Victoria’s top cop ousted after no-confidence motion

“We acknowledge the result of the vote by [the Police Association of Victoria] and its members, and we value the hard work that our police officers and PSOs do every day in keeping Victorians safe,” Carbines said on Friday.

On Saturday, the state government refused to comment further.

The union vote against Patton came amid long delays in negotiating a new enterprise bargaining agreement for members, problems with morale and staff retention, and a perception that force command had failed to adequately respond to rising rates of youth crime.

The new pay deal, to be put to members for formal approval in the next fortnight, would give frontline police officers a 5 per cent annual pay increase over the next four years, while non-frontline officers would receive a 4.5 per cent wage increase.

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police had no comment and referred this masthead to the government.