Secrecy over bad cops sanctioned after investigations from Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Ann Vanstone

Secrecy surrounds more than a dozen police officers disciplined for misconduct after investigations from the state’s anti-corruption chief.

Secrecy surrounds the cases of more than a dozen police officers disciplined for misconduct after investigations from the state’s anti-corruption chief.

Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Ann Vanstone KC, found 15 officers, whose rank and areas of operation are secret, broke police-related laws over the past year.

They were disciplined for offences including failure to carry out lawful orders, disobeying superiors, misconduct towards a colleague, accessing confidential information, negligence, using excessive force in arrests and prejudicial or adverse conduct.

Ms Vanstone’s annual report, tabled in parliament on Tuesday, revealed all but two of the group were fined while also either demoted, reprimanded, transferred, and counselled.

No officers were charged in the past year.

Authorities received almost 620 complaints or reports were about police officers.

SA Police could not provide further detail on Tuesday night.

“(SA Police) has not had an opportunity to consider the report and has no comment to make at this time,” a spokesman said.

Police search Sandhills at Aldinga Beach. There is no suggestion the officers in question are among the group.

Last year, the agency sanctioned 19 officers while another three were sacked after being charged with drug, fraud and an offence “against the person”, which could include murder, degrading filming or stalking.

The Advertiser has reported that under the current system, SA Police has a secret Internal Investigation Section before all decisions are reviewed by the equally secretive Office of Public Integrity.

Their cases come before another secret Police Disciplinary Tribunal headed by a magistrate. Only serious matters are referred to ICAC.

Ms Vanstone also published a separate report which rebuked the Transport Department over its use of taxpayer-funded credit cards.

“It does appear that further work is needed to ensure the use of purchase cards within the Department is appropriate,” she found.

Department deputy chief executive Judith Formston told her it was committed to minimising risks.

In her annual report, Ms Vanstone repeated her criticism of the speed in which new legislation changed her operations.

The laws, which all MPs backed, established an Office of the Inspector, to replace the current ICAC reviewer, with enhanced powers of review and oversight of the agency.

Only the serious cases involving police get sent to ICAC. A file picture of a police officer at a murder scene. Picture: Mark Brake

ICAC’s powers were diminished to deal only with matters of serious and systemic corruption.

The State Ombudsman now investigates misconduct and maladministration while a separate Office of Public Integrity was created.

Previously, the OPI was both agencies’ “shop window”.

In the past year the new OPI investigated 750 complaints on potential corruption, misconduct and maladministration in public administration – the majority of which were from bureaucrats, according to its annual report.

The OPI director, Emma Townsend, praised public servants for blowing the whistle on issues.