Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton steps down
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has resigned with immediate effect — his departure coming just days after a bruising no confidence vote in his leadership.
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Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has sensationally resigned just days after a damning vote of no confidence in his leadership.
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent has been appointed acting Chief Commissioner until a permanent replacement is chosen.
Mr Patton released a statement on Sunday night saying: “I have this evening advised government that given the current circumstances surrounding my position I have decided to step away from the role effective immediately”.
“Victoria Police is an organisation that I have committed my life to and one that I have the utmost pride in, having served the community in it for over forty five years,” Mr Patton said,
“It is with a heavy heart that I have made this decision, however I think it is the right one to allow fresh leadership in the role.
Mr Patton thanked the Victorian community “for giving me the privilege to have served you” saying “this is the reason I and all police officers turn up each day”.
“To every employee of Victoria Police, police officers, protective services officers, police custody officers and public servants I say thank you,” he said.
“Thank you for everything you do, everyday in this great organisation in keeping the community safe.
“I also thank my family and friends for their love and support over a lifetime of policing.
“And I also thank my Executive Command team and Command members for their unbelievable commitment to delivering better outcomes for the state of Victoria.
“To have been given the opportunity to lead a police organisation such as Victoria Police is an absolute privilege and one very few people have. I was fortunate to have done so and for that I am very thankful.
“At the many graduation parades I attend, I often say that policing has often been described as having front row seats to the greatest show on earth and that is true. It is a fantastic job, rewarding, challenging and one that provides a second family, a family of blue. One that I will miss immensely.
“The organisation is so well supported by the community and amazing partners such as Victoria Police Legacy, the Blue Ribbon Foundation, Blue Light Victoria and Police Veterans Victoria who all contribute to making Victoria Police employees feel supported and privileged to serve.”
Mr Nugent will take up the role as soon as practicable, after he relinquishes his current position as Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner.
In the meantime, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam will lead the organisation until Mr Nugent starts.
Premier Jacinta Allan issued a statement on Sunday thanking Mr Patton for his “long and decorated service and his leadership through challenging times”.
“Shane Patton started as a police cadet in 1978. He went on to lead the force through significant challenges, particularly COVID-19,” the statement said.
Ms Allan said Mr Patton informed the government that he is departing the role effective immediately.
“I will always value the work our police officers do, and I will always back them,” the statement said.
Victorian Opposition leader Brad Battin said Mr Patton’s resignation would not address the escalating crime crisis in Victoria.
“Instead, it underscores the Allan Labor Government’s failure to provide leadership and practical solutions to protect our communities,” Mr Battin said on Monday.
“The dismissal of the Chief Commissioner is also not going to change many of the frustrations that our officers are experiencing when the criminals they arrest are released hours later or the resources they need to do their jobs are not forthcoming.”
Mr Battin said Mr Patton had served Victoria “with distinction” since 1978, rising from a cadet to Chief Commissioner.
“His unwavering dedication to the police force and community safety is commendable,” Mr Battin said.
“He demonstrated professionalism and passion for his role and the people he served. I extend my sincere gratitude for his decades of service.
“A change in leadership alone will not resolve the systemic issues plaguing law and order in our state.”
‘The way he’s been treated has been abysmal’
A former senior investigator said whoever took over would have a big job ahead.
“What a sh-t time to take over. Still … no one would be expecting you to pull any rabbits out of the hat,” he said.
There was speculation among members that the government would have offered Mr Patton a deal to go.
“It would have been anxious to avoid any of the potential complications which could come from a chief it had let go staying in the chair for another four months,” one officer said.
An officer and career-long association member said the situation was chaotic.
“This government is wretched,” he said.
“They’re making it up as they go along.”
The member said Mr Patton had been put in a sh-t position.
“The way he’s been treated the last couple of days has been abysmal,” he said.
“Sir Ken Jones may apply,” one officer joked on Sunday night.
Sir Ken, a former deputy commissioner, left the force and went back to England during the chaos at the end of the Simon Overland reign more than a decade ago.
“He would not come near the place,” another said.
‘We were expected to eat a s--t sandwich under Shane’
Victoria Police is lurching deeper into crisis with warnings the latest pay deal will be rejected as officers turn on union bosses and shock figures reveal members’ compensation claims have doubled in five years.
After a no-confidence vote in Chief Commissioner Shane Patton led the government to dump him on Friday, senior officers have warned the brutal move will not guarantee an end to the 21-month pay dispute that has divided the force.
Members are due to vote between February 24 and 28 on the enterprise bargaining deal that includes a 4.5 per cent annual pay rise for four years.
But experienced police on Sunday warned there was a “strong possibility” officers would vote down the deal and expect Mr Patton’s successor to broker a better offer.
“We were expected to eat a s--t sandwich under Shane. Shane’s not there. Why do we have to eat it?” one officer said.
“Watch this space. Members will think ‘this is a s--t deal, let’s see if we can get a better deal’.”
Supporters of Mr Patton say he was unfairly targeted with the no-confidence vote because he was blamed for referring the pay impasse to the Fair Work Commission, when then-treasurer Tim Pallas had directed him to do so.
Many officers are also understood to be furious at association secretary Wayne Gatt, who has been heavily involved throughout the bitter pay negotiations.
Rank and file on chat forums are widely discussing a vote of no-confidence in Mr Gatt, assistant secretary Chris Kennedy and the union board.
Some accuse Mr Gatt of dividing the force, with negative messaging about the job undermining morale.
And unrest is set to grow, as the Herald Sun can reveal the rollout of six health, safety and wellbeing hubs for police has been quietly paused due to funding concerns, while the government has directed the top brass to cut $1bn out of the budget.
It can also be revealed that the number of WorkCover claims by police has exploded – up from 530 in 2018-19 to 1060 in 2022-23.
From 2018 to 2023, police received more than $331m in compensation for illness and injuries, an average of $85,000 per claim, and $181,000 per day, according to data obtained by the state opposition.
Victoria Police recorded a $33m deficit last financial year – its first in five years – with leave entitlements and increased WorkCover costs blamed for the blowout.
Police veterans said chronic understaffing meant frontline officers faced greater exposure to traumatic events.
“They’re under constant pressure because they’re short staffed,” one police veteran said. “There’s burnout, and there’s no respite.”
A Victoria Police spokesman said the force had opened two wellbeing hubs to cover the eastern and western police regions, but due to financial constraints was “reviewing the rollout of further hubs”.
Opposition Leader Brad Battin said the Allan government’s financial mismanagement was to blame for police not getting the support they needed.
“Cutting mental health support hubs is a cruel and heartless decision by a morally and financially bankrupt government,” he said.
The Herald Sun revealed on Friday night that the state government had backflipped on its plan to offer him a new five-year term when his current contract ended in June.
That was despite Police Minister Anthony Carbines declaring a week earlier that Mr Patton had the full support of the government.
Sources close to the government are concerned how he might react to the backflip, while his departure could also delay work to restructure the force and find savings. A report on that is due within days.
The opposition on Sunday called on Police Minister Anthony Carbines to resign, saying Mr Patton had become a “fall guy” for the government’s failings on crime.
Senior officers also hit out at Mr Carbines, saying he was “out of his depth”.
“Lisa Neville (the previous police minister) understood policing, but Carbines hasn’t got a clue,” one said.
Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio refused to say how the government would work with Mr Patton if he did not step down before his contract expired.
“Tomorrow, they’ll (the Premier and Mr Carbines) be out, and we’ll have more to say on the process for the selection of the chief commissioner, as you would expect them to undertake,” she said.
One police officer remarked about the debacle: “These are crazy times. The popcorn’s on high rotation.”
– Additional reporting by Ryan Bourke
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