Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre

The 2009 National Conference of Community Legal Centres resolved to establish a National Police Accountability Network (NPAN) open to barristers, solicitors and advocates who work to assist the victims and family members of police misconduct.

The aim of the network is to end police abuse, neglect, violence and racism and to ensure human rights compliant policing.  The network aims to:

1.  Share resources and expertise across Australia such as relevant cases, systemic issues, legal options, experts for hearings on issues such as tasers, O/C spray etc.
2. Provide a forum where people can ask non-confidential questions to others on strategies around cases involving police complaints, cover charges and human rights abuses.
3. Increase the knowledge,  expertise and support available to people assisting the victims police misconduct as well as the victims and families themselves.
4. Campaign for human rights compliant investigation and disciplinary mechanisms.
5. Increase the access of victims of police misconduct to adequate remedies.
6. Ensure that governments and police agencies learn from failures, protect human rights and comply with the law.

There are similar networks in place in the US - the National Police Accountability Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and the Police Misconduct Lawyers Action Group in the UK.