Shannon Deery: Last thing Victoria needed was an unhappy police force

The vote of no confidence against Shane Patton made his position untenable, and with more than 70 per cent of the workforce against him, the Allan government had no choice but to act fast.

The vote of no confidence against Shane Patton made his position untenable.

With more than 70 per cent of the workforce against him, the Allan government had no choice but to act fast.

Especially when crime is soaring, force command is locked in a bitter pay dispute with the police union, and Jacinta Allan has admitted her government hasn’t done enough to keep Victorians safe.

The last thing Victoria needed was an unhappy police force that was not only at loggerheads with their leader, but who had no confidence in him.

The vote was quickly dismissed by some as a stunt to distract attention from the union’s inability to land a suitable pay deal more than 15 months after the last agreement expired. Stunt or not, it showed almost 13,000 police had lost faith in the boss, whose contract expires in June.

The last thing Victoria needed was an unhappy police force that was not only at loggerheads with their leader, but who had no confidence in him. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

The Allan government and Police Minister Anthony Carbines couldn’t ignore the Patton situation. Picture: David Geraghty

It was a situation the Allan government and Police Minister Anthony Carbines – who said last week that the contract would likely be extended – couldn’t ignore.

Because, after an almost two-year battle with police, the government would have been foolish to pick a new fight with members.

With Patton now told his contract won’t be renewed, it will be up to him whether he fulfils his contract or walks sooner.

Sources close to the chief said he had no interest in resigning – if the government wanted him gone, they’d have to pull the trigger.

They called his bluff.

The vote was dismissed by some as a stunt to distract attention from the union’s inability to land a suitable pay deal. Picture: Nadir Kinani

Sources close to Shane Patton said if the government wanted him gone, they would have to pull the trigger. Picture: David Caird

In doing so they can, perhaps unfairly, pass the buck for Victoria’s crime crisis off to the soon to be former chief commissioner and his reign. They can also draw a line under two years of turmoil that have engulfed the force.

It is a more than convenient way to hit reset on the politically damaging crime crisis.

Of course, with Patton out of the picture, there will be nowhere to hide, and the buck will stop with the government.

It will also leave the government holding the can ahead of a major force-wide restructure aimed at saving tens of millions of dollars.

Last year, public satisfaction and confidence in Victoria Police plummeted to its lowest levels since records began.

The government will need to work fast to make sure it doesn’t get lower.