Queensland cops accused of outrageous domestic violence breaches

Thirty-eight Queensland police officers were hit with domestic violence orders in the first six months of this year... and the revelations to an inquiry only get worse.

A Queensland police officer slapped with a domestic violence order allegedly breached it just minutes later, while another cop accused of DV used a database to locate the women’s shelter his alleged victim had fled to, an inquiry has been told.

A month-long independent commission of inquiry into the Queensland Police Service’s handling of domestic violence has laid bare shocking failings of QPS protocols – and staff, when it comes to DV.

The inquiry into handling of domestic violence by the Queensland Police Service has raised shocking allegations of officer misconduct.

Police responses to several high-profile DV murders have already been heavily scrutinised, but it has now been revealed that 38 police officers have been issued with domestic violence orders in the first six months of this year, with allegations of alarming and blatant DV breaches presented to the inquiry.

Counsel assisting Judge Deborah Richards, barrister Anna Cappellano, told the inquiry about the case of an unnamed officer who was the subject of a police protection order which he allegedly breached just 33 minutes later.

He was stood down before breaching a court-issued protection order days later, which he pleaded guilty to with punishment including a suspension on full pay.

The officer has been the subject of 17 serious complaints over his career, including allegations of sexual offences and strangulation.

Another serving officer allegedly used the QPS QPRIME database to try and locate the crisis shelter of the woman who had lodged a DV complaint against him, while another officer with a history of domestic violence complaints received “managerial guidance and chastisement” for threatening to “skull drag” a woman to the nearest police station.

Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon, the officer in charge of the Ethical Standards Command internal affairs division, conceded the QPS could do better.

“Thankfully they are not a common occurrence, but it is concerning when you see that,” she said.

“Could we pick up some of these things earlier? I daresay we could have and should have.

“It is not something you can expect you won’t see in our organisation, given the size of it.

“We are normal people doing an extraordinary job.”

Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon

The inquiry has also raised concerns about “police investigating police” with officers accused of DV often investigated by colleagues from their own stations or units.

Ms Cappellano also cited an example of an officer with a history of complaints regarding DV and other behavioural issues being asked to investigate a traffic complaint which a member of the public had made about his own conduct.

The complaint was found to be unsubstantiated.

The inquiry continues in Mount Isa today.