The Police Association Journal november 2009

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13 Australian policeman to be awarded a Churchill Fellowship. Mick’s overseas experience taught him ‘that Victoria Police were, at least, as good as any others. It was a wonderful opportunity to make comparisons and demonstrated that any differences were of degree, rather than kind … Police may be organised differently, trained differently and equipped differently, but still do the same job. Police organisations are only as good as the people who comprise them and those who lead them. Policing needs strong leadership if it is to achieve its objectives’. In 1967, as part of his overseas study tour, Mick completed the Federal Bureau of Investigation first when, from January to June 1971, he attended the 8 th Senior Command Course at ‘Bramshill’, the British National Police College. In ‘order to be eligible to attend Bramshill and only while out of Australia’ he ‘was promoted to brevet Chief Inspector’ but was ‘Promoted to Inspector, in the normal course of events, while attending Bramshill’. Among its other virtues Mick later noted of his Bramshill experience that ‘Perhaps the greatest benefit of the Senior Command Course was in providing opportunities to take a global view of the police service, the problems with which societies are confronted and how solutions to those problems may be devised that of an Assistant Commissioner with the Victoria Police: ‘The necessity for police leaders to think on their feet and the ability to quickly analyse problems and situations and to devise remedial responses is one of the great benefits this course confers upon its students. Shortly after my return to Australia, I was called up to the office of the Chief Secretary, the Minister responsible for police. Without any warning, the Minister said to me, “Congratulations Mr Assistant Commissioner. Now tell me how you propose to manage the Operations Department of the police force.” My Bramshill training immediately clicked in and I gave the Minister a succinct response on Mick Miller with his wife, Bev. Mick Miller – 1948. Mick Miller – 1971. Chief Commissioner Mick Miller. Mick Miller – 1949. National Academy Course in the USA. It was ‘a clever amalgam of teaching, tactical and technical skills … Graduation at the FBI National Academy was regarded as the most prestigious qualification in US law enforcement’. The first Australian to complete the course, he passed with distinction and was rated by the FBI, ‘the most outstanding representative we have ever had at our Academy from outside the United States. Not only was his work superior and his research paper rated the most substantive and expert rendition ever to be submitted at the Academy, but he is regarded with pride as one of our own’. ‘One of the most useful lessons’ learned by Mick at the Academy ‘was the application of objective style testing to police examinations … On return to Victoria, I immediately embarked upon the task of converting the entire Detective Training School syllabus to objective style testing, complemented by conventional standard fact-situation investigation assignments’. Not one to rest on his laurels, Mick created another Australian compatible with the best interests of all concerned’. The course commandant described Mick as ‘an officer of impressive quality’ qualified ‘for chief officer rank, which he will hold with distinction’. Adding that ‘His mind is alert, enquiring and penetrating, and he has an insatiable appetite for knowledge of all aspects of police work’. Mick’s Bramshill experience ‘served to reinforce impressions’ that he ‘had formed in the US. Most significantly was the view that systems and procedures can be managed, but people need to be led – preferably by example. And that all good leaders are good managers, but not all good managers are good leaders. Management may be about inanimate objects but leadership is always about people’. Mick didn’t have to wait long to put his knowledge and qualifications into practise. He ‘returned to Australia on 11 September 1971 and was appointed Assistant Commissioner (Operations) on 11 October 1971, two days before [his] 45 th birthday’. The timing and manner of his promotion provided the perfect segue from the world of Bramshill to optimisation of resources, to which he replied, “Sounds good to me. Now let’s see if you can put it into action.” I breathed a sigh of relief and a silent prayer of appreciation to Bramshill and its Senior Command Course’. That challenge met and cleared, Mick set about putting his learning and ideas into action… Dr Robert Haldane Mick Miller Part III – next month Next month, in the final article in the Mick Miller series, Mick provides a candid and personal insight into his rise to the position of Assistant Commissioner (Operations) in 1971, followed by his elevation to the post of Chief Commissioner in 1977. He touches upon a number of his many innovations and reforms and also speaks openly about his testing jousts with The Police Association: reminding us all that life is very much a case of ‘Roosters today, feather dusters tomorrow’. www.tpav.org.au The Police Association Journal November 2009
14 The Association’s Greg Davies, Brian Rix, Bruce McKenzie Kaye Murphy and Executive member Karl David march to the memorial. Remembrance Day A tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice Hundreds of people gathered at the Police Memorial in St Kilda Road to commemorate National Police Remembrance Day on September 29. Ian Silk. Wendy and Frank Tynan. Before the service, led by Senior Police Chaplain Reverend Dr John Broughton, police marched down St Kilda Road. Recruits still undergoing their training at the Academy and members of the Retired Police Association joined police of all ranks. Police Association Secretary Greg Davies, Assistant Secretary Bruce McKenzie and President Brian Rix were joined by members of the Executive. At the memorial members of the public joined the friends and relatives of those police who have been killed on duty to venerate their sacrifice. Among the crowd were members of our ‘Blue Ribbon Families’, those who loved ones were murdered. Gary Silk and Rodney Miller’s families were there as were Angela Taylor and Stephen Tynan’s. Other faces in the crowd included Jeannie Pratt, widow of businessman Richard Pratt, Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin and senior members of the Country Fire Authority. Reverend Dr John Broughton offered sincere sympathy to the families and friends. “We extend to you a bond of affection that goes beyond words.” Chief Commissioner Simon Overland thanked those present for acknowledging those who have been killed. He said that all Victorians were grateful that no police had been killed on duty this year. Ian Silk, the brother of murdered policeman Gary Silk delivered the National Remembrance Day Address. The edited address appears on page 16 of The Police Association Journal. Wreaths of remembrance were laid at the memorial by many groups including The Police Association Secretary Greg Davies, David Mann and Neil Soullier from the Blue Ribbon Foundation, Phil Parson from the Retired November 2009 The Police Association Journal www.tpav.org.au
Page 1 and 2: VOLUME 75 - ISSUE 11 November 2009
Page 3 and 4: 3 President’s Message By Brian Ri
Page 5 and 6: 6 IR News Police Regulation Amendme
Page 7 and 8: 8 Legal News When is the best time
Page 9 and 10: 10 Hume booms But police numbers co
Page 11: 12 Cover Story - Mick Miller Exclus
Page 15 and 16: 16 Remembrance Day Address “Payin
Page 17 and 18: 18 Potential asbestos exposure duri
Page 19 and 20: 20 Retired and Life Members’ Dinn
Page 25 and 26: 26 Special Report photos www.suzywo
Page 27 and 28: 28 Your Letters The gift of life Th
Page 29 and 30: 30 Executive Minutes Photography by
Page 31 and 32: 32 Member Classifieds Member Classi
Page 33 and 34: 34 Delegates Police Association Del

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