By Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker
VICTORIA Police is in crisis after Chief Commissioner Simon Overland ordered his deputy Ken Jones to leave the force last night amid a broadening scandal over the administration of justice.
Sir Ken's shock dismissal, just four days after he announced he had resigned and would leave in August, came as The Saturday Age prepared to publish new revelations about the death of underworld figure Carl Williams.
Police turmoil: Sir Ken ordered to leave.Credit: Angela Wylie
The newspaper has submitted questions to senior government officials and police about the role of one of Victoria's top public servants in sanctioning the placement of Williams in a jail unit with other underworld figures, including the man who allegedly murdered him.
It is understood Sir Ken and several other senior police and government officials held concerns about the decision by Justice Department officials, including department secretary Penny Armytage, to approve the moving of Williams from isolation at Barwon Prison to the maximum-security Acacia unit.
Carl Williams.Credit: Jason South
The decision to place Williams in Acacia raised serious questions about the quality of assessments done by Corrections Victoria and department officials reporting to Ms Armytage on the risk to the drug dealer's life. Police should have also been aware of the potential threats to Williams posed by other Acacia inmates.
The Saturday Age understands authorities have discovered an email sent from Ms Armytage's office approving his relocation to Acacia.
It can also be revealed that Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the moving of Williams, including the role of Ms Armytage and other department officials.
Mr Brouwer is also investigating whether Mr Overland was pressured by the former Brumby government to release inaccurate crime statistics ahead of last year's state election - an issue believed to have soured relations between Sir Ken and the Chief Commissioner.
Williams was killed last year after intensive efforts by police to get him to give them crucial information about who was responsible for Victoria's most notorious underworld case, the 2004 murder of star police corruption witness Terence Hodson and his wife, Christine. Prisoner Matthew Charles Johnston has been charged with Williams' murder.
Sir Ken was abruptly called in to Mr Overland's office yesterday afternoon and ordered to clear his desk and leave immediately. His removal came hours after The Saturday Age had submitted detailed questions to the office of the Attorney-General, the Department of Justice and the police about the circumstances of the slaying of Williams.
Sir Ken could not be contacted for a response last night.
A police spokesman said: ''The Chief Commissioner has asked Sir Ken Jones to finish at the end of today because it is right for him and Victoria Police.''
Sir Ken will now remain on leave until his resignation takes effect on August 5. Mr Overland has cancelled his own planned leave.
Police Association secretary Greg Davies last night slammed Mr Overland's handling of the crisis. ''I think Simon Overland is the Chief Commissioner in name only from this day on,'' Senior Sergeant Davies said.
An investigation by The Saturday Age into the bungling of the moving of Carl Williams inside Barwon Prison has detailed:
■His relocation to a unit occupied by violent underworld figures, including one with close ties to a corrupt ex-detective connected to the murder of the Hodsons.
■The failure to find and act on easily obtainable information inside the prison that suggested Williams' life could be at risk.
■The failure to move Williams back to isolation when rumours and media articles suggesting he was a police informer swept through the prison, including shortly before his death.
■The allowing of prisoners to store in their cells highly sensitive police documents containing information that put Williams' life at risk.
Five inquiries into the killing of Williams are underway. The Department of Justice inquiry reports to Ms Armytage, raising potential conflict of interest concerns given her role in approving his prison placement.
Senior police are also believed to hold concerns about a request by Ms Armytage to be notified in advance of police searches of any departmental files. It is also believed a compromise was struck under which Ms Armytage was given notice of the police seizure of departmental files.
Lawyer Rob Stary, who represented Williams before his death, said the decision by authorities to put him into Acacia was "an absolute shocker'', despite his requesting to be moved.
"You don't need the benefit of hindsight to say that the decision to put him in a place in the prison where he could interact with other gangland figures beggared belief. This is even more so given the backgrounds of someof those he was placed with," said Mr Stary. "Whoever approved that decision needs to explain themselves. There needs to be an open and proper inquiry into the failings of the justice system," he said.
Before Williams was killed, the prison's systems intelligence system or prison officials failed to find or act on crucial information that could have suggested his life was at risk.
Senior prison officials have already moved to improve intelligence gathering, including more active monitoring of correspondence between prisoners. The police force has also recently moved to improve inadequate intelligence gathering inside the prison system.
Ms Armytage and Attorney-General Robert Clark did not respond to questions from The Saturday Age before last night's deadline.
Ombudsman George Brouwer's inquiry is the fifth inquiry linked to the slaying of Williams. The inquiry into the Department of Justice's role in the Williams affair reports to Ms Armytage, a fact that has raised conflict of interest concerns with some senior police and Baillieu Government figures.
Opposition police spokesman James Merlino said Sir Ken has had an illustrious career and made a significant contribution to helping make our state safer.
"While we are unaware of what has occurred in this instance, there's no doubt the Baillieu Government has completely mishandled and undermined the authority of Victoria Police command,'' the former Brumby government police minister said.