Christine Nixon
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| Christine Nixon | |
| Born | June 11, 1952  Australia |
|---|---|
| Residence | Melbourne |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University |
| Occupation | Chief Commissioner |
| Employers | Victoria Police |
| Known for | First woman to become a police commissioner in Australia. |
| Term | 2001-present, Victoria’s 19th Chief Commissioner |
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Following an extensive career in the New South Wales Police Force and attaining the Rank of Assistant Commissioner, Christine Nixon was appointed to the role of Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police by the Victorian government in 23rd of April, 2001. Nixon has been a police officer for over thirty years.
[edit] Education
She attended Macquarie University before attaining a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University and spending time with the London Metropolitan Police Service.
[edit] Chief Commissioner
Nixon, the first woman to become a police commissioner in Australia, is renowned for her anti-corruption stance. After armed robbery investigators were caught on a secretly installed camera bashing a suspect in custody in 2006, Nixon disbanded the Armed Offenders' Squad and replaced it with the Armed Crime Taskforce, staffing it with untainted officers. Despite much public outcry from the Police Association (the officers' labour union) at the methods of investigation used by the Office of Police Integrity, all three officers pleaded guilty to the assault at court and are no longer members of Victoria Police.
Prior to Nixon's appointment, the annual attrition rate of Victoria Police was nearly 7%. As of April 2008, it has declined to just under 3% with fewer members of the organisation leaving each year. Moreover, Victoria Police is the only policing jurisdiction with a waiting list to join (1,100 as at April 2008). The organisation's Workcover premium, a good indicator of overall organisational health, has reduced over the past three years. Nixon has introduced popular reforms of day to day activities of police officers. Officers have more discretion as to what configuration of uniform they wear, can work a variety of shift lengths, can undertake part-time duties, can sell leave for a lump sum payment and have the ability to personally email Nixon on matters of concern. Victoria Police officers now work in a generally less deferential environment than in previous years. Few, if any, officers hanker for the work environment experienced under previous Chief Commissioners such as Kel Glare and Neil Comrie.
Under Nixon's term as Chief Commissioner, recorded crime in Victoria has declined every year. A feature of her style of leadership is to delegate as much as possible to the lowest possible level and hold local managers accountable for outcomes. This has resulted in significant resistance from some quarters who lament the passing of the 'good old days' of traditional style policing in which police provided an essentially reactive response to calls for assistance.
Nixon's relationship with the Police Association has deteriorated into an acrimonious one. In late 2007, after the Association's secretary, Paul Mullett (a police officer on leave without pay) was named as a suspect in the leaking of confidential material associated with a murder investigation in which a serving officer was a suspect, Nixon suspended Mullett, rendering him unable to enter any police premises. The Victorian Government refused to deal with Mullett, further sidelining him as an industrial advocate and diminishing his standing in the general community. Mullett, however, has not been charged with any criminal or disciplinary offence and he maintains his innocence of any wrongdoing. He retains the strong support of the Executive of the Police Association, who has refused to stand him down pending the resolution of the matters against him, as well as many rank and file officers.
Recently, the Police Association sought an injunction in the Federal Court of Australia to prevent an investigation into allegations of bullying against Paul Mullett. On 23 April 2008, the court ruled that the investigation could proceed, although Mullett could not be compelled to answer questions. The Association believes that the investigation is tantamount to the Chief Commissioner interferring in its internal affairs and is a breach of Federal industrial relations laws which prohibit discrimination on the basis of a person's membership of a trade union.
Like chief commissioners before her, the issue of police numbers has been a constant feature of Nixon's term, despite the number of police increasing by over 700 between 1999 and 2008. The Police Association argues that there are insufficient police to provide a decent level of service to the Victorian community. In the leadup to the 2006 state election, however, the Association agreed with the government's proposal to increase the number of police by 350 over its next term if it were re-elected. The Association publicly stated that this increase, together with other election commitments, satisfied their concerns and supported the government's re-election. The pre-election commitment to additional officers is being honoured through current recruitment actvities. The Association, however, is very reluctant to have its agreement to 350 additional police highlighted in the public domain as it undermines its credibility in calling for even more police. Not surprisingly, no Association spokesperson ever refers to the agreement in public discussion.
Despite a 2008 survey by the Herald-Sun (a local tabloid newspaper) indicating dissatisfaction within the community with Nixon's performance, more credible and academically rigorous information produced on behalf of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) by the Australian Productivity Commission, indicates high levels of community satisfaction and support for Victoria Police. Personally, Nixon enjoys very high levels of public support. As of late April 2008, the newspaper has not undertaken a survey as to the level of support Paul Mullett enjoys in the general communty.
[edit] Awards
Nixon has been awarded the Australian Police Medal, the National Medal, the Centenary Medal and the New South Wales Police Force Olympic Citation.
[edit] Midsumma
Nixon also gained fame for marching in bikinis during Melbourne's gay and lesbian 'Midsumma' pride march. She is heterosexual herself, but stated "What I’m doing is supporting decent and reasonable people who want to get on with their lives, and they have been treated appallingly previously by the Police, and I’m prepared to do something about it. And if it’s a small symbol of marching with them, then that would be a reasonable thing to do" [1].
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Wisdom Interviews: Christine Nixon. Retrieved 25 September, 2007
