To: senator.jacinta.collins@aph.gov.au

Subject: Kate Collins ( Ruby's Mother)

Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 10:03 PM

Dear Jacinta,

I would just like to bring to your attention a couple of matters that I feel

very strongly about.

The subject matter is The Victorian Police Force.

I will just give you a brief run down on my personal dealings with the Mill

Park Police.

Last year, as you may know I was homeless, Ruby at the time was living with

Mick in Emerald, and I was residing with Alex (my brother) in Fairfield.

One night, in early June, Alex and I had a disagreement, as a result he

assaulted me resulting in extensive bruising and damage to the mouth area.

He contacted I think Northcote Police and concocted a false story and as a

result I was taken away

in a divvy van and taken to Mill Park Police Station.

Before this, I pleaded with police to allow me to go straight to hospital

and to gather my valuables

which included: money, jewellery, a television, clothes etc from the nature

strip where Alex had disposed of them.

They totally ignored my pleas and I was driven to Mill Park.

The police made me wait in the van for half an hour, when they came out and

opened the van door

I asked them if I could receive medical attention, with that I showed them

my injuries and they took

me in to the police cells and locked me up for five hours, disregarding

anything I had to say about the above.

While I was in the cell I was barely dressed, they didn't offer me any

blankets and by the video camera

they would have seen how sick I was as I was vomiting due to the stress.

When I was let out, they told me to get my own way home, mind you I had no

money and they told me

to go back to my brother's house and get some money (sarcastically).

In the end I rang a friend to pick me up.

The next day, I went into Heidelberg Police station and made a detailed

statement about my experiences at Mill Park, witnessed on the 4th of June

1999 at 8:05pm by F.K. Johansen (Inspector).

I am strongly thinking of taking legal action against Mill Park Police.

Jacinta, I would just like to bring to your attention an article I read in

the "Herald Sun", Wednesday 24th, 2000 regarding Mr. Paul Devine.

As I am a victim of police brutality I was totally devestated about his

case.

If you are unaware of the case I will give you a brief description of what

was reported.

A convicted criminal, Paul Devine, in 1997 was bashed with a hockey stick by

four Broadmedows

Detectives (C.I.B), which resulted in a broken leg.

They not only broke his leg with the hockey stick, one Detective actually

stomped on it afterwards.

Judge Ian Robertson of the County Court awarded an out of court settlement

(undisclosed amount).

My grievence about this matter is, all detectives are still working, one

still at Broadmedows, one at Essendon, one in Coburg and I've just found out

one has been promoted to the "National Crime Authority".

In other words I feel the police are promoting criminal activity and are

virtually saying to the public

"crime does pay".

Not knowing who I could turn to about my personal experience with police and

the newspaper article I have just mentioned, it was by coincidence a friend

showed me a couple of books written by anti-corruption author Raymond Hoser.

I had no knowledge of this author as police have tried to ban it from sale.

They have failed miserably and Hoser is now a best - selling author.

One of his books "Victoria Police Corruption" deatails alleged criminal

activity and/or corruption involving people such as Premier Jeff

Kennet,Commissoner Neil Comrie, Victorian Ombudsman Barry Perry and others.

His other book, " The Hoser Files" details corrupt practices with the

Victoria Police also including personal experiences of author-eg falsified

imprisonment, harrassment and assaults.

I am currently in touch with the author by phone and e mail and I view his

website: www.policecorruption.com

The latest information 2nd of June, 2000, I have, Raymond Hoser has just e

mailed Minister Andre Hayermeyer about the Paul Devine case requesting an

answer to the fact that the four detectives involved in the case are

currently working even though a claim of assault has been made against them.

For example, if a busdriver commited the same crime it would be instant loss

of job.

I would sincerly ask you, Jacinta, if you could bring up some of these

matters and direct them through the appropriate chanels.

If you want any more information about the author just mentioned, Raymond

Hoser you can contact him on his address:

G.P.O box 599 Doncaster, Vic, 3108, ph: 03 9857 4664 and e mail to:

adder@smuggled.com

Much appreciated,

Good luck for the future,

Yours sincerly,

Kate Collins.