6
2
Acting Senior Sergeant Krystle Mitchell is facing an investigation by Victoria Police’s professional standards command after she quit the force over the state’s stringent COVID-19 directions.
The policewoman sensationally resigned from the Victoria Police after appearing on an independent media show The Discernible Interviews on Friday night.
She told the show Victoria Police was no longer independent from the Andrews government and requirements for police to enforce harsh new directions had “troubled” her greatly.
Sergeant Mitchell said she was currently working in the gender equality and inclusion command which she described as “the best job I’ve ever had”.
“There was a big thought process and battle of morals and integrity within me about what I wanted to do and how I see my organization being used during this pandemic and it troubled me greatly,” she said.
“But behind that is all of my friends that are police officers that are working the front line and are suffering every day enforcing CHO directions, that certainly the great majority don’t believe in and don’t want to enforce.”
Sergeant Mitchell resigned from Victoria Police on Friday morning before the interview went live later that evening, saying the consequences of speaking frankly to the public would result in her dismissal.
“I’m choosing to quit because I can’t remedy in my soul anymore the way in which the organization I love to work for is being used and the damage that it’s causing to the reputation of Victoria Police and the damage it is causing the community.”