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The report details IBAC’s work in oversighting Victoria Police, including:

• strategic projects and initiatives to prevent police misconduct and corruption
• reviews of Victoria Police internal investigations
• investigations by IBAC into allegations of serious police corruption and misconduct.

“This report highlights IBAC’s independent oversight of Victoria Police,” IBAC Commissioner Stephen O’Bryan QC said.

“Police hold significant powers that can be exercised over their fellow citizens. The exercise of these powers can be vulnerable to misuse, adversely impacting on individuals and the Victorian community as a whole.”

“Independent, external oversight is critical to help ensure police act fairly, impartially and in accordance with the law. IBAC’s oversight is vital to support community confidence in police integrity and accountability,” Commissioner O’Bryan said.

IBAC receives and assesses complaints and notifications concerning Victoria Police misconduct and corruption. IBAC can review internal Victoria Police investigations to ensure they are managed appropriately and fairly. IBAC can also investigate serious corruption and misconduct by police personnel in response to complaints or on its ‘own motion’.

IBAC also undertakes strategic research and prevention projects to highlight key trends, issues and areas for improvement.

One such project analysed complaints about police over a six-month period in 2015, revealing:

• duty failure and inappropriate behaviour (such as rudeness or failure to investigate) accounted for more than half of all complaints
• assault accounted for 20 per cent of complaints
• most complaints are made against lower-ranked officers.

The report also highlights the findings of an analysis of Victoria Police’s complaints and serious incidents database, which showed that around five per cent of sworn officers are responsible for more than 20 per cent of all complaints against police.