POLICE WANT TO RETAIN DRUG SQUAD EXPERTISE: NIXON

MELBOURNE - Victorian Police remained committed to ridding the state of its
drugs scourge despite axing its drug squad unit, Chief Commissioner
Christine Nixon said today.

A four-month independent review, ordered by Ms Nixon, recommended the squad
be disbanded after a raft of corruption allegations were made against it.

A reformed unit, called the major drug squad investigation division, will
take its place. A new command team will take control early next year.

Ms Nixon said she hoped to retain the strong criminal investigation skills
of members of the defunct drug squad.

"We'd be looking to try and retain a balance of expertise. We are moving
in, in terms of the senior management, people who have strong expertise in
criminal investigation and we hope not to lose that capacity," she told
radio 3AW.

"I think drug law enforcement is a major issue for us in Victoria, and one
which we are very much going to focus on ... because it's just a scourge
and we need to do the best we can to get rid of these demons."

Ms Nixon also said sting operations, which involved selling chemicals used
in amphetamine production to dealers, had been suspended.

"At this stage, we've ceased that operation because it has in fact been
proven to be ... high risk in terms of corruption," Ms Nixon said.

"It is a good strategy, but if you were to ask other states - South
Australia, NSW and Tasmania - (they) only use that as a minimal strategy.

"What we need to be looking at is what other strategies are available,
perhaps what other reforms might be necessary to be able to allow us to go
after the high-level drug dealing."