Slain officer Brett Forte’s partner, widow wait for answers

Queensland Police will not say whether they will investigate new testimony that the widow of Brett Forte was blamed for his death and that his partner was bullied and threatened.

The Queensland Police Service will not say whether they will investigate Coroners Court testimony that the widow of slain officer Senior Constable Brett Forte was blamed for his death and that his partner was bullied and threatened with complaint forms.

Tactical crime squad officer Sen Const Forte was murdered on Wallers Rd in the Lockyer Valley by paranoid gunman Ricky Maddison on May 29, 2017.

Brett Forte.

His partner Sen Const Cath Nielsen was awarded a bravery award for her actions, after she pulled her colleague from their police vehicle as Maddison continued to fire his automatic weapon.

Maddison was later killed by specialist police after a 20-hour siege.

An inquest into the deaths of Sen Const Forte and Maddison has heard explosive allegations that some police officers kept information to themselves and that there was a “toxic” ¬culture within the squad.

Sen Const Cath Nielsen. Picture: Nigle Hallett

The court heard some police believed there was an “A team and a B team”, with an offshoot unit called the Tactical Action Team (TAT) considered the A team.

TAT officers had been made aware of an investigation into reports of machine gun fire near Wallers Rd, but at the time they had not linked it to Maddison.
Maddison would lead Sen Const Forte and Sen Const Nielsen down Wallers Rd before spraying their car with bullets.

Sen Const Nielsen told the inquest she was threatened with a complaint form and had her gun taken away after her partner was shot and killed in the ambush. She told the Coroner there was a “toxic culture” within the squad and had to leave.

Brett Forte with his wife Susie.

Sen Const Nielsen said she was repeatedly told officers from TAT had had no idea about reports of automatic gunfire in the area where they were shot at.

She said she later found out she’d been “absolutely lied to”.

During the inquest a tearful Sen Const Nielsen denied a lawyer’s suggestion she “reconstructed” her views of what had happened on the day of the shooting after returning from a period of leave.

“I was allowed to ask questions,” she said through tears.

“My life was made a living hell for asking these questions.

“I was shit canned in the office.

“I was threatened with 466s (complaint forms).

“I had people saying really mean things about me.

“I had done nothing wrong.”

Sen Const Nielsen said during a meeting with Ethical Standards Command, she had her firearm taken off her.

“I couldn’t understand why this snow job was being done on me,” she told the court.

“It was a toxic place for me to work with everything that was going on.”

Senior Constable Forte's wife, Senior Constable Susan Forte, at the inquest into the death of her husband. Picture: Peter Wallis

The officer-in-charge of the tactical crime squad Sen Sgt Scott Stahlhut denied multiple allegations when questioned by barrister David Funch, representing widow Ms Forte.

“I suggest that you blamed Susie Forte for the death of Brett Forte and you communicated that belief to her. Do you agree or disagree with that?” Mr Funch said.

“I completely disagree with that,” Sen Sgt Stahlhut responded.

Sen Sgt Stahlhut also denied telling Sen Const Nielsen that he didn’t want Ms Forte around the TCS personnel because it made them feel uncomfortable.

He denied threatening Sen Const Nielsen with a 466 complaint form because she was asking “too many uncomfortable questions”, denied accusing her of ripping the TCS office apart and also denied lying to her about what he knew of reports of automatic gunfire around Wallers Rd prior to the officer’s death.

The Queensland Police Service was asked if it wished to comment on the claims made by Sen Const Nielsen and Forte, or if it intended to investigate them or refer them to another agency to investigate.

It was also asked if it intends to conduct an internal review on the matter.

“It is not appropriate for the Queensland Police Service to comment on matters relating to the ongoing coronial inquiry,” a spokeswoman said.