Some 78 Victoria Police officers and protective service officers are facing criminal charges and traffic offences, new data from the force has revealed.
The horrific alleged crimes some of the officers are accused of include rape, incest, sexual assault and possession and production of child abuse material.
Victoria Police released police crime data at the request of The Australian Thursday.
It details the alleged crimes of 68 on- and off-duty officers and five others charged with traffic violations.
Some 78 Victoria Police officers and protective service officers face criminal charges and traffic offences.
Those traffic charges include reckless driving, driving under the influence, speeding over 45 km/h and reckless conduct.
The total, 73, includes seven first constables, 20 senior constables, 26 leading senior constables, 14 sergeants, five senior sergeants and one rank inspector or above.
They are accused of committing around 130 crimes and one officer was charged with incest involving a brother.
Three of the charges are rape, five are sexual assault, 10 are common law assault, three are false imprisonment and one is kidnapping.
The police officers also face seven charges of violating family violence intervention orders.
Five other PSOs also face criminal charges, bringing the total to 78.
Two of them face accusations of committing an indecent act against a child under 16 and one of alleged sexual penetration of a child under 16.
Of the accused PSOs, two were general PSOs and three were high-level PSOs.
Victoria Police highlighted in a statement that the accused officers only represent 0.435 per cent of the nearly 18,000-strong force.
As of April 16, Victoria Police employed 16,436 police officers and 1,464 PSOs.
“Victoria Police does not shy away from taking action to maintain community trust in our organisation,” a spokesperson said.
“We actively encourage people to report illegal behavior and will not be deterred from fully investigating complaints, regardless of the police officer’s rank, position or tenure.”
Police hoped that releasing the data would remind all officers that “no one in Victoria Police is above the law”.
“While the vast majority of police do the right thing day in and day out, it is vital that we call out those who think the rules don’t apply to them,” the spokesperson said.
“Indeed, the authority and responsibility entrusted to the police means that they should rightly be held to a higher standard than the rest of the community, both on and off duty.”
At least 14 police officers have been charged with criminal offenses since January 1.
The most recent was a 51-year-old man from the public safety and transit command charged Monday with five counts of sexual assault against two women.
The senior constable is alleged to have committed the crimes in September 2023 while off duty.
On April 18, Professional Standards detectives charged a 36-year-old southern region sergeant with one count of unauthorized access to information in June 2023.
It is disturbing that charges have been filed for access to child abuse material and another for pornography.
Other charges include persistent sexual abuse of a child under 16 and sexual assault by touching a child under 16.
Victoria Police officers have also been charged with one count of possession of child abuse material on a transport service, one count of production of child abuse material and one count of sexual activity in the presence of a child under the age of 16 years.
Also before the courts are several charges related to police duties, including two counts of assaulting other officers and one count of carrying or using a loaded firearm in a populated area.
Charges against the officers include rape, incest, sexual assault and possession and production of child abuse material.
In January, charges brought against police officers included driving under the influence, perverting the course of justice, sexual assault and battery.
In February, two officers were charged with sexual assault and battery.
A sergeant and a police chief were charged with assault in March.
So far this April, through April 22, one officer was charged with a collision and a senior officer was charged with making a false report.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said: “When a police officer is charged with a serious offence, they may be suspended with pay, suspended without pay, transferred to other duties or ordered to take leave.”
‘Some may resign before the court resolves their matter. Once the matter is finalized in court, Victoria Police can also initiate disciplinary action.
“This may result in a reprimand, a fine, a deferment of office for 12 months on the condition that the member maintains good conduct, a period of ineligibility for promotion, a reduction in rank, a reduction in remuneration , a transfer to other functions or dismissal.”
Of the 73 police officers charged with traffic violations, 33 did not face any provisional measures, 13 were suspended with pay, 13 were suspended without pay and 14 were transferred to other duties.
Of the five accused PSOs, one received no interim relief, two were suspended without pay and two were transferred to other duties.