryan Kelly along with CCP Graham Ashton, members of police command and police legatees.

POLICE LIFE | SUMMER 2019-20

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LO

While going to the gym is usually reserved as a way to get fit and healthy, for a group of high school students in the Cardinia Police Service Area (PSA), it has also been a way to engage with local police.

About 160 students from Minaret College, St Francis Xavier College and Pakenham Secondary College joined 30 local police for the newly-introduced Cardinia Cop Camp.

The program involved officers and students training together once a week for nine weeks to prepare for a simulation of the fitness test recruits must pass to enter the Victoria Police Academy.

Pakenham Secondary College year 10 student Lleyton Blick was one of the students who took part in the program and said the chance to train alongside police was something he found slightly daunting at first.

“I’ve never really had much personal experience with police and didn’t know what to think about spending time at a gym with them,” he said.

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“But after one session, that hesitation was gone because once you get talking to them and learn about their lives, you realise they are just like everyone else.

“I might have been hesitant in the past to walk up to an officer and just chat with them, but now I know a lot of them personally if I ever needed their help or advice I wouldn’t hesitate to talk to any police officer.”

Cardinia PSA community engagement coordinator Senior Constable Riki-Lee White said it was encouraging to see the connection between the students and police develop every week.

01

“There were a fair few students who were like Lleyton and a bit hesitant around the officers at first,” Sen Const White said.

“But by the end they were laughing and joking around with them and having a bit of banter about the exercises.

“That setting of training in a gym brought out a bit of light-hearted competition between the students and officers which just helped strengthen the connections.”

The program culminated in a carnival day, held at the end of October, where the students were able to put their training to good use, undergoing the Victoria Police recruit fitness test.

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“The carnival was a great day with students having a bit of a fun competition against each other and a few of the officers,” Sen Const White said.

“We saw many positive connections built through the program and hope the students who took part will share the experience with their friends.”

“Individual awards were presented to students along with the results of their overall improvement throughout the program.

For more information about the Community Safety Network, visit engage.vic.gov.au/ communitysafetynetworks.

“We were able to get officers from different specialty areas within the organisation to present to students and highlight the wide range of the work Victoria Police does.”

Cardinia Cop Camp was developed and delivered under the Victorian Government’s Community Safety Network, a state-wide project to provide Victorian communities with a direct platform to discuss local crime issues and policing priorities.

In the Cardinia PSA, family violence, burglary and theft, youth anti-social behaviour and road safety were identified by the community to be the top safety concerns.

From this, Operation Engage Cardinia was developed and Sen Const White said the Cop Camp program was one element of the wide-ranging initiative.

“Through the Cop Camp, we hoped the students involved would learn more about the local police who serve in Cardinia and that we would get to know a little bit more about our local youth to help combat this problem of anti-social behaviour,” she said.

Keep up-to-date with the latest Cardinia policing news by visiting the Cardinia Police Service Area Eyewatch page at facebook.com/eyewatchcardinia

Images Gym buddies 01 Const Nick Abeysekera and year 10 student Lleyton Blick show their friendly rivalry, facing off in a push-up challenge.

02 Maiah Waters shows Const Luke Tilly her boxing skills picked up during the nine-week camp.

03 Rebekah Shiambi, Jacob Oryem, Brett Handley, Raven Nhem, Const Nick Abeysekera, Lleyton Blick, Const Luke Tilly, Maiah Waters and Sen Const Jeremy Wheeler get active as part of the Cardinia Cop Camp.

Editorial: Danielle Ford Photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

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TRUE CRIME

CRACKING A

SMASH-AND-GRAB

GANG

After police in Melbourne’s south-east began investigating a spate of business burglaries in late 2006, they quickly realised they were dealing with one of the most prolific safe-cracking gangs in Victoria’s history.

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With a catch-me-if-you-can attitude, the gang was so relentless they continued to break into businesses and steal safes even after being arrested and released on bail.

The chase for the gang began in early 2007 when crime investigation units (CIU) in the south-east separately began investigating instances of stolen safes and cash from fast food outlets, medical clinics and other businesses, dating back to December 2006.

