Senior Gold Coast cops call crisis meeting as furious staff threaten to walk in support of colleagues

Senior Gold Coast police officers have arranged a crisis meeting as tension within the ranks reach boiling point. How it got to this

Uproar as respected cops face discipline action.

A crisis meeting has been called involving senior cops across the Gold Coast with officers telling the Bulletin the service is struggling to prevent a staff revolt.

The Bulletin can reveal Assistant Commissioner Kevin Guteridge has arranged the mandatory meeting between the Coast’s top police brass on Monday morning in response to growing unrest among frontline officers.

The turmoil was largely sparked after Senior Sergeant Arron Ottaway was stood down and an investigation launched into claims he authorised officers to ram a stolen car driven by an armed offender at Mermaid Waters on February 1.

Officers sympathetic to Sgt Ottoway began the #Free Otters campaign and called for Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll to be sacked. Queensland’s top cop is also under fire for the growing level of youth crime gripping the state.

A senior Coast officer told the Bulletin: “Not a single one of us feel safe to do our job anymore. Last week was the turning point. They have to do something.”

The source added that “the bosses” had to find some way to “try and restore the faith” in their leadership.

A spokesperson for the Queensland Police Services said the meeting of the senior leadership was “timely” in light of the concerns raised by staff in recent days.

“(The meeting) will seek to address a number of concerns impacting the South Eastern Police Region,” the spokesperson said.

“Acting Deputy Commissioner for Regional Operations regularly meets with various policing regions.”

The commissioner fronted the media last Thursday to express her disappointment at how the Ottoway issue had been handled.

“The matter has to be investigated whichever way you look at it because when serious complaints come to us, that is the case,” she said.

A #FreeOtters campaign has been launched by colleagues of Senior Sergeant Arron Ottaway.

On Friday, more fed-up staff came forward after the Bulletin obtained internal police documents which showed another two officers were facing disciplinary action for a similar incident.

Sergeant Todd Miller and Senior Constable Aaron Minns were attempting to box in a stolen Skoda in September 2022 which had armed teens on-board.

The offenders hit Constable Minns’ car and caused it to lose control.

He was injured from the crash. Both Constable Minns and his colleague Sergeant Miller have been under investigation for more than 18 months.

They’re accused of contravening a direction, despite an incident report appearing to show they were authorised to box-in the stolen car by their supervisor.

The investigation has prompted more anger from their colleagues.

“People who hated their job have turned and are now going ‘f*** being a cop’. The dirty laundry is out” a frustrated officer said.

“Kids now know they can steal cars and we can’t touch them. And the public now know we can’t protect them.

“Our view of the job and that of management are irreconcilable and the only way out is for heads to roll, that is, the bosses walk or we do.”

Officers claim they have been contacting the Queensland Police Union to hold a vote of no confidence in the local management.

Sergeant Todd Millar and Senior Constable Aaron Minns also face disciplinary action over a 2022 pursuit.

An email obtained by the Bulletin outlines how late last week Deputy Commissioner for specialist operations Cheryl Scanlon, who is responsible for overseeing disciplinary investigations, urged staff to “respect” the internal process.

“At the present time there is considerable mainstream and social media commentary surrounding an internal investigation on the Gold Coast,” Ms Scanlon wrote in an email to all QPS staff.

“I understand that the current situation will be generating much discussion, but I would ask that you appreciate this matter must be fully investigated.”

Deputy Commissioner Scanlon went on to acknowledge the balancing act officers face between split second decision making and the policies and procedures of the service.

“One of our core values of the QPS is integrity and I would ask that you respect the integrity of this process.”