They have been offered free sticky buns as an incentive or it is an issue of such great importance that it needs urgent attention.

This is about a dark secret within policing that recently retired chief commissioner Ken Lay in his last few months vowed to expose.

It is the issue of sexual harassment within policing.

Police stations, like most work environments, can nurture many happy office romances. In fact, many years ago the Police Academy resembled the set of Animal House, culminating in a complaint from cleaners about having to dispose of so many second-hand condoms.

Even here at Media House, Christmas drinks can be a hotbed of desire, with editors moonwalking in Hawaiian shirt, library staff wearing holly-embossed support hose, and occasionally a rascal will spike our famous tofu salad with home-made mulled-wine.

But there is nothing romantic, cute or acceptable about harassment. This is not about a questionable joke, a ham-fisted compliment or a rebuffed dinner invitation.

What we are talking about is predators using rank and the old brotherhood code of silence to protect themselves from exposure and punishment.

Sex crimes are about power. Offenders believe victims are simply incapable of defending themselves. In the Victoria Police men outnumber women three to one and most of those in authority are male.

Of all female groups policewomen should be relatively immune from intimidation. Trained to deal with violence and conflict they know the law and know right from wrong.

But, according to Lay, a disturbing minority have been intimidated not by villains on the street but colleagues in the station.

In November 2014 he announced Taskforce Invenio to investigate allegations of 20 cases of sexual harassment inside the police force.

Within weeks he received emails from another 20 policewomen stating they were victims of sexual assault.

The complaints range from indecent assault, groping, inappropriate text messages, stalking and threats to damage victims' careers.

Two police have been sacked and two disciplined, while several investigations continue. A few days ago a policeman was charged with rape over an off-duty incident.

Lay said the predators could isolate victims with the knowledge they would not come forward and, if they did, they would not be believed.

In one case three policewomen separately asked not to work with a male officer. There was no internal inquiry because no one had the will to deal with the real problem.

In another a supervisor threatened to derail a policewoman's career unless she provided sexual favours. Some were given the silent treatment if they weren't compliant.

There are many stories of the pretty policewomen being rostered to act as a supervisor's driver. There may be no overt acts but everyone knows why she was chosen.

A policewoman's relationship status and reputation as a party girl or a prude may arrive at her new posting before her first shift. It doesn't happen with men.

There have been times when an attractive woman caught speeding has been let off with a warning in exchange for a phone number. So if you have a lead foot, make sure it is wearing a high heel.

But the rules are well known. Police have been sacked for accessing the LEAP computer to find private addresses of women they have met in the line of duty.

There is an awful expression "cry rape", which is where someone regrets having consensual sex and later claims to have been coerced.

It is an incredibly rare event but previous generations of police were trained to try to break down the victim's story in the interview rather than lose the case in the court later.

For years that sort of attitude permeated internal complaints of inappropriate behaviour. Too often the victim was seen as difficult, highly strung, not a team player or vindictive. She would receive the silent treatment, be told to transfer or in some cases bullied to resign.

Inside the force there has been pressure on policewomen not to be dobbers. Sleazes have relied on the internal code of silence to protect them.

More than 10 years ago, respected journalist Liz Porter exposed a case in The Sunday Age where a female senior constable was bullied and abused when she exposed her immediate supervisor as a serial predator.

He had made sure she was rostered on night patrol with him because he declared he wanted a "plaything" for the shift.

Officers wanted the complaints dealt with at a district level because broader exposure would reflect on their leadership. She was moved and even at her new posting details of her so-called confidential complaint were known. It was as if she was the villain and the offender the victim.

The first step to an improved system is for the alleged victim to get a fair hearing.

Lay says complainants are entitled to be believed. "Our experience with allegations of family violence and sex assault is that women rarely make this up."

For years each case of sexual harassment has been dealt with as an aberration rather than the sign of a deeper problem. While Taskforce Invenio is a welcome initiative it will not bring about lasting change.

Inside policing major flaws tend to follow a similar pattern - problem, denial, exposure, inquiry, reform, apathy, backslide, problem returns - and the cycle continues.

But this time it is senior police who have identified the problem and are trying to find long-term answers.

Which is why Lay asked the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to conduct an independent review and advise on permanent reforms.

Acting Police Chief Commissioner Tim Cartwright, Police Minister Wade Noonan, the Police Association and the Community and Public Sector Union have all encouraged serving and former employees to contribute to the review.

"Unfortunately we know there are a small number of members who display predatory behaviour by targeting and taking advantage of their colleagues," Cartwright said.

"This behaviour is completely unacceptable and at odds with everything we stand for. No one should have to come to work and not feel safe."

In February the VEOHRC  sent out a survey to 17,000 sworn and unsworn police employees. So far a staggering 3000 have replied - 2000 in the first week.

According to VEOHRC Commissioner Kate Jenkins some of the responses include suggested improvements while others identify specific examples of harassment.

She said the commission's independence and confidentiality has given some alleged victims the confidence to come forward.

"We will hear things that will be hard to hear," she said. "There is a need to know what is going on.

"This is the first proactive investigation of its type and will be useful to police across Australia."

Commissioner Jenkins chairs the expert panel of former New Zealand police commissioner Peter Marshall; Queensland University of Technology employment relations professor Paula McDonald and retired major-general Gerard Fogarty. They will report in November.

The New Zealand lawman named Marshall brings a unique perspective to the expert table as his force was blighted by complaints of appalling sexual behaviour and a culture of cover-up.

It included a teenager groomed by police (some who ended up in senior positions) for sex and a failure to investigate police sex crimes.

It led to a three-year commission of inquiry headed by Dame Margaret Bazley that investigated 313 complaints against 222 police.

In 2007 police agreed to a 10-year monitoring program that included quarterly reports to chart the progress of change.

Marshall said all supervisors from sergeant to deputy commissioner are now assessed on how they deal with the issue, from identifying potential staff problems, promoting a safe workplace and handling initial complaints. He said those who don't embrace the reforms "put their careers at risk".

"Significant cultural change must be led from the commissioner on an ongoing basis," he said.

Supervisors can't lock themselves away and plead ignorance. "They need to get off the balcony and on to the dance floor."

He said New Zealand police leaders were caught "flat-footed" by the problem. "It is to the credit of Ken Lay that he has taken this initiative."

"The vast majority of Victoria Police will be doing the right thing and will have no tolerance for this sort of behaviour."

This is a unique opportunity for serious reform as 30 per cent of Victoria's police have been in the job five years or less. This means they are not wedded to the old ways.