Horrific vision of ill man brutalised by police raises fresh questions

Image: The Age

Victoria Police insists it is overhauling its complaints system after new vision emerges of half a dozen police brutalising a mentally ill man in Preston.

CCTV footage of the incident in September last year has been obtained by The Age and shows officers pepper spraying, punching and hitting the man with batons (see the footage here).

“He’s humiliated.”@TJch9 speaks with @Ageinvestigates about shocking vision of police set upon ill man — MORE: https://t.co/7orSahXbP4 pic.twitter.com/R0ifwLV7EM

— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) April 2, 2018

Click PLAY to hear Tony Jones discuss the footage with Nick McKenzie

Lawyers say it’s further evidence of flaws in the complaints system, highlighted in a damning IBAC report last week.

Responding to the report, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton last week told Neil Mitchell the recommendations are being implemented.

“The overwhelming services we provide to the community, the community have been pretty happy with,” Mr Ashton said.

“That’s not to say we always get it right, we do make mistakes and the complaints system is there to look at those mistakes.”

“If we can improve the complaints system we’ll improve it and we’ll keep making it better.”

Talkback caller ‘Bill’, a former police officer, defended the response.

Click PLAY to hear his clash with Tony Jones