Rape, sex assault, child porn, kidnapping: Victorian cops hit with charges

Seventy-eight Victoria Police officers and PSOs face court on serious sex and violence charges and traffic offences | READ THE FULL LIST

Victoria Police says it was releasing the data as part of a commitment to transparency and stressed the vast majority of the force’s almost 18,000 police officers and PSOs were law-abiding. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Brendan Beckett

Some 78 Victoria Police officers and Protective Service Officers are facing criminal charges and traffic offences, with a disturbing number relating to serious sex offences including rape, sexual assault and indecent acts against children including possessing and producing child pornography.

Three charges of rape and five sexual assault charges against police are among 19 sex charges before the courts, in addition to a range of sex offences allegedly committed against children aged under 16.

One police officer faces a charge of incest relating to a ­sibling.

The police crime data – released by Victoria Police after a request from The Australian – cover offences allegedly committed by 68 officers on and off duty.

A further five police officers are facing traffic charges in court, including careless driving, drink driving, speeding by more than 45kmh and reckless conduct.

The 73 police officers facing charges and traffic offences include seven first constables, 20 senior constables, 26 leading senior constables, 14 sergeants, five senior sergeants and one ranked inspector or above and they face a total of about 130 charges.

Police are before the courts facing 10 common law assault ­charges, three false imprisonment charges and one kidnapping charge, Victoria Police crime data shows. Nine charges of recklessly causing injury have been laid against police and 13 charges of unlawful assault.

Police also face seven charges for breaching family violence intervention orders.

Five PSOs are facing criminal charges, with two relating to an indecent act against a child aged under 16 and one of alleged sexual penetration of a child aged under 16. Of the PSOs charged, two were general PSOs and three senior PSOs.

Victoria Police said it was releasing the data as part of a commitment to transparency and stressed the vast majority of the force’s almost 18,000 police officers and PSOs were law-abiding, noting the data showed just 0.435 per cent of the force was facing criminal charges.

“Victoria Police does not shy away from taking action to uphold community trust and confidence in our organisation,” a spokesperson said.

“We actively encourage people to report unlawful behaviour and will not be deterred from thoroughly investigating complaints, regardless of a police officer’s rank, position or tenure.

Victoria Police said the release of the data should act as a reminder to all members that “no one in Victoria Police is above the law”.

“While the vast majority of police do the right thing day in and day out, it is vital we call out those who think the rules do not apply to them”.

“The authority and responsibility entrusted in police means they should be rightly held to a higher standard than the rest of the community both on and off duty,” the police spokesperson said.

Since January 1, at least 14 police officers have been charged with criminal offences. One of the most recently charged was a 51-year-old from transit and public safety command who was charged on April 22 with five counts of sexual assault against two women.

The incidents were alleged to have occurred in September 2023 while the sergeant was off-duty.

On April 18, professional standards detectives charged a 36-year-old sergeant from the southern region with one count of unauthorised access of information. The incident allegedly occurred in June 2023 while on duty.

Throughout January, charges were laid against police officers for a range of offences including drink driving, perverting the course of justice, sexual assault and assault.

In February, two officers were charged with sexual assault and assault. A sergeant and leading senior constable were each charged with assault in March and up until April 22, a constable was charged over a collision and a senior constable was charged with making a false report.

The police crime data reveals single charges of accessing child abuse material and pornography have been laid.

Another charge of persistent sexual abuse of a child under 16 and sex assault by touching a child under 16 have also been laid.

Officers have also been charged with one count of possessing child abuse material on a carriage service, one count of producing child abuse material and one count of sex activity in the presence of a child under 16.

Two charges have been laid against police for assaulting fellow officers, and one charge for carrying/using loaded firearm in populous area.

Victoria Police said when an ­officer was charged with a serious offence, they could be suspended with pay, suspended without pay, transferred to other duties or ­directed to take leave.

Some might resign before their matter was determined at court, a spokesperson said.

Once charges are finalised in court, police can also face internal disciplinary action.

Internal penalties include a reprimand, a fine, adjournment of a charge for 12 months on a con­dition the member remains of good behaviour, a period of ineligibility for promotion, a reduction in rank, a reduction in remuneration or a transfer to other duties or dismissal, Victoria Police said.

Of the 73 police facing charges and traffic offences, 33 had no interim action in place, 13 were suspended with pay, 13 suspended without pay and 14 transferred to other duties.

Of the PSOs charged, one had no interim action in place, two were suspended without pay and two were transferred to other duties, police said.

The number of charges relating to sexual assault and breaches of family violence interventions follows the establishment of a specialist internal unit to focus on such offending.

The Sexual Offences and Family Violence Unit (SOFVU) was formed in November 2021 as the force moved to cut offending within its ranks, police said.

Police said the unit – the first of its kind in Australia – comprises six investigative teams dedicated to the investigation of employee-related sexual offences and family violence.