Police receive IBAC report into deputy commissioner’s road rage complaint

A report into a road rage incident involving Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson has been provided to Victoria Police by the state’s corruption watchdog.

The contents of the report are unknown, including any recommendations as to further action or findings against Paterson.

Paterson told The Age the report did not recommend any action be taken against him.

It is uncertain whether Paterson will face an internal disciplinary process in response to the document given his contract is due to end in July and has not been renewed.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson’s contract will end in July.Credit: AAP

Victoria Police on Thursday confirmed it had received the report into Paterson’s conduct from the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission. Victoria Police had referred the matter to IBAC in October following a complaint from Haileybury College, where the incident took place.

IBAC, which is responsible for handling complaints of police misconduct, said in a statement online it had investigated the matter, written to Victoria Police and its probe was now closed.

Victoria Police is now considering next steps in response to the watchdog’s report, which can sometimes include a disciplinary investigation in which IBAC’s report is used as evidence.

Any investigation that is taken could last for months and still be underway by the time Paterson vacates the role at the end of his contract in July. Paterson is currently on leave and is not expected to return.

Disciplinary investigations involving deputy commissioners are also unusual and would usually involve senior brass such as Acting Commissioner Rick Nugent. But Nugent would have to recuse himself from the process because he is the subject of a separate complaint made by Paterson.

The force’s next commissioner, yet to be appointed, could probe the matter, but Paterson’s contract might have finished by the time the position is filled.

Applications for the role closed in the first week of April, with Nugent announcing he would not apply for the role.

“Victoria Police is currently assessing a report provided by IBAC on this matter,” a spokesperson said. “We will not comment further at this time.”

When contacted for comment, Paterson said IBAC’s report simply said the probe was finished and that they did recommend any action against him.

IBAC investigated whether the deputy commissioner misused his position during a verbal altercation with a school parent at Haileybury, in Melbourne’s CBD. Paterson defended his conduct and told The Age in October it was the parent who had agitated and that he had acted professionally.

“At no time was my behaviour intimidatory to the driver, and I note that I was dealing with an erratic and aggressive driver who refused to follow a lawful direction,” Paterson said at the time.

“I have absolutely not sought to apologise as I have acted professionally through this incident.”

Paterson does not have children at the school, but he became stuck in a queue of cars waiting to access the school’s pick-up and drop-off area which is 250 metres from the Victoria Police Centre.

He got out of the car and approached one of the drivers blocking the street to demand he clear the road.

The parent claimed Paterson did not present any identification but declared he was a police deputy commissioner, demanded to see the parent’s licence and threatened to arrest him unless he moved his car out of the way.

Paterson said he introduced himself as a police officer, eventually produced his identification to the driver, and that he issued multiple, lawful directions to the parent to drive on and unblock the road.

Paterson was told in February his contract with Victoria Police would not be renewed, six days after former chief commissioner Shane Patton was told the same, prompting Patton’s resignation.

Paterson went on to file his own complaint with IBAC against Nugent and the state government, alleging that his and Patton’s removals were due to an unlawful conspiracy.

Premier Jacinta Allan has denied these claims.

“It is quite disappointing, really disappointing, that there are some people choosing to politicise IBAC, politicise an integrity agency, by making these absolutely baseless allegations,” she said at the time.

A Victorian government spokesman said that Victorians expected police to behave to the highest possible standard of conduct.

“This is a matter for IBAC and Victoria Police,” the spokesman said. “We look forward to Victoria Police providing advice on any actions they intend to take following their assessment of IBAC’s investigation.”

Patton’s resignation followed a vote of no-confidence in which 87 per cent of police union members said they had lost faith in the state’s highest-ranking officer.

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