Police with domestic violence convictions must be kicked out

To learn that those responsible for policing this catastrophe includes a handful of convicted perpetrators, creates serious doubt around effectiveness

Society has had a gut full of domestic violence and the QPS needs to show it is on the same page. Picture: Halfpoint

OPINION

THE QPS needs to rid itself of staff with domestic violence convictions.

The investigation which revealed this week that three serving Queensland police officers and three administration staff have DV convictions is disturbing.

To boot, there are 28 active domestic violence orders against current police staff.

Domestic violence is a worsening scourge that makes national and local headlines almost every day, too often through cold cases of dead women or new cases of dead women and/or children.

To learn that those responsible for policing this catastrophe - enforcing protection orders, bringing perpetrators to justice and keeping victims safe - includes a handful of convicted perpetrators, creates serious doubt around the effectiveness of police and the trust we place in them.

These may seem like harsh words, but it is a dark double standard that may go some way to explaining the outdated attitude of some police to domestic violence.

That attitude is a dismissive one that "domestics" are not to be taken terribly seriously. It must be hard as an officer to not get "worn down" by the daily DV situations they must deal with, but there is no room for complacency. Those days are over. Society has had a gut full and the QPS needs to show it is on the same page.

Originally published as Police with domestic violence convictions must be kicked out