Calls for inquiry into police service following revelation alleged death threat not criminally investigated

A police officer’s wild alleged death threat against a colleague is sparking claims it’s being “swept under the carpet”. Read the latest from leaked documents.

Gold Coast police officer alleged death threat. Picture: Regi Varghese

A Gold Coast police officer who allegedly told a colleague “I will cut your throat and leave you bleeding” was never stood down, according to internal service documents.

The Bulletin can reveal the alleged victim lodged a criminal complaint, and remains on a WorkCover claim while receiving treatment for a psychological injury.

The alleged threat was made during what has been called a misunderstanding between officers at Coomera station in late 2022, the Bulletin revealed last week

Senior police sources are now calling for a Commission of Inquiry into Culture and Accountability, and they fear the alleged victim will be lost to the service.

“I think quite frankly with the treatment they have received from the service, we will lose them,” one officer said.

The alleged incident occurred at Coomera Police Centre in late 2022. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The alleged victim and five other officers were engaged in conversation about the British Royal Family and the ethnicity of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The issue was making headlines at the time, sources said.

A witness to the incident recalled hearing the alleged death threat and reported the concerning conduct.

“I recall (the alleged victim) say words to the effect of ‘Darky Markie’ and I looked up,” the witness said.

“There was a slight pause in the conversation.

“(The alleged offending officer) said words to the effect of and very calmly but direct, ‘if you call me that again, I will cut your throat and leave you bleeding in the street’.”

Another officer is then said to have intervened to diffuse the situation telling the enraged officer: “He never called you that, he was not talking about you”.

Following the alleged threat, the witness made a typed statement about what they saw – which was submitted as part of an internal discipline investigation.

Despite the testimony of the independent witness, internal documents obtained by the Bulletin from senior police sources confirm the Queensland Police Service (QPS) took no action against the officer who is alleged to have made the threat.

Writing to the victim in January, more than 12 months after the incident occurred, the QPS stated there was “insufficient evidence” to proceed.

Police sources claim the QPS never conducted a criminal investigation into the matter.

This is despite internal policy which requires a criminal investigation to be finalised before any discipline action.

The alleged victim was also never interviewed as part of any investigation despite multiple requests, sources claim.

The QPS has repeatedly refused to confirm whether the matter was subject to a criminal investigation and what was the outcome.

A QPS spokesman said: “For privacy reasons, the QPS are not in a position to comment further on internal investigations.”

The incident involved members of a specialised police unit.

A senior Gold Coast officer said the alleged victim involved in the incident had years of experience in the service.

“This is the sort of thing the Commission of Inquiry into Domestic and Family Violence exposed,” the officer said.

“Serious allegations of police misconduct being swept under the carpet and not investigated.”

The officer claimed rank and file police had lost trust in the discipline system.

“There are staff that are too afraid to report misconduct because they’re scared of being targeted.

“We need a commitment by the government to a commission of inquiry into the culture and accountability of the service.

“Nothing less will fix it.”

The Queensland Police Service has refused to comment on the matter.

An independent review conducted by the Crime and Corruption Commission (formerly Crime and Misconduct Commission) in 2011 labelled the police complaints, discipline and misconduct system “dysfunctional and unsustainable” and said the process was “dishonoured by chronic delays, inconsistent and disproportionate outcomes”.

It made 57 recommendations to simplify the system, increase its effectiveness and promote transparency to “promote public confidence”.

Among the recommendations was the publication of internal discipline investigations resulting in demotion or dismissal of an officer be published in a public forum on the QPS website.

It was not implemented.