Queensland Police - Criticisms

Criticisms

In early 2010, raids were made by the CMC (Crime and Misconduct Commission) on police stations in Queensland. The results of the raids and interrogations of police officers are being kept confidential, but come less than a year after a CMC report claiming

"the evidence revealed an attitude on the part of a not insignificant number of police officers, and their supervisors, that it was acceptable to act in ways that ignored legislative and QPS policy requirements, that were improper, and in some cases were dishonest and unlawful. Based on past experiences, the CMC had no confidence that the attitudes of those police officers would change without the pressure of public exposure."

The CMC report focused on police corruption, and not police brutality that accounted for ten times as many complaints in Surfers Paradise - 130 reports to 13 in the 18 months to March 2010.

In June 2009 a man died after allegedly being tasered by Queensland police 28 times. This incident as of May 2011 was subject of an Inquest by State Coroner with some witnesses saying the deceased was tasered a much lower number of times, suggesting the device was making erroneous readings.

In 2008, the CMC investigated an officer after he used a Taser on a teenage girl at South Bank. After the girl refused to 'move on' from disturbing a stranger under the influence, despite being told several times to move on, she was recorded spitting and kicking the police officers, which is generally considered an inditable offence. She was tasered whilst being suppressed by a security guard. The CMC made an attempt to investigate but stated that the officers involved would not face charges. As a consequence of the incident, the Service conducted a review into issuing Tasers equipped with a camera. A subsequent inquiry by the CMC into the use of the TASER by the Queensland Police Service found there was no systemic abuse of the device by officers. CCTV video footage was released, despite best efforts of the young girls solicitor to block its release, showing the girls lashing out and kicking the officer, knocking the Taser out of his holster before he was forced to use it.

Also in 2006 and 2008 footage was caught of police beating homeless men after they were pinned to the ground. It came a year after a report by organizations including the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) and community groups such as the Red Cross, which detailed widespread harassment by police of the socially vulnerable. Approximately 75% of interviewees made such claims, but the report was ignored by the government. Police Minister Judy Spence said of the report "At a cursory glance, it looks like a compendium of views from nameless, homeless people,".

The Service has been accused of institutional racism after its fierce support of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley who stood trial for the 2004 assault and manslaughter of Mulrunji Doomadgee. Senior Sergeant Hurley was initially subject of a Coronial Inquest by Coroner Christine Clements where he was found to have a case to answer despite conflicting medical evidence. The Director of Public Prosecutions Leanne Clare refused to place Senior Sergeant Hurley on trial for lack of evidence. The Queensland Attorney General Kerry Shine ordered a review despite advice from the State Solicitor-General Walter Sofronoff QC highlighting the lack of evidence. A review by New South Wales Former Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street found there was a case to answer. Senior Sergeant Hurley was found not guilty by a jury in the Townsville Supreme Court and the findings of the Coronial Inquest were subsequently overturned by the Townsville District Court.