Remember when: Gold Coast police came under investigation for alleged football rampage

A GOVERNMENT taskforce investigating a rampage by police footballers failed to interview any Gold Coast officers according to a senior officer.

Flashback: Police rampage probe

Gold Coast Bulletin, Monday April 17, 1989

A STATE Government task force investigating a rampage by police footballers in Toowoomba failed to interview any Gold Coast officers who attended the tournament according to a senior officer.

Gold Coast Bulletin 1989, April 17. Front page.

Senior Sergeant David Marshall hit out at claims by the task force that the “brotherhood is alive and well” in the force.

Sen Sgt Marshall was commenting on remarks made by task force head Chris Carrigan, a barrister who said some police officers who attended the tournament may have been withholding information about the behaviour of their colleagues.

He described Mr Carrigan’s comments as “unbelievable” considering no Gold Coast officers had been approached.

“What offends me is that they make these statements that we protect each other and when it comes to the nitty gritty, Mr Carrigan and his team haven’t even been here,” he said.

“What Mr Carrigan is saying is that (the police) are not speaking out but they are not speaking out because they haven’t been asked to.”

The Broadbeach-based office said one officer alleged to have been involved in misconduct had also not been approached despite being issued a summons.

A Broadbeach constable was charged with indecent behaviour but Sgt Marshall said the office first heard the charges against him when he received a summons from a Gold Coast inspector.

Acting Police Commissioner Don Braithwaite also called on police involved in the tournament to come forward with any information to get to the bottom of the matter.