Terry Goldsworthy: Time for the Commissioner to show leadership

Katarina Carroll needs to display the leadership the Premier has failed to and take the only course of action left, writes Terry Goldsworthy.

For the Queensland Police Service last week has been a slow train wreck happening in full view of the public. Daily front pages have been asking questions about the future of the leader of the QPS, Commissioner Katarina Carroll. Prior to this the headlines for months were about the crime crisis in Queensland.

In 2023 Queensland had the highest crime rate in 20 years. Little wonder that the public’s perception of crime now matches reality. In data published this week 45 per cent of Queenslanders felt unsafe, another 33 per cent felt somewhat safe.

Yet Police Minister Mark Ryan backed Ms Carroll despite reports of calls for a no-confidence vote saying she did “a great job”. One would wonder on what key performance criteria the minister is basing this comment.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll and Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy during a press conference to announce increased visibility of police in the community. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Youth crime continues to be a drain on police resources with no end in sight. The government is either unwilling or unable to consider harder responses to bring the youth crime crisis under control.

Four months ago, then Deputy Premier Steven Miles, in a text message to director-general Mike Kaiser, lamented how “that’s almost everything in the cupboard” in relation to their youth crime initiatives.

The 2023 Qld Childrens Court Annual report highlighted that serious repeat offenders continue to grow, accounting for 20 per cent of youth offenders in the past 12 months and being responsible for 54.5 per cent of charges. Finalised charges against youth offenders increased by 16 per cent to 43,031 charges in 2022/2023.

When she was called to face cabinet last week the Commissioner’s response was to suggest that electronic monitoring devices were an answer to the youth crime issue. This was one of the much-lauded rollouts to combat the youth crime epidemic, but rather than put them on high-risk offenders, they were used on youth offenders who were compliant and unlikely to offend. Less than 30 have been issued since 2021 at a cost of $11.5 million.

The inquiry into QPS culture towards the handling of domestic violence, misogyny and racism gave a damning assessment of Carroll’s leadership. The inquiry stated that a failure of leadership allowed a culture of sexism, racism, fear and silence to take hold unchecked within the Queensland police service. Many of the allegations aired in the inquiry occurred on Carroll’s watch.

Premier Steven Miles visits the site to lay flowers with Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll after the murder of Vyleen White, 70, of Redbank Plains. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

But the problems for the Commissioner are not just external, there are internal rumblings. As a former Detective Inspector, I regularly speak to many current serving officers, to say that morale is low would be an understatement.

The 2023 Working for Queensland survey painted a grim picture of morale in our police. Only 29 per cent of police had a positive view of the senior executive leadership group. Some 50 per cent of police indicated that they wanted to leave their positions within the next two years. There are hundreds of less police on the front line then there was a year ago, no wonder they have had enough. Just days ago, the Commissioner stated “ “Only this week, I briefed Cabinet on some of the significant issues facing our frontline.”

Police are now so frustrated in trying to deal with crime that they are exposing themselves to potential discipline sanctions in an effort the stop crime. Something is wrong with the system when Police tyring to protect the community are potentially facing punishment and no longer feel safe when they go to work.

In the Westminster system ultimately, it should be the minister who is held responsible. Premier Steven Miles failed to hold Police Minister, Mark Ryan, and the Youth Justice Minister, Di Farmer accountable when he reappointed them. That was a failure of leadership.

The Commissioner is now being questioned as to what her future holds. I hope the Commissioner displays the leadership the Premier has failed to and puts the interests of the members of the QPS and the people of Queensland above political or personal interests. If she does, then there will only one decision that can be made. Queensland will be seeking a new Police Commissioner.

Dr Terry Goldsworthy is an Associate Professor of Criminology at Bond University