The gang – made up of Daniel Soltan, 28, Hoani Paranihi, 19, Anthony Adams, 37, and Jim Mantzalas, 49 – had a consistent approach to its raids on businesses to net hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

Led by Soltan, the gang would pick a target likely to keep cash on-site overnight.

They would cut wires in nearby telecommunications pits and then phone the target businesses to see if they were successful in disabling security systems.

Once they were confident no security patrols had been sent out, they would force their way inside, smashing windows or jemmying open doors.

When inside, they would destroy CCTV cameras and alarm systems before using sledgehammers, crowbars and even forklifts to bash and pry the safes free.

They would take the safes away, use a large angle grinder to split them open, steal the cash within and dump the safes in creeks or dams.

Detective Sergeant Mick Sewell, who worked at Chelsea CIU at the time, said once the modus operandi was established, investigators from the various CIUs joined forces to catch the gang.

But identifying the suspects was proving difficult because, despite their violent break-ins, the gang members always wore balaclavas, wigs and gloves.

“They seemed cocky and confident because they knew they weren’t leaving forensic evidence anywhere,” Det Sgt Sewell said.

“They got so prolific, doing a job almost nightly, and sometimes multiple jobs in one night.

“It really seemed like they had a catch-me-ifyou-can attitude.”

But a breakthrough came when lead investigator Detective Senior Constable Rod Eaton discovered Soltan had made a simple yet significant mistake.

After the gang cut the phone lines outside a Subway restaurant one night, Soltan rang the restaurant to check its phone was down and security system disabled.

But the wrong wires were cut and Soltan’s call was picked up by the restaurant’s answering machine before he could hang up.

In early August 2007, convinced they had a watertight case, Operation Swing detectives decided it was time to move on the gang.

This call connection gave Det Sen Const Eaton Soltan’s phone number, which he used to identify him and his criminal crew.

In the early hours of 6 August, State Surveillance Unit police were tailing the gang when they headed north to Greensborough.

“From that point we monitored who he was phoning and that helped us develop our network of suspects,” Det Sen Const Eaton said.

While driving, the gang performed several anti-surveillance manoeuvres to shake any cars tracking them before breaking into the Urban Grooves Café.

The gang continued to hit businesses in and around Frankston, Mornington and Cheltenham, giving police evidence to strengthen the case against them.

On 3 May 2007, the gang travelled west, all the way to Werribee to rob four medical clinics in just one night.

It was after this date that Adams finished committing burglaries with the gang.

The next night, the gang hit a Subway restaurant in Patterson Lakes before detectives swooped to arrest them while they were breaking into a Frankston medical centre.

The gang was charged with multiple offences and all members were released on bail on 7 May to await their court cases.

But within just days, each driven by a compulsion to feed their crippling gambling addictions, the robbers continued their crime spree.

On top of targeting businesses in their usual haunts, they began travelling further afield and stealing safes from businesses in Pakenham, Malvern East and Mount Waverley.

It was during this redoubled crime binge that they had their biggest hit, with Paranihi and Mantzalas stealing a safe from a Cheltenham surgery containing $95,000.

Police arrived at the scene just after the gang had split open the safe and stashed the cash.

In an effort to evade arrest, Soltan and Mantzalas jumped over a nearby fence, but Paranihi couldn’t make it over with them.

“It was like in the cartoons, with him scrambling to get over but we just came up and pulled him off the fence,” Det Sgt Sewell said.

“Mantzalas, because he was a bit older, ran out of breath quickly and dived head-first into a bramble bush.

“We could see these two feet clearly sticking out of this bush, so we just walked up and dragged him backwards through the bushes.”

Soltan, though, had made it into a creek to try and avoid being detected by police dogs.

“He later told us the water was so cold he almost got out and gave up,” Det Sgt Sewell said.

“He ended up crawling under a house nearby and slept there until 10am before getting out.”

Yet it was all in vain, as detectives arrested Soltan at his home the next day.

Throughout Operation Swing, detectives had investigated 391 burglaries they believed the gang committed.

Police were shocked at how brazen and relentless the gang was, so Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Rix officially launched the investigation known as Operation Swing.

The gang members were intending to contest the charges but ended up agreeing with investigators to plead guilty to charges relating to 76 incidents.

“After they got bail, they didn’t even bother to change their methodology,” Det Sen Sgt Rix said.

The entire gang was jailed; Soltan for seven years, Paranihi for five years and three months, Adams – who was arrested separately on 28 August – for five years and Mantzalas for three years and six months.

“It’s hard to comprehend the greed they had.

“They were getting significant quantities of cash and weren’t exactly splashing it on expensive things, so we were left wondering, ‘Just how much money can they possibly pump into the pokies?’”

Soltan’s gambling addiction presented police the perfect opportunity to keep tabs on him, with a Technical Surveillance Unit operative planting a tracking device on Soltan’s car while he was playing the pokies at Mount Martha’s Dava Hotel.

The tracker, phone records, phone call intercepts and continued offending allowed investigators to gather compelling evidence.

“Sometimes you have to let the crooks cook themselves,” Det Sgt Sewell said.

Over the eight-month crime spree, the gang had stolen about half a million dollars and left a $600,000 damage bill in its wake.

Det Sgt Sewell said the hard work of Det Sen Const Eaton and long hours of Operation Swing worked by Chelsea CIU detectives had all been worth it.

“The fact they had been running amok for such a long time, causing so much harm to the community, it was incredibly satisfying to take them down,” Det Sgt Sewell said.

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann

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01

Games for good

In a day f ull of f un and smile s, police have cre ated closer connections with the dif ferent culture s of the Tarneit communit y.

The Tarneit Community Games, held for the first time in October, brought together members of the various culturally and linguistic diverse (CALD) communities that call the suburb and the surrounding Wyndham area home.

The activity-packed event in Melbourne’s outer west was put on by officers from Wyndham North Police Station, Tarneit Neighbourhood Watch and Wyndham City Council.

The people of Wyndham come from 120 different countries and speak at least 52 different languages and dialects, and Senior Sergeant Steve Hayes said it was important for police to connect with everyone.

“Being such a culturally-diverse community, we want people to have positive engagement with police to see that we are approachable,” Sen Sgt Hayes said.

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“It has been apparent to us that there are barriers in some of our local CALD communities in approaching police, due to the attitudes towards police in the countries they are originally from.”

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The Tarneit Community Games is one of the latest ways the police have reached out to those communities.

Working hand-in-hand with CALD communities is one of the big aims of Wyndham North Police Station.

“It was a great day and we all had a lot of fun,” Sen Sgt Hayes said.

“In the work we do, we can’t win the game all by ourselves, so we need community support,” Sen Sgt Hayes said.

“It was particularly great to see the young kids interacting with our officers.

“If we engage with them at a young age then their attitudes as they go through their teenage years will be more positive.”

Sen Sgt Hayes said connecting with the fastgrowing Indian community had been one of the great successes of the station in recent years.

“Through the Neighbourhood Watch group, we’ve done some great crime prevention presentations for the local Indian religious communities,” he said.

“In 2020, we will be looking to do forums with our local African communities, our local Indian community and then one with the women of our community as well.”

“We are big believers that our legitimacy comes from the community, so we need to have them onside to support us.

“It’s really great to have them working alongside us.”

Images Cultural connection 01 The Tarneit Community Games was a fun day out for both children and police.

02 Sen Sgt Steve Hayes presented medals to the day’s winners.

03 Const Kelly Wilcox lends a hand in the tug of war competition.

04 The egg and spoon race provided plenty of laughs.

05 The Tarneit Community Games was the latest event put on by Wyndham North Police Station to engage with the area’s different cultures and communities.

Editorial and photography: Jesse Wray-McCann

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WHEN YOU , NEED US BUT NOT THE SIRENS

There’s now a new way to contact Victoria Police for non-urgent matters.

Call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 or for online reporting go to police.vic.gov.au