Take a stand against domestic and family violence
An epidemic tearing at the fabric of Queensland society will be at the top of our new female police commissioner’s priorities when she assumes the role.
Crime & Justice
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QUEENSLAND’S top cop has urged parents to teach their children to respect women, as front-line officers deal with a tsunami of domestic violence.
Incoming Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said police had attended a record 88,800 domestic violence incidents in 2017-18 – up 7.5 per cent in a year.
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“Domestic violence is in your face every day,’’ she told The Sunday Mail in her first comprehensive interview since her appointment last month as the state’s first female police commissioner.
“Police will be called to 246 incidents every day. There were 10 murders last year, just of women.’’
Ms Carroll said men as well as women were suffering from family violence, and urged parents to set a healthy example for their children.
“It’s everyone’s issue and everyone has the right to feel safe,’’ she said.
“Don’t be a bystander – do something about it. If you don’t want to call police, go to a domestic violence service.
“It’s not just a policing issue, it’s a societal issue, it’s a community issue.
“At the end of the day, be good to each other.’’
Ms Carroll said she often spoke to her 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter about “equality and respect and how to talk to each other’’.
“It is a discussion at a very early age about equality in the house, equality of roles, how to have decent discussions with each other and healthy relationships,’’ she said.
“I tell my daughter to make sure nobody treats you with disrespect in any relationship.’’
Ms Carroll said that when some families failed to set a good example, police, other agencies, friends and schools all had a responsibility to reach in and assist people.
“It’s all very well and good to say it’s a private issue but when it involves people’s lives it cannot be a private issue,’’ she said.
“If you don’t step in, sometimes it could have tragic consequences.’’
Ms Carroll was joined by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, rugby league legend Darren Lockyer and Brisbane Lions captain Dayne Zorko in calling on Queenslanders to take a stand against domestic and family violence.
Ms Carroll, who will start as the state’s top cop on July 8, said she planned to prioritise police officers’ mental health and encourage more flexible working hours and career breaks.
She said that as the state’s first female police commissioner, she would see things through a different lens.
“I think women do bring a different skill set around compassion and empathy, trying to get a work life balance for people,’’ she said.
“Being a mother has always been a challenge for me throughout my (working) life.
“I’m very passionate about the health and wellbeing of my people.
“(Officers) on the front line are doing it tough. It’s a relentless job.
“In emergency and police work, you’re confronted with difficult situations over many years. Mental health needs to be treated the same as physical health.’’
Ms Carroll, 55, joined the police force in 1983, working as a detective, an undercover officer in the vice squad, in the drug squad and on internal investigations.
As an assistant commissioner, she was in charge of logistics and security for the G20 summit in Brisbane in 2014, before her promotion to be the state’s first female fire and mmergency services commissioner.
Ms Carroll said her four years heading the QFES had given her fresh insights to run the police service.
She said she would meet with the police union to discuss its demands for more officers on the ground.
“I can’t make that decision til I get there and see what I’ve got,’’ she said
“It might be a case of looking at how we use the resources because if you work more in the prevention phase, you don’t have as much to do in the response phase.
“I’ve been on the front line and I understand the issues, and the higher up I go, the more responsibility I have to address them.’’
Ms Carroll said police could help prevent domestic violence by case-managing with mental health units or other government welfare agencies.
“Police do play a very, very important role in the prevention space as well as responding,’’ she said.
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