Victoria’s top cop ousted after no-confidence motion

Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton will lose his job as Victoria’s top cop after a bruising no-confidence vote by rank-and-file officers on Friday.

After 4½ years in the top job, Patton’s contract was up for renewal in June, and the chief commissioner had been seeking another five-year term.

However, a source close to negotiations but not authorised to comment publicly confirmed reports in Friday’s Herald Sun that Patton would not remain in the role.

In a ballot of 14,000 police officers on Friday, 87 per cent of the police force said they had lost faith in the state’s highest-ranking officer.

The no-confidence motion came after months of tensions, including long delays in negotiating a new enterprise bargaining agreement, declining morale, and frustrations over the handling of rising youth crime.

After the union vote, the government reversed its position on extending Patton’s contract, and instead pushed for his resignation – a request Patton rejected.

Patton on Friday dismissed the Police Association of Victoria’s calls for him to resign in the aftermath of the vote, saying his commitment to the job had “not wavered”.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton in December.Credit: Eddie Jim

He conceded crime rates had surged under his watch, but said there was no “silver bullet”.

“This result is obviously disappointing on a personal front,” Patton said on Friday in response to the union vote.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines on Friday said there was a process for the role of chief commissioner, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.

“We acknowledge the result of the vote by [the Police Association of Victoria] and its members, and we value the hard work that our police officers and PSOs do every day in keeping Victorians safe,” Carbines said.

The state government reiterated that position on Saturday.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin condemned the government’s handling of the crisis on Saturday, saying Patton had been used as a political “scapegoat” for Labor failing the police force.

“Shane bleeds blue. He’s been a police officer since 1978,” Battin said.

“I don’t agree with every decision he’s made, and I’ve been public on that, but the reality is, you can’t then just go and use him as the fall guy for your mistakes.

“... Just a week after saying effectively, Shane Patton was guaranteed his role for the future, they’ve come out and said they’re going to be getting rid of him.

“That’s a government that has absolutely failed when it comes to leadership here in this state.”

Battin said Victoria’s “crime crisis” won’t be solved by replacing the chief commissioner, and instead the government needed to focus on toughening bail laws and providing more resources to police.

“This is a vote of no confidence, not just in Shane Patton, but in the [police] minister and the premier from the police members who are out there fighting each and every day to try and keep crime down,” he said.

Battin said he had no faith in the government’s ability to find a suitable replacement for Patton.

“I don’t have confidence in anyone that this government employs,” he said.

“I want someone who is independent, who is going to work on behalf of the men and women that they are there to serve, and make sure that community safety is their priority.

“If they get those three things in place, we’ll see a better police force long term, we’ll see safer communities, and we’ll see more proactive policing.”

The union vote against Patton came amid long delays in negotiating a new enterprise bargaining agreement, which was recently signed off by Patton and the Police Association.

The new pay deal, to be put to members for formal approval in the next fortnight, would give frontline police officers a 5 per cent annual pay increase over the next four years, while non-frontline officers would receive a 4.5 per cent wage increase.

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police had no comment and referred this masthead to the government.

With Cameron Houston

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.