Victoria Police has just opened a public inquiry into two key policies that shape their interactions with the community, particularly culturally and linguistically diverse groups and the Aboriginal community: its field contacts policy (‘stops and searches’) and its cross-cultural training program.
A review of the evidence shows that prison is costly, has negligible or negative effects on re-offending and, in the case of young people, may inflict long-term damage, thereby squandering the opportunity for rehabilitation and diversion that is presented with young people.[1]
No right to independent police investigation
In a disappointing decision handed down yesterday, the Victorian Supreme Court ruled that there was no right to an independent investigation of a police complaint.
Our client, Mr Nassir Bare, was a 17 year old Ethiopian Australian young man who alleged that a police officer had used excessive force against him in 2009.
Today brought very welcome news of a Victoria Police inquiry later in the year into their stop and search practices & cross cultural training.
This inquiry is part of the settlement of the race discrimination case in the Federal Court, initiated by six courageous young African men, who have been assisted by Flemington Kensington Community Legal Centre.
