AFP corruption investigations into alleged lies, cover-ups are underway
The highest levels of the Australian Federal Police force are under investigation over allegations of lies, cover-ups, abuse of office and failure to protect undercover operatives.
National
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A string of corruption investigations are underway into the highest levels of the Australian Federal Police force (AFP) over allegations of abuse of office, lies, cover-ups and the failure to protect compromised undercover operatives from dangerous organised crime figures.
Confidential sources have revealed AFP officers are also under investigation for attempting to manipulate downwards the risk level for the undercover agents — from an “expected” threat to a “possible”. They fear they are now “public enemy number one” for exposing the AFP’s bungling of their cases. It is understood the investigations include the new National Anti-Corruption Commission and an internal professional standards inquiry, which will report outside the AFP chain of command to avoid conflicts of interest with the targets of those investigations.
Sources have said the details of the allegations will send shockwaves through the national police force and the public if they are revealed.
A spokesman for the NACC said it does not provide information to third parties about the receipt or status of individual referrals, or comment on the subject matter of the referrals it is assessing, referring or investigating.
“To do so may compromise operational activities or unfairly impact reputations. The Commission will adhere to the legislative requirement that hearings ordinarily be conducted in private. The Commission will conduct public hearings when, as the legislation allows, circumstances and the public interest justify an exception to the legislative requirement that they ordinarily be conducted in private.”
AFP Deputy Commissioner Ian McCartney said we take the safety of our undercover members extremely seriously. It is a priority that is never compromised.
“...many experienced members, who oversee the undercover program, some of who have been undercover members themselves, are fully aware of the dangers these members face. Nothing is taken for granted. Protective measures are applied to current and former members tailored to their individual security requirements.” Deputy Commissioner McCartney said.
High profile lawyer Rebekah Giles, who is acting for the undercover agents, said they had risked their lives for little reward and no acknowledgment with the confines of an undercover program that was on every measure mismanaged.
“The human cost to them and their families is a national disgrace, it is like nothing I have witnessed in my 23 years of legal practice.”
“The management of their complaints will eventually be examined together with the
culpability of the long and distinguished list of persons who have been aware of this unacceptable state of affairs,” Ms Giles said.
The undercover agents have taken action against the AFP seeking an act of grace payment between them under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration, to cover international relocation costs for them and their families, loss of wages, superannuation, and security costs.
The operatives believed they and their families were left exposed by the AFP after discovering their assumed identities may have been compromised.
They had infiltrated at the highest level organised crime groups who thought nothing of killing people they suspected of being informants – let alone undercover cops.
But despite attempts to see the undercover programs risk and threat assessment pertinent to their situation, it took a right of entry permit executed by the Australian Federal Police Association – basically a warrant – to get the AFP to show them anything. It was then the group realised the AFP appeared not to have done the most basic threat and risk assessments and tried to cover it up.
Revelations about the corruption investigations come after it was reported earlier this week that a classified review of the AFP undercover program showed it had been compromised for years by systemic failures, outdated technology and inadequate security.
The report by retired AFP assistant commissioner Frank Prendergast revealed problems had been rife and ignored for years.
Listen to what life is like as an undercover copy in our Police Tape podcast:
The AFP has insisted the undercover program has been overhauled however the alleged mismanagement and maladministration of these undercover operatives came in the wake of the report.
Ms Giles said despite “direct assurances from the most senior executives at the AFP that immediate steps would be taken to address their safety concerns nothing has been done.”
The Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has been asked to investigate the treatment of undercover police operative by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement.
Senator Helen Polley has referred to the matter to Mr Dreyfus because the committee doesn’t not have the power to investigate individual complaints or to review sensitive material.
Ms Giles said “Parliament could easily fix these unworkable restraints in the legislation by amendment or urgently establish an independent inquiry chaired by a distinguished former judge to address these serious complaints.
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