Senior cop Bruno Stafferi sacked after being found guilty of misconduct charges

A Victoria Police sergeant has been fired after an investigation into what was described as “discriminatory and racist” online commentary.

Victoria Police members walking in the Pride March. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A veteran cop has been sacked by the force over repeated online comments made about the LGBTQ community and other groups.

Sgt Bruno Stafferi took to numerous forums to vent his views about Victoria Police, including questioning its support of workplace equality and government backing of the Gay Pride March.

The 62-year-old, who argues he has been expressing his Christian beliefs, was notified by email he had been found guilty of misconduct charges this morning and terminated.

He plans to appeal the internal disciplinary decision which considered 10 posts he made on Yammer, the force’s online forum.

But Sgt Stafferi used another online forum to announce he had been fired.

“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart (that) I announce that after 37 years of policing I have received an email saying I am DISMISSED DUE TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION,” he wrote in a statement.

“It’s not quite how I planned my exit, but unfortunately it appears my Christian beliefs mean nothing to some people.”

Sgt Stafferi has argued the force’s social media policy had infringed on his freedom of speech rights to express his religious and political views.

He was backed by the Australian Christian Lobby.

In one offensive post, Sgt Stafferi criticised the Andrews Government for banning the Anzac Day march, but allowing the Gay Pride March to be held.

“So the next time Australians are sent out to fight a war, maybe we can send out the 8000 that marched today … and try to stop the enemy by waving feathers and brightly coloured boas at them”, he posted on May 17, 2021.

He then angered Deputy Commissioner Neil Patterson, who is gay, after a month later posting a reply to the top cop’s announcement Victoria Police had been recognised by the Australian LGBTQ+ inclusion awards as a “silver employer”.

Deputy Commissioner Neil Patterson. Picture: AAP

Sgt Stafferi responded: “Yes I agree. Great achievement. But if the public knew how much time, effort and taxpayer dollars went into this, they would also be demanding why we didn’t get a gold.”

Mr Patterson returned fire by suggesting Sgt Stafferi look for another job.

Sgt Stafferi has also allegedly made comments on an open forum about an Indigenous girl under his own name, but the Herald Sun has not seen the posts.

A Victoria Police statement confirmed a male sergeant from transit and public safety command was dismissed after a disciplinary hearing decision on Thursday.

“The sergeant faced three counts of disgraceful/improper conduct. The charges follow an investigation into several alleged incidents where discriminatory and racist type comments had been written on internal and external social media platforms between October, 2020, and August, 2022,” the statement said.

“As the hearing was conducted as a closed hearing and involved internal disciplinary matters Victoria Police will not be making any further comment.”

The Herald Sun has been told the hearing which resulted in the sacking of Mr Stafferi was far from the first time the issues had been raised.

A source said he had continued to make comments viewed as offensive to a range of groups.

Many of those utterances were in public forums where Mr Stafferi was identifiable as a policeman.