ANALYSIS: Bullied wife and police partner of Brett Forte find truth

Brett Forte’s wife and police partner should be applauded for their grit and determination to find the truth, not outcast by an organisation with a motto of “our people matter”. ANALYSIS

When police officer Brett Forte was killed, his grieving widow Senior Constable Susie Forte and police partner ­Senior Constable Cath Nielsen wanted answers.

They wanted to know what their colleagues knew about police investigations into automatic gunfire on the same road where he was killed. Instead Cath told the inquest into Brett’s death she was bullied and lied to about what fellow officers knew. She had her gun taken away from her.

The inquest also heard allegations Susie had been “blamed” for her husband’s death, which she heard as it happened over the police radio. After the women, who were victims, presented their ­evidence to the inquest, an investigator made formal complaints, even recommending charges against them. They were accused of failing to report misconduct and perjury.

Susie Forte and Senior Constable Cath Nielsen on Tuesday. Picture: Liam Kidston

State Coroner Terry Ryan on Tuesday said the actions against them were “unwarranted”, bringing into question why the Queensland Police Service ever thought the actions were justifiable.

As raised by DFV Inquiry Commissioner Deborah Richards, both women were victims of crime and the actions taken against them should have never happened.

After inquest findings were released into her husband’s death n Tuesday, Susie Forte told media she had been instructed to “stick to the brief”, in how she should agree with how police outlined her husband’s death. When she didn’t she was subjected to “ongoing bullying, intimidation, threats, gaslighting and manipulation” for asking whether his murder was preventable.

Constable Nielsen said the Coroner’s comments were “a win” after living with six years of trauma.

“To hear some of those words and to know that we’ve been believed and supported, that felt really good,” she said.

Both women should be applauded for their grit and determination to find the truth, not outcast by an organisation with a motto of “our people matter”.