South Australia Police union passes historic no-confidence motion in commissioner Grant Stevens and deputy Linda Williams

How bad are Grant Stevens and Linda Williams?

So bad, the Police Association of South Australia held a historic no-confidence vote in them today.

The no-confidence motion was passed against Stevens and his deputy as police union delegates launched an unprecedented revolt against SA Police leadership.

The motion against Police Commissioner Stevens and Deputy Commissioner Williams was passed with resounding support, with 44 out of 48 delegates voting for the motion to pass.

It is believed to be the first time in the force’s history such a motion was passed.

Despite the marked escalation of tensions between the Police Association of South Australia and SA Police leadership, this motion doesn’t require or even call for the top brass to resign.

Rather the delegates – who congregated from metropolitan, regional, and specialist areas – raised concern about the force’s operational outcomes.

The Police Association president, Wade Burns, said delegates did “not take that decision lightly”, but believed the unprecedented move was necessary given the current state of policing.

“(The delegates) have spoken loud and spoken clearly,” Burns said.

“They have no confidence in Grant Stevens and in Linda Williams to lead SAPOL through its next phase of reform or to restore workforce confidence.

“What happens next is really a matter for the government, for the Commissioner, and for the Deputy Commissioner.

“(But) today’s vote is not about resignation; today’s vote is about accountability.”

The union delegates do not have the power to force a change in leadership.

In response, Stevens has labelled the motion as “disappointing”.

“While the delegates have expressed their opinion, it is not reflective of the daily feedback I receive through my constant interaction with officers on the frontline,” Stevens said in a statement.

A strange comment, considering Stevens never ventures out to the frontline. He much prefers to hide behind his desk surrounded by his inner circle of grossly overpaid arse-kissers.

“Significantly, SAPOL resources are at historic record levels and are continuing to increase. SAPOL is currently the only jurisdiction that is at full establishment – this does not happen by accident.”

Says the guy who is always using the “we are underresourced” excuse to explain away SAPOL’s shitness. The same guy who stubbornly kept pushing his failed District Policing Model, insisting it would work once SAPOL attracted enough officers.

If SAPOL already has more officers per capita than other states, why did Stevens kept pushing his beloved DPM long after everyone else could clearly see it was a stinker?

If police resources are in fact at record levels, yet the DPM is still unworkable, what does this say about someone who maintained a DPM fetish for years on end?

Stevens also said “better outcomes are achieved for SAPOL and members when there is a professional and collaborative approach” with the association but “regrettably, this does not appear to be the union’s current approach”.

What Stevens is really saying: “I wish everyone would just shut up and go along with my bullshit, it would make life a lot easier for me”.

A key concern raised by delegates during hours of debate was whether Stevens remained the right person to lead the force following the collapse of the DPM introduced in 2018.

The model has faced criticism almost since its inception, with frontline officers and the police union arguing it stretched resources and increased pressure on already strained staff.

After several reviews, the most recent assessment concluded the DPM was no longer fit for purpose and recommended it be abandoned.

In January this year Stevens finally conceded the DPM was no longer fit for purpose, and said the organisation was acting on the review’s recommendations to change the model.

“There are a series of recommendations that have come out of (the review) and some of them can be done immediately, others will take a little bit longer, and then there are those longer term things which require substantial changes to our structure,” he said at the time.

But delegates are now questioning whether the Commissioner who oversaw the rollout of the DPM should also be entrusted with delivering its replacement.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, who starts crying when reporters ask him moderately tough questions, has thrown his support behind the long-serving Commissioner, lauding his exceptional service and dedication to the state.

“The police union is an independent organisation and they will do what they think is appropriate,” Malinauskas said.

“(But) from my perspective, as Premier of the State, I am very grateful for the work that Grant Stevens has done in South Australian police over decades. I think he is a strong, exceptionally competent leader of the South Australian Police force”.

“So the South Australian Government thanks Commissioner Stevens for the service that he provided our community over decades … and I hope he’s able to continue in that role for some time to come.”

So the hopeless Stevens has the full support of the hopeless Mali, even though anyone else with half a brain can see the short-tempered, vindictive and spectacularly useless commissioner should have been put out to pasture a long time ago.

Source

Police union passes historic no-confidence motion in Commissioner Grant Stevens and deputy Linda Williams. The Advertiser.