Week of the long knives. What Neil Paterson’s farewell letter really tells us
“Police own the piece in the middle, they enforce the legislation provided by governments and front offenders before the courts.”
The translation is that Paterson is taking a parting shot at the government for failing to provide police with the tools to do their job, and ignored their advice for new laws.
Victoria’s premier expert on counter-terrorism, deputy commissioner Ross Guenther, has also had his career ended by the government. He finished work in December and will not be returning.
The government turned on Guenther in February last year after he called in this masthead for a summit on crime. He was muzzled, told he would never be acting chief commissioner again and his career path was blocked.
Paterson was told the government had a “strong view” that he should go. Nugent, on his second day as acting top cop, was forced to deliver the news.
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In an email to Victoria Police staff announcing his forced retirement, Paterson wrote: “Like chief commissioner Shane Patton, Victoria Police is an organisation that I too have committed my life to and one that I have the utmost pride in.
“I have been committed to serving the Victorian community for over thirty-seven years, by detecting and apprehending offenders, supporting victims and helping those in need of assistance. Thank you for your service, your friendship and everything you do to keep the Victorian community safe.
“I also thank my husband and children for their love and support, as they have only known me as a police officer. Sometimes policing means you miss important family occasions in service of the community and ensuring the job gets done.”
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In other words, Patton and I dedicated our lives, sometimes at the expense of our families, to serving the force and the community. This is some thanks we are getting from the government.
With 80-plus years of experience leaving from force command in less than a week, and hints of further retirements and reshuffles to come, it remains to be seen what we’ll be left with when the government puts its long knives away.
The government appointed both Patton and Paterson and repeatedly ignored their advice. Now they are collateral damage in a desperate attempt at a re-brand.
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