Cops ‘unreasonably targeted with criminal charges’ police union says, as Gold Coast-based sergeant stood down over driving incident

The police union has hit out over driving charges against officers involved in pursuits, saying policies which force them to “wave goodbye to offenders” were making it impossible to do their jobs.

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RANK-and-file officers are being “unreasonably targeted with criminal charges” that arise out of performing their duty while on the road, the police union says.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers in August told the Bulletin four officers had been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, while another six had been investigated “for acting in good faith attempting to do their job”.

Another officer – a 47-year-old Gold Coast-based sergeant – was last week charged after allegedly pursuing a moped through city streets while on a motorbike.

He has been stood down and will face Southport Magistrates Court on November 19.

“It’s a sad day when we must tell our police not to do their job because they are being unreasonably targeted with criminal charges,” Mr Leavers said recently.

In the union journal Mr Leavers wrote it was time to extend laws shielding police of traffic offences while performing their duties to include dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. He claimed the pursuit policy made it “almost impossible” for police to do their job.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers. (AAP Image/Claudia Baxter)

Mr Leavers said he was aware of “many more officers” who were subject to “disciplinary action for breaches of the pursuits and urgent driving policies”.

Under the current policy – which police said was designed to put the safety of officers and the community first – a pursuit can only be initiated if an offender is deemed an “imminent threat to life” or has been involved in, or threatened a murder or other serious crimes.

Mr Leavers said the community was becoming increasingly frustrated with “out of control juvenile crime” and sick of offenders “hooning around their streets in stolen vehicles”.

“They are fed up police merely have to look on and wave goodbye to such offenders as they go flying past marked police vehicles,” Mr Leavers wrote.

Police Union president Ian Leavers on the Gold Coast. Picture Glenn Hampson

But a Queensland Police Service spokesman said: “Even though officers driving police vehicles may be engaged in the lawful performance of their duties, they are not relieved of their obligations to other road users and may be liable to criminal and civil action as a result of events associated with their driving.

“Under the current policy urgent duty driving that causes unjustifiable risk to the safety of any person is not acceptable and does not display sound professional judgment,” a statement said.

The spokesman said while there was legislation that exempted officers from traffic offences while performing their duties “each instance was assessed on its own merits”.

Several officers have been charged with traffic offences that arise out of their duties, the police union says. Photo: Queensland Police Service

He said there were strict guidelines around the driving standards of officers and all traffic law breaches were investigated by “regional driver review panels”.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the behaviour of drivers who evaded police was to be condemned and held to account, but the priority was public safety.

“The Queensland Police Service has clear driver protocols and its members undergo extensive driver training programs to support the work they do on the roads,” he said.