Imagine if the Victorian registry just did what it wanted to do?
LEADING PRO-SHOOTERS RIGHTS MP and NSC member Tim Quilty MLC, has revealed in Parliament that VicPol’s registry (LRD) have been caught breaking the same laws it administers.
This follows revelations of “missing guns” and allegations of continual misconduct of senior LRD officers. Now they’re issuing ‘pretend permits’ for their friends.
Law doesn't allow for fake permits....
Schedule 4 of the Victorian Firearms Act 1996 specifies storage requirements for all firearms in the State, including for firearms owned by security companies.
Schedule 4 is clear in what it says:
(4) Subject to section 121, a firearm that is possessed, carried or used by a holder of a handgun security guard licence who is employed as a security guard must be stored by the person who employs the holder of the licence as a security guard at premises belonging to, or occupied by, the employer.
Put simply, a security guard in Victoria is NOT allowed to take or keep at home his work firearm (usually a pistol).
Similarly, VicPol members must also keep their duty firearms at work.
Being creative
Neither VicPol LRD or Armstrong have the authority to issue these “take home” permits or waiver the storage requirements for security firearms.
So why has this been allowed to happen? The answer was alluded to by Mr Quilty when he asked his question.
This is what he said:
To be clear, I think it would be a good reform to allow security guards to take their firearms home, but it is the Parliament’s role to make the laws, not LRD’s. Minister, why are LRD issuing these permits outside their powers under the Firearms Act? LRD appears to wield extraordinary powers with little or no oversight.
VicPol’s fake permit. Click in the images for larger versions of each page.
Armstrong racks up frequent flyer points
Mr Quilty went on to name the LRD officer involved. He said:
We are told that Senior Sergeant Armstrong has been approving these permits for friends of LRD, former police officers and others with connections. This is part of a broader pattern of LRD acting outside their authority under Senior Sergeant Armstrong, who has been running LRD far longer than VicPol’s anti-corruption policy allows.
– and –
We have seen special treatment for clubs with close connections to LRD leadership and allegations of misconduct and illegal behaviour brought to Armstrong’s attention by other officers ignored and swept under the rug.
Snr Sgt Andrew Armstrong
This the third time Senior Sergeant Armstrong has been named in Parliament.
Tim then went on to detail a long list of misconduct and improper behaviour by LRD, all backed by an overwhelming mountain of evidence. (To hear what Tim said click here to watch the Parliamentary video footage.)
Either have rules, or don't have them
The NSC congratulates Tim for being the only Victorian MP to stand up and expose the endemic problems within LRD and VicPol.
No doubt the Andrew’s government will be throwing everything they have at Tim in the November election to ensure he loses his seat, and the truth is buried and that “business as usual” continues.
The NSC will be throwing everything we have to ensure Tim is re-elected.
That’s why having a strong NSC is critical for all shooters in Victoria.
Very hard to realise that a long term Police Officer especially a Senior Sergeant would put himself above the Law Makers in this State. He should be dismissed immediately and charged with violation of the Firearms Act. Those in power who also refuse to abide by the above Act, should go with him.
Absolutely! he should be not only face instant dismissal! he should be charged for breaking the Parliament Made Rules!! and breaking his “Oath” when he became a police officer!. What a disgrace and not a surprise! that’s there’s collusion and stinky behind the scene things around our some of our Politicians and Enforcement Agency’s when it comes to Firearms and slowly but surely stripping away genuine hunting rights!!, very disgruntled Hunter
From past personal experiences this corruption starts at the top and the lower ranks are expected to continue with their ways for life
A solution to all this mess is to have ALL Firearm Registries taken out of the hands of the Police (State and Territorial) and put under an independent authority that has a board that includes police and shooters. The current systems has the fox in the henhouse.
Hi guys, is there a reason that this article cannot be shared to other facebook pages? I would like to see this article (and many others) able to be puvbished to a wider audience.
Agree, lets put it in all the major papers! so finally the general public can see the underhanded things going on especially against the hunting fraternity!
One law for them, and another for us ordinary shooters. Police in EVERY state have been given way too much power. Most are ordinary decent people, but there is a small percentage who see the uniform as putting them above everyone else. Radical reform and a complete overhaul is required in every state. It must be initiallised federally so it sticks. The mere differemce between states is a prime example. Whats legal in one state is highly illegal in another.
Comrades Dans brown shirts can do no wrong. Inner sanctum priveledge. The Victorians get what they voted for.
Bit like NT and WA.
Drain the swamp.