Vic: Corruption in police ranks: Overland
02 Dec 2008 10:04 AM
MELBOURNE, Dec 2 AAP - Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Simon Overland says there is at least one rat in the ranks, after revelations secret police files have been leaked to organised crime figures under police investigation.
Two confidential files from the Police state surveillance squad, a covert unit monitoring the movements of suspects in terrorism, organised crime and serious offence cases, have been leaked to criminals, Mr Overland said on Tuesday.
He said there was at least one corrupt officer and police were investigating whether the leaks came directly from the state surveillance unit or from elsewhere within the force.
"What we have here is certainly a corrupt officer, we believe," Mr Overland told reporters in Melbourne.
"Now we're yet to positively confirm the exact way that that material has found its way into the criminal underworld, but it would appear most likely that at least a corrupt officer has released that information."
Police and the Office of Police Integrity are investigating the leaks and Superintendent Paul Sheridan has been brought in to manage the surveillance unit.
Mr Overland said the unit would continue operating and that it was "absolutely integral" to organised crime and other serious crime investigations.
But he said the organisation would be quickly looking to improve how its confidential information was managed.
