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In new research conducted by Roy Morgan, Victorian residents indicated that they rate the police force much lower than they did three years ago, crediting the recent scandal revealed by the Lawyer X commission and its dealings with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Responding to new research about confidence in Victoria Police, the state’s residents have slammed its dealings with criminal barrister Nicola Gobbo as a “disgrace” that had “undermined the legal system” and “tainted” its contemporary leadership.
CEO Michele Levine said that it is important to understand not just how residents feel, but why they feel that way: “It is clear that Victorians have views across the spectrum, with many expressing appreciation for the often difficult job police are asked to do yet still being concerned about the way the job may be done.”
“There is no doubting reputational damage caused by the Lawyer X affair and by some recent or aggressive encounters that have been caught on camera and seen widely,” she said.
Respondents aged 50 to 64 were most likely to cite the Lawyer X case for a significant drop in ratings, but it was referred to by respondents in all age groups. The comments included the “surrounding controversy [and] other unethical police behaviour” from the saga.
The other most frequently cited cause for low ratings was disapproval of the “forceful” actions taken by police during the pandemic. Some respondents said they have seen some “disapproving incidents of police brutality” that included “head stomping, pulling people from cars, raids on people’s houses” and for “behaving above the law”.
Many of those who rated Victoria Police highly still referred to recent coverage of some of its more violent arrests but saw that the officers were often an exception. Some said it came down to a “few bad apples” and that the “majority do the right thing”.
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
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Naomi Neilson
