Police officers who leak information to outlaw bikie gangs

Police officers who leak information to outlaw bikie gangs and other criminal enterprises will be found, prosecuted and sacked, the heads of the NSW and Victorian police forces have warned.

Both police operations on Tuesday faced allegations that a small number of officers had engaged in corrupt behaviour, after investigations were initiated last year by anti-corruption organisations independent of police.

Victoria's Office of Police Integrity (OPI) and the Police Integrity Commission in NSW are conducting separate investigations into the alleged offences.

"The unauthorised release of information corruptly is a betrayal," NSW Police commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters in Sydney.

"It's a betrayal of the community that we serve. It's a betrayal of the officers that serve in the organisation."

Victorian Deputy Commissioner Tim Cartwright said if the allegations were proven the force would prosecute those involved.

"We have no place in this organisation for leaks. Leaking sensitive information is a criminal offence," he said.

"We investigate these matters, we look to prosecute criminally and we look to sack."

A small number of police officers in both states are believed to be under scrutiny, although none have been charged.

It's claimed Victorian officers told bikies about a major police raid ahead of time and the contents of a secret police targeting list, Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday.

In NSW, bikies or their associates on two occasions have shown police the reports leaked to them, claiming to have paid several thousand dollars for them.

Mr Scipione said there would always be some officers who engaged in corrupt conduct.

"At the end of the day, an organisation of 20,000 people is always going to have some that determine that they'll go out there and do the wrong thing," he said.

"Will we ever stop or weed out every corrupt officer, unfortunately no.

"Will we ever stop going after them? I guarantee you we will never stop."

NSW opposition police spokesman Nathan Rees called on Police Minister Michael Gallacher to get to the bottom of the leaks and suspend information exchanges between the NSW and Victorian forces.

"It may well go across borders, and as a first step, he should suspend the exchange of information with the Victorian police force, which is rapidly becoming a running joke amongst law enforcement officers in NSW and across Australia," Mr Rees told reporters in Sydney.

The NSW Police Force said leaks had already been uncovered by its own officers, sparking joint investigations between the PIC and the police Professional Standards Command.

"At least two serving members have been charged in separate incidents this year alone with corruption offences," NSW Police said in a statement.

"A number of other people are facing charges related to the alleged corruption offences."

Victoria's Police Association said the allegations were serious and laws were in place to deal with those who may have undertaken such actions.

"We are not defending them," association secretary Greg Davies said.

"In fact we are condemning any police officer who would jeopardise a police operation and put their colleagues and the public in danger by doing so."

In a statement, OPI director Michael Strong said leaks continued to be a major concern to the organisation.

"Leakage of confidential information is a serious inhibitor to effective law enforcement," Mr Strong said.

A PIC spokeswoman declined to comment on the investigation.

Posted in Police officers who leak information to outlaw bikie gangs