Police Commissioner emails staff addressing recruitment bungle

Queensland’s Police Commissioner has sent an email to her troops providing new details about women accepted into the service despite failing initial tests.

Queensland’s Police Commissioner has written to her troops about yesterday’s release of a Crime and Corruption Commission investigative report that exposed dodgy practices within the QPS and revealed how 2000 men who applied to become Queensland police officers were discriminated against while women “progressed” even after failing physical or psychological requirements.

Of the 2000 men discriminated against, the report found 200 men who should have been hired missed out on a job.

The email was sent by Commissioner Katarina Carroll yesterday to inform staff of the outcome of the damning report.

“I am writing to you all to inform you of an outcome of an ongoing investigation undertaken by the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) in relation to the Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) recruiting processes between March 2016 and January 2018,” Ms Carroll said.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll wrote to her staff addressing the damning CCC report. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The email stated in November of 2019, concerns in relation to the police recruitment processes were identified, before immediately being reported to the CCC.

The email continues: “It is important to point out that the final CCC report outlines that between March 2016 and January 2018 there were seven women who unsuccessfully completes the first applied policing skills test (beep test and the physical). And of these seven, four women commenced at QPS successfully completed the final physical test prior to graduation. All four of these officers remain with the QPS.

“The report also states there were five applicants where the psychological risk testing may have been adjusted in order to pass the minimum standards. Of these five, two progressed to the police academy and graduated and remain with us at the QPS.”

It comes as officers within the Service told The Courier-Mail how the flaws within the recruitment process were widely known about at the time.

However Ms Carroll’s email stressed that anyone who was recruited and graduated during the period of concern had met the required standards to become a QPS officer.

She stated how the misconduct ceased in January 2018, however has asked for a complete review of the QPS’ recruitment practices, to be undertaken by Assistant Commissioner Charysse Pond.

“In addition, a new recruitment campaign is expected for release in the coming months. The campaign will revitalise our application pool while increasing the diversity of our applicants to greater represent the communities in which we serve.

“Although the report findings are incredibly concerning, it should not detract from the hard work and commitment of all QPS employees.”

The email finishes: “Each of you offer unique expertise and experiences to the Service and play an integral role in keeping our communities safe.”

Meanwhile, Police Minister Mark Ryan says the government has been assured all officers recruited during the process met the “highest standards” in their training.

The Minister told parliament this morning that he had been advised by the Chair of the CCC and the Police Commissioner that actions had been taken to ensure the same recruitment process don’t happen again.

“In relation to yesterday’s release of a report by the CCC, I’m advised that this is about past practices that the Queensland Police Service identified, self-reported and are now taking appropriate action to address,” Mr Ryan said.

“This Government has also been assured that all sworn officers who went through the academy back in that time successfully completed their training to the highest standards expected of a police officer.

“The Chair of the CCC has stated that the Police Commissioner and the government were deceived and misled by this past practice.”