Kate Kyriacou: Police who harass and abuse taint whole Qld service

Many examples provided in the inquiry into QPS responses to domestic violence came with the clincher: “His behaviour was widely known”. Who accepted it and said nothing, asks Kate Kyriacou.

Among the horrific examples of sexism and misogyny raised in the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service responses to domestic violence was a repeat offender, a senior detective and sexual abuser who took advantage of young women working under him.

One of those women had arrived to interview for a position in his unit.

He’d groped her, the inquiry heard, on his way to sit on the panel that would decide her fate.

He’d sat down, next to another male officer on the panel, who’d passed him a note.

“Loose?” the note said. The groper had nodded.

There are many, many problems here.

If we agree with Queensland Police union president Ian Leavers that there are only “small pockets” of abhorrent behaviour, then these pockets needs to be flea-bombed out of existence. Why is it that these people have found themselves in an environment where they feel comfortable enough to behave this way?

The point that is really worth making to these people who harass and abuse is this: you damage your victim, but you also damage all of your colleagues.

Why do they feel they can act openly and be confident the women they abuse will not speak up?

So many of the examples provided in the inquiry this week came with the clincher: “His behaviour was widely known”.

How? Who accepted it? Who stood by and said nothing?

And worse, when people finally did speak up, the offenders were more often than not dealt with by local managerial guidance: a chat with a more senior officer.

A “don’t do it again”.

The broken disciplinary process that has allowed police to softly punish other police clearly needs to be overhauled.

But the point that is really worth making to these people who harass and abuse is this: you damage your victim, but you also damage all of your colleagues.

You taint the whole of the Queensland Police Service with your behaviour.

The thousands of hardworking, dedicated police who put their lives on the line every day to keep people safe are tarred with your brush.

And they don’t deserve that.