Most of the thousands of interactions Victorian police have with citizens each day are positive, professional and focused on protecting public safety and liberty. But the force is undermining its credibility through repeated acts of brutality and an apparent culture of protecting colleagues and covering up errors and corruption.

The public has a right to expect police to be beyond reproach.

The latest egregious misbehaviour came this weekend when heavily armed police officers bungled an early morning raid so catastrophically their innocent victim was facing the loss of the use of an arm.

It is entirely understandable that the three men, pillars of gay rights activism for many years, sleeping quietly in an apartment above an LGBTQ bookstore and community hub would be terrified, believing they were the victims of a gay hate crime. It is astonishing that nothing was done to look up the details of the address that was raided. It has been an important community centre for almost three decades.

In what seems an understatement, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said police “stuffed this one up”. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission apparently shared the view; it has taken over the investigation.