Gold Coast police boss won’t say whether alleged death threat officer should have been suspended

The Gold Coast top cop claims he knew very little about an alleged death threat made by an officer against a colleague at one of his stations. Read the latest.

The city’s top cop has refused to weigh in on whether an officer who allegedly threatened to kill a colleague at Gold Coast’s Coomera station should have been stood down.

Speaking outside a nearby Coomera restaurant after a coffee meeting with his leadership team, Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said on Wednesday he had little knowledge of the alleged cop-on-cop death threat at his biggest station.

“I don’t know the outcome because it wasn’t my officer,” Chief Superintendent Hanlon told the Bulletin.

“While it occurred in the Gold Coast, the officers don’t belong to me so the matter was dealt with by the Ethical Standards Command.”

Gold Coast police top brass meet for coffee at Coomera cafe as staff unrest grows over an alleged cop-on-cop death threat debacle. Picture: Charlton Hart

The Bulletin understands while the officer alleged to have made the threat was based in the Gold Coast District, their superiors operate out of Brisbane.

Coast police top brass descended on Coomera station on Wednesday morning – the same location where the alleged incident took place - and a day after the Bulletin reported extra details about the alleged cop-on-cop death threat.

South Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Brian Swan, Inspector Kayleen James and Acting Superintendent Peter Miles also attended the station on Wednesday.

Police sources claimed it was a meeting organised at short notice on Tuesday evening after the Bulletin revealed the alleged cop-on-cop death threat was never criminally investigated, nor was the officer stood down during the discipline investigation. A Queensland Police media statement on Wednesday afternoon said “at no time was there any discussion about any reported matters that was published online today”.

Leaked police documents, reported by the Bulletin, have detailed how an officer at Coomera Police Station had allegedly told their colleague in an historical incident “I will cut your throat and leave you bleeding”.

A witness 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. “(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”.

Writing to the victim in January, more than 12 months after the incident occurred, the QPS stated there was “insufficient evidence” to proceed. An independent witness reported the incident internally and provided a typed statement about what is alleged to have occurred.

On Wednesday, Chief Supt Hanlon refused to say whether he thought the officer should have been suspended while the internal discipline process was conducted.

When asked about the officer accused of making the threat, he replied: “I don’t know whether they were mixing with people (at Coomera station).

“I don’t know when the allegations were made, where they were made and who’s involved.

“Other than one person who your newspaper has been reporting on.”

The Bulletin in reporting has not revealed the names of any officers allegedly involved.

The QPS emailed on Wednesday saying it wanted to “clarify” the following: “Assistant Commissioner Brian Swan attended Coomera Police Station earlier this morning (Wednesday) as part of a meet and greet planned for some time with the new Officer in Charge of the station.

“He left the station prior to the arrival of Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon and Superintendent Peter Miles at Coomera.

“At no time was there any discussion about any reported matters in the article that was published online today.

“Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon and Superintendent Peter Miles attended Coomera to meet with Inspector Kayleen James and Officers in Charge of stations within the Northern Patrol group to discuss the Gold Coast Futures Project,” the QPS email continued.

“At no time was there any discussion about any reported matters in the article that was published online today.”

Gold Coast police top brass leaving a Coomera restaurant on Wednesday morning. Picture: Charlton Hart

The QPS discipline system has been under intense scrutiny in recent months sparked by the suspension of a popular veteran Coast officer.

Senior Sergeant Arron Ottaway, a decorated 33-year police officer was stood down in March after a claim of defying an order to stop chasing a car containing allegedly armed teen offenders. He was reportedly told by his superior to abandon the chase because overtime had not been approved.

Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon arriving at Coomera station on Wednesday morning. Picture: Charlton Hart

It’s understood Sen-Sgt Ottaway told his colleagues to ram one of two stolen cars allegedly being driven by armed teenage offenders on a crime rampage on the Gold Coast.

The stand-down prompted a mutiny among rank and file staff, in the lead up to Commissioner Katarina Carroll taking an early exit from her leadership role. Her decision to leave early, in February, came after the Bulletin’s Thin Blue Line series detailing poor morale among the rank and file.

Gold Coast Senior Sergeant Arron Ottaway stood down in March over a claim he helped catch armed juvenile offenders. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Police sources claim tensions are threatening to boil over with the alleged Coomera incident with one senior officer calling for a Commission of Inquiry into the Culture and Accountability of the QPS.

“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.

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

The officer claimed staff had a strong distrust in the discipline system.

“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 officer said.