Crime stats probe

Herald Sun, Page: 3. Thursday, 29 May, 2008

The Ombudsman is investigating alleged police manipulation of crime statistics and officer numbers exposed by a ground-breaking Herald Sun survey.
Investigators have royal commission-style powers to interrogate witnesses and demand documents.
Ombudsman George Brouwer is acting after the Herald Sun published concerns by rank-and-file officers that senior police understated the extent of crime and overstated the number of police on the beat.
The inquiry, launched after a complaint by Liberal leader Ted Baillieu, is being held in secret with the power to call Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon and Police Minister Bob Cameron.
Mr Brouwer ‘s decision to investigate follows a decades old debate about whether the figures are manipulated for political gain.
Mr Brouwer wrote to Mr Baillieu last week stating that initial inquiries justified a broader investigation.
“I have also written to the Chief Commissioner of Police and to the Minister of Police and Emergency Services to inform them of my investigation,” he wrote.
Mr Baillieu said the investigation would put the Government’s spin doctoring on crime under a microscope.
“Labor’s claim that Victoria is the safest state in Australia is contradicted by the views of many hard-working police officers and the experience of most Victorians,” he said.
Police command said the force was co-operating fully with Mr Brouwer.
“There has been no attempt to hide these figures,” a spokeswoman said last night.
“In fact, Victoria Police has a policy of openness and accountability in relation to crime figures, with each year’s data available on the Victoria Police public website.” A Herald Sun survey of almost 3500 officers last month found that many believed crime statistics were recorded in a manner that meant many offences were never made public.
Some police also accused their superiors of manipulating statistics to make it look like there was no shortage of operational officers.
The Government has consistently used falling crime rates as political ammunition, arguing it has hired more than 1400 sworn police since 1999.
Mr Baillieu raised the question of whether police were manipulating crime statistics to meet benchmark targets.
“Like most Victorians, I was deeply alarmed to read in the Herald Sun that many police officers believe crime statistics and reported police numbers are dodgy,” he said.
“The Ombudsman’s decision to investigate the possible manipulation of crime statistics and police numbers is tremendous news for police officers and will put the Brumby Government ‘s spin on policing and violent crime under the microscope.” Police Minister Bob Cameron said the crime figures were examined independently by the Australian Institute of Criminology and the ABS.
“Victoria’s crime rate has fallen by 23.5 per cent since 2000-01 and we congratulate the great work of Victoria’s police men and women for this,” his spokesman said.
“Mr Baillieu can only attack their good record.” More than 30 per cent of the force’s sworn officers completed the Herald Sun poll.
One officer wrote: “Artificially engineering crime and resources statistics abounds.” Another said: “There has to be an end to the manipulation and distortion of crime figures so that the people of Victoria have a realistic view of what crimes are being committed.” Yet another accused his bosses of being obsessed with having low crime statistics.
“Senior officers have one focus keeping the crime statistics down” he said.