Claims Majority of Cops Agree with Her: A Break in the Wall.
A 16-year veteran of the Victoria Police has given a blockbuster interview claiming the authoritarian abuses now making headlines around the world have left many police disturbed about the actions they are being asked to take in enforcing compliance with the directives of the state’s Chief Medical Officer.
Acting Senior Sergeant Krystle Mitchell was interviewed by a group called Discernable. She wore her full uniform during the interview and announced that she would be officially resigning from the force at the end of her interview.
Sergeant Mitchell comes across as highly credible, a very decent human being who, not so long ago, was a proud member of the Victorian Police Force.
The interview is a gamechanger.
The interview has sparked an up whelming of public support. “Total respect to this women who chose not to ignore her natural human instinct of humility and empathy over the corrupt government directives,” read one of many messages of support. “This fine lady won’t be the only one who stood up to speak out against chairman Dan, she will be the first one,” reads another.
Acting sergeant Mitchell said she had watched the relationship deteriorate between the community and police officers while Melbourne was stuck in the longest and toughest lockdown in the world.
‘I have a medical exemption and I don’t wear a mask. My partner and I were out walking during our two hours of exercise on the weekend and there were police everywhere.
‘There was just police doing their ‘reassurance patrols’. They’re not ‘reassurance patrols’. You’re not reassuring anybody in the community. You’re scaring people that there are that many police in the community.’
‘I’m choosing to quit because I can’t remedy in my soul any more the way in which the organisation I love to work for is being used and the damage that it’s causing to the reputation of Victoria Police and the damage it is causing the community.’
“All of my friends that are police officers, that are working for front line, are suffering every day enforcing CHO directions that the vast majority, or certainly a great majority, don’t believe in and don’t want to enforce.’
Sergeant Mitchell cites ethical conflicts as the reason for speaking publicly.
Victoria Police said Ms Mitchell’s comments in no way reflected the views of the force and would be the subject of a professional standards command investigation.
“Victoria Police cannot pick and choose what laws it enforces,” a statement released on Saturday said.
“Just like the community, Victoria Police looks forward to the easing of restrictions and the eventual return to pre-COVID life. We have repeatedly said we support the right for people to peacefully protest and this has not changed.”
Sergeant Mitchell said she had talked to over 300 fellow police officers, and the majority feel the same way that she does.
“How I see my organisation being used during this pandemic troubled me greatly. The stories that they tell me, and the stories that they share privately on our union Facebook page about their experiences in dealing with the community during the pandemic … it’s really tough on them.
“In part, the reason that I wanted to do this whilst still serving and wearing the uniform today is so that the community can see that it isn’t all police that are against them, and for police to see that it isn’t all protesters that are coming there to fight with you it’s a minority, there’s a minority on both sides.
“The way in which we police now has completely changed, and a vast majority of the focus of policing is on Chief Health Officer directions that you know are infringements on your everyday liberties.
“I hate this divisive language that is being used,” added Mitchell. “Calling protests ‘illegal’ I just think is ridiculous. The only reason that protests are illegal is because (Victorian Premier) Daniel Andrews made it so.
“By Daniel Andrews making protests illegal, he is responsible for the increase in violence that has occurred as a result from police and from protesters. By making it [protests] illegal, Daniel Andrews, in my opinion, has escalated the violence.”
A spokesman for the officer’s union, the Police Association spokesman said the organisation was “busy” supporting police and protective services officers during the pandemic which had brought health risks and enormous workload and responsibility.
“We wish this former member of Victoria Police well and hope she receives the support she needs,” he said.
Influential Sky News host Rita Panahi says the Victoria Police officer who spoke out against enforcing the state government’s public health orders should not have her career in jeopardy because Australia is a free country.
Ms Mitchell is now facing an investigation by Victoria Police’s professional standards command after she quit the force over the state’s stringent COVID-19 directions.
“This is a veteran of the police force, so she’s got a senior role – so she will pay a very heavy price personally,” Ms Panahi said.
“Her career is in jeopardy as soon as she spoke out – and it shouldn’t be that way in a free country.
“You should be able to say what we are seeing is not okay.”
Sergeant Mitchell said she had watched the relationship deteriorate between the community and police officers while Melbourne was stuck in the longest and toughest lockdown in the world
‘I have a medical exemption and I don’t wear a mask. My partner and I were out walking during our two hours of exercise on the weekend and there were police everywhere.
‘There was just police doing their ‘reassurance patrols’. They’re not ‘reassurance patrols’. You’re not reassuring anybody in the community. You’re scaring people that there are that many police in the community.’
Melbourne has been hit with stay-at-home orders six times since the pandemic began at the start of 2020. This week residents had endured a total 251 days of lockdown, smashing the 244 day record held by Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Acting Sergeant Mitchell said tensions had reached boiling point between the community and police officers.
‘It’s been growing since March 2020,’ she said. ‘The way in which we police now has completely changed.
‘And the vast majority of the police are on directions that are infringements on your every day liberties and rights to just freely live in a democratic society.’
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