source : the age
By Cameron Houston
The state’s new police chief says he will focus on crime prevention to ensure Victorians are not only safe from crime but “feel safe” too.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines revealed at a press conference on Tuesday that the former head of New Zealand’s police force, Mike Bush, who is widely recognised for his achievement in cutting the country’s crime rate, would take the role.
New Victorian Police Commissioner Mike Bush speaks to the media after being announced as the new leader of Victoria Police by Premier Jacinta Allan.Credit: Christopher Hopkins
It is the first time someone who has not worked at Victoria Police has been appointed to the role since 2001, when former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon was given the job.
Bush will start in his new role on June 27.
Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent will leave the force on Thursday, with current Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations Bob Hill serving as Acting Chief Commissioner from Friday until 27 June.
Bush joined the New Zealand police in 1978 and was chief commissioner from 2014 until April 2020. He led the police response to the Christchurch massacre in 2019, as well as the White Island eruption disaster.
Mike Bush (centre) with Prince William in 2019. Credit: AFP
In a citation for his Queen’s Birthday Honour in 2020, Bush was credited with a crime prevention model that helped reduce offending by 20 per cent between 2010 and 2014.
Allan said Bush was the right person for the role after an extensive recruiting process.
“He will bring new leadership to Victoria Police. Mr Bush made the community safer in New Zealand, and he will do the same here in Victoria,” she said.
Bush, who revealed he was approached to apply, said it was an honour to take the job and that he would have a focus on crime prevention.
“Victoria Police is a proud and long-standing police, but like any other, there is always room to grow, to ensure that your police meet and grow your expectations,” he said.
“My vision for the police … is to ensure that Victoria Police have the trust and confidence of everyone.
“We will do that by ensuring that we are operationally excellent. That we are transparent, we act with integrity with professionalism, with respect and with compassion.
“My mission is to ensure that everyone within the state of Victoria not only is safe, but feels safe.”
In an opinion piece in the New Zealand Herald in 2015, Bush said he had focused on transforming the way New Zealand police worked.
“We have put preventing crime and meeting the needs of victims at the forefront of everything police do, with outstanding results,” he wrote.
“Tens of thousands of people were spared the trauma of becoming victims.”
Bush officially replaces Shane Patton, who was told earlier this year his contract would not be renewed after a bruising no-confidence vote by 87 per cent of rank-and-file officers.
Shane Patton was told in February his contract would not be renewed.Credit: Chris Hopkins
The government was then blindsided when Nugent said he would not be applying for the post permanently after being hand-picked to serve as interim chief.
Bush joins Victoria Police at a tough time, when the government is committed to reducing police spending and command looks to increase recruiting and slow a brain drain as hundreds of experienced officers consider quitting. The force will also have to deal with an archaic IT system that still has police faxing documents to court.
