Queensland Police boss Katarina Carroll won’t quit despite damning allegations
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has defended her leadership in the face of a string of controversies relating to a culture of sexism, misogyny and racism within the force.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has said she is “hoping to survive” at the top of the force in the face of a string of controversies relating to a culture of sexism, misogyny and racism within the ranks.
Ms Carroll said she is the correct person to take Queensland police forward and is there “ for the right reason” after The Australian reported on Tuesday that a report from an inquiry into police culture had made damning findings about her leadership.
The report, authored by District Court judge Deborah Richards, was handed to the Palaszczuk government on Monday and will be released next week after it is considered by the state cabinet.
The report is understood to allege Ms Carroll had been too “distracted” by the Covid-19 pandemic to properly deal with systemic cultural issues within the force, including racism, which the commissioner rejected on Tuesday.
In response to the report, Commissioner Carroll – who fronted a press conference with police minister Mark Ryan – said she hopes to survive the findings of the inquiry.
“I am hoping to survive, I actually believe I am the person to take this organisation forward,” Ms Carroll said, when asked about the reported findings.
“I don’t have plans to step down. I’ve come to the agency with a reform agenda, I need to continue that.”
“I’m not wilfully blind … I am a CEO in charge of 17,500 people.
“Yes, definitely, I take that responsibility, and it starts at every level of the organisation.”
Earlier this week, recordings from the Brisbane Watch house were leaked which revealed several yet-to-be-identified officers in 2019 laughing as they made racist slurs about “black fellas”, including that people should “beat the f — k out of them and bury them”.
Ms Carroll described the recordings as “truly abhorrent” and unacceptable.
“It is tough to stand here and listen to that being said,” Ms Carroll said.
“I have apologised and apologised again to the victims internally and externally.
“Leadership is upset about it. Most of the good people … in my agency are upset about it. They can’t fathom how people can speak that way.”
An investigation into the recordings is currently underway.
While Judge Richards did not directly recommend that Ms Carroll be removed from her post three years into her five-year term, it is understood she is highly critical of her evidence to the inquiry and of her leadership.
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