Katarina Carroll: Police Commissioner facing open revolt as ‘exhausted’ officers consider no-confidence motion

The union representing Queensland’s most senior cops has broken its silence over meetings to discuss the direction of the state’s police service.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll is facing a revolt from exhausted officers who say they have had a gutful dealing with youth crime and domestic violence. Picture: John Gass

• Qld reacts: Top cop has ‘got to go’

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll is facing open revolt, with rumblings growing of no-confidence motion from “exhausted” frontline cops fed up with fighting an uphill battle against youth crime and domestic violence.

More disgruntled police have come forward to say they’re at breaking point from the constant pressure of staff shortages, the gruelling demands of dealing with youth crime, domestic violence and mental health issues and disciplinary notices being “handed out like confetti”.

Separately, The Courier-Mail has been told the state’s most senior police are meeting around their concerns over the direction of the police service and the service “failing the Queensland community with their core responsibilities of policing”.

The Queensland Police Commissioned Officers’ Union is speaking with its 300 members, ranked Inspector to Chief Superintendent, about the direction the senior leadership is taking them.

President Kerry Johnson said the meetings would discuss “exploring views on the current direction of QPS”, along with the enterprise bargaining and any improvements members would like to see in the union.

In a statement to media, the union said it was not seeking a vote of no confidence but was “reaching out to its members as part of routine consultation”.

“The formulation and distribution of the email is not related to any specific event. It is a planned series of events the Commissioned Officers Union undertakes to allow us to better represent our members,” Mr Johnson said.

“The discussion point on exploring views on the current direction of the QPS, is intended to gain a greater understanding of ideas from or concerns of commissioned officers as it relates to safely and effectively policing Queensland.

“Ideas from and concerns of our members will be collated from our planned meetings and provided to the Commissioner.

“Clearly some of our members have concerns and these will be collated in our planned meetings. Those concerns will be addressed with the Commissioner.”

Police Minister Mark Ryan backed the Commissioner despite the no confidence motion calls. Picture: Dan Peled

Meanwhile, a senior police officer said the service had taken on responsibilities of the State Emergency Service, Maritime Safety Queensland, Queensland Ambulance Service ramping, youth justice including the government’s five-point plan, Queensland Government Air, Protective Services and Queensland Health responsibilities during the Covid-19 years.

The officer said taking on these other roles had impacted the efforts of frontline police to protect the community, which was their core responsibility. The officer said the senior leadership of the QPS was not listening to concerns by the state’s most senior police, when they had tried to raise their concerns.

“We have been seeing the consequences of this for quite some time, however the separation between government and the current leadership is questionable,” the officer said.

“The Queensland Police Service is now the agency that is being completely relied on by the government to solve all their problems.

“We have gone from the thin blue line to a wafer thin blue line. Resources are of a bare minimum.

“The direction the leadership is taking us is not right.

“We have concerns that the lessons of Fitzgerald have not been learnt and we are being driven by the government rather than the service leadership.”

In a statement, Ms Carroll told The Courier-Mail she had been “very open and upfront about the challenges and pressures being placed on our frontline while they continue to rise above and deliver outstanding policing services throughout Queensland”

“Since COVID-19, we have experienced exponential growth in demand for policing services through population growth, an unprecedented rise in mental health matters, serious youth crime, Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) occurrences and cost of living pressures.

“I completely understand how challenging these pressures are for our frontline and that is why I will continue to work with other government agencies and various stakeholders to drive reform and efficiencies, particularly around DFV.

“I will always provide frank and fearless advice to government and as Commissioner, I will continue advocating for additional resources, system improvements and the support police need to keep Queensland safe.

“Only this week, I briefed Cabinet on some of the significant issues facing our frontline.

“The health and wellbeing of my workforce is paramount and the QPS continues to enhance its health and support services to assist our people while ensuring they have the resources and equipment to keep them safe.

“Unlike other states, Queensland continues to buck the trend with police recruitment and despite the difficult labour market, we now have a very strong recruitment pipeline with more than 1,800 people and 600 currently training in our academy.

“While QPS is at the forefront of reducing youth offending and responding to DFV, the complexity of these issues requires a significant wholistic approach in partnership with