IBAC has commended Victoria Police for their implementation of more than 90 per cent of the 104 recommendations made by IBAC over a six-year period. 

A new report reviewed the police force responses to Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) recommendations between January 2016 and March 2022.

The report assessed whether Victoria Police accepted or rejected IBAC's recommendations, the implementation status of accepted recommendations, the time taken for changes to be put in place, disciplinary or management actions taken, and the resolution of systemic or organisational misconduct risks, such as conflicts of interest.

Earlier this year, IBAC called for a crackdown on predatory behaviour within Victoria Police. The authority's review of allegations of predatory behaviour by Victoria Police officers found many had misused their position to begin – or attempt to begin – an emotional or sexual relationship with a person they meet in the course of their duties. 

The behaviour also relates to the sexual assault, stalking, harassment or grooming of a person.

In other reports, Victoria Police was called on to address systemic police misconduct and improve its conduct of internal investigations, particularly those based on complaints by Aboriginal people. 

This week, Deputy Commissioner Kylie Kilgour expressed her satisfaction with Victoria Police's responses to some of the recommendations, saying; “This high rate is mainly due to Victoria Police's changes to policies and practices, but it also reflects the work IBAC does with Victoria Police to ensure recommendations are implemented”.

While Victoria Police accepted the majority of recommendations, they partially accepted four per cent and rejected three per cent. 

Deputy Commissioner Kilgour explained that partial acceptance or rejection typically occurred when Victoria Police believed their existing policies and processes were sufficient.

IBAC's most common recommendations to Victoria Police involved improving complaint handling and conducting their own misconduct investigations. 

Notably, half of IBAC's investigations into Victoria Police led to disciplinary recommendations, with 50 per cent of these related to obscuring behaviours, such as concealing or failing to accurately disclose misconduct.

The report also highlighted ongoing systemic and organisational risks in areas such as use of force reporting, conflicts of interest, declarable associations, and notetaking and statement making. 

Deputy Commissioner Kilgour stressed the need for an improved integrity culture within Victoria Police to ensure officers appropriately report and investigate misconduct.

IBAC is advocating for legislative changes that would enable the Chief Commissioner of Police to file disciplinary charges following an IBAC recommendation, eliminating the need for additional inquiries. 

Additionally, IBAC is seeking more frequent public reporting on recommendations provided to Victoria Police to enhance accountability.

Efforts have been made to reduce delays in Victoria Police's responses to recommendations, with a process introduced in 2020 to improve timeliness. 

In 2020, the average delay in providing progress or final reports was 129 days, which reduced to 30 days in 2021.