Victoria Police has issued a statement in response to the nation-wide Black Lives Matter protests which demanded an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Head of the Police Professional Standards Command, Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett (pictured) said the cause was more important than ever, and one that was personally close to his heart.
“Whilst we don’t always get it right, I am of a view that there is trust and confidence at the heart of the strong relationship Victoria Police has with the Victorian community it serves,” Assistant Commissioner Barrett said.
“But when words such as ‘over-representation’ and ‘inequality’ are used all too frequently to describe the experiences of the Aboriginal community in justice systems in Australia, it’s clear that more still has to be done,” he said.
“Tragically, like elsewhere, Victoria has also seen Aboriginal community members lose their lives whilst in the care of the justice system.”
Assistant Commissioner Barrett said Victoria Police was continually taking steps to strengthen its relationships with Aboriginal communities in Victoria.
“This starts with our commitment to the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018 – 2023 and Aboriginal Justice Agreement Phase 4 which seek to, amongst other things, improve economic, health, education and employment outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians,” he said.
“[This] will undoubtedly help to reduce the number of Aboriginal people entering the criminal justice system.”
He said that by playing its part, Victoria Police could help address the drivers of the issue, rather than responding to the symptoms.
“What will success look like? We’ll rightly turn to the community to let us know when we get there.”
“But I know for certain it will be at a time when there are no Aboriginal deaths or serious injuries in custody [and] there will no longer be an over-representation of Aboriginal people in the justice system,” Assistant Commissioner Barrett said.
Assistant Commissioner Barrett’s full statement can be found at this PS News link.
