Members will no doubt be aware that the Victoria Police Force (the Force) recently conducted an audit of its internal email system. The exercise, codenamed Operation 'Barrot', resulted in a number of members being charged with discipline breaches under the Police Regulation Act. There was no criminality involved.

These charges were heard and determined under the Force's internal discipline process and the members charged, were represented by The Police Association's Discipline/Legal section throughout the process.

You will be aware that some of our members have been dismissed as a result of the process and others received very severe direct and indirect financial penalties.  The Police Association is appalled at the harshness at which our members have been dealt with and is of the view that the penalties imposed were manifestly excessive. This was clearly a punitive process and not restorative as we would have expected.

The Police Association will continue to support and represent those members, who have been aggrieved by this 'heavy-handed' approach, in the independent review process.  We strongly believe that the action taken by the Force, given the options that it had available to it, is contrary to the Force's corporate focus of "valuing its people".

BRUCE McKENZIE

Assistant Secretary