Former West Coast Eagle Ben Sharp was jailed last month for the Sunbury McDonald's robbery. Credit:Getty Images The man had been caught carrying firearms without a licence, which should have barred him from working in the security industry. However, when questions were raised, the security operator disappeared from the Victoria Police security licence database and transferred his business into his wife's name. Despite this, the man's LinkedIn profile still lists him as a director of the company, which was transferred to his wife last September. Screenshots of the database show the man's licence to be a security adviser – which allowed him to provide general advice about security procedures such as the installation of CCTV – was valid until 2019. The same man's company performed the security cash pick-ups for several McDonald's franchisees in Melbourne, and it was one of his guards who was robbed of $287,000 during an armed heist at the Sunbury McDonald's in 2014.

Illustration: Matt Golding It is understood the cash was being carried by an unarmed guard in plastic bags in a car that was not fitted with a safe, and that the owner of the security company was only insured to transport amounts less than $250,000. The company's owner had already been declared a prohibited person at the time of the robbery. He agreed to pay back the McDonald's franchisees for the lost takings out of his own pocket, given the money could not be recovered through an insurance claim. The police Professional Standards Command and Task force Salus – a team of detectives focused on examining sexual abuse and harassment in the force – are also investigating allegations against the same senior LRD officer. It's alleged the senior officer pressured a female security guard to withdraw a complaint against one of his more junior police colleagues, a leading senior constable. The constable had sent the woman lewd unsolicited photos of himself and suggestive text messages.

The senior officer is alleged to have told the female guard he would cancel her security licence if she did not withdraw the complaint. The junior officer has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation. The final internal investigation emerges from a complaint about a raid on the premises of a Victorian security business owner. The complainant says that, during the raid, $3000 cash and an expensive watch were stolen. The police involved in the raid, who were from a suburban station and were working with the licensing division, allegedly did not show the business owner a copy of the warrant. One officer was aggressive and rude, and, when asked to extinguish a cigarette she had lit in the man's house, blew smoke in his face. The complainant has called for a clean broom to be put through the LRD, and its responsibilities transferred to the Department of Justice or another non-police government department. New South Wales and Western Australia have similar regulatory regimes as Victoria, but in all other states and territories, civilian agencies are responsible. A number of members of the private security industry and sporting shooters claim their relationship with the licensing division has broken down. They want the Andrews government to intervene and strip control over the firearms registry and other regulatory roles from police.

Last June, as part of a reform regulation program, Police Minister Lisa Neville urged the unit to convert private security licence applications to online forms, and to improve efficiencies regarding the length of time taken to review applications. A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the internal investigations were ongoing, but would not comment on individual cases. She said the division was committed to improving procedures for firearm users and those within the security industry, and working closely with the Department of Justice in performing its duties. "Victoria Police takes all complaints seriously and engages with complainants where appropriate," the spokeswoman said. A leading Victorian private security figure with decades of experience described LRD as "judge, jury and executioner".

"We've got police deciding on whether or not you have a good business case to launch a new security company or training organisation. What expertise do they have to do that? ... They aren't accountants," he said. Bryan de Caires, the chief executive of Australian Security Industry Association Limited, said the body that regulated the $6 billion national security industry was not the issue. What was of greater concern to the security association was how regulatory fees were spent, and the lack of a national approach. "Who regulates the security industry is not the issue (ultimately police are responsible for who conduct probity checks to determine who are fit and proper to work in the security industry), of greater concern is the lack of a uniform and consistent national approach to regulation of the industry and effective enforcement." The Combined Firearms Council of Victoria, which represents the interests of about 200,000 licensed Victorian shooters, has released a survey which shows only 11 per cent of respondents believed LRD was an efficient regulator. More than 80 per cent of respondents wanted to reduce Victoria Police's influence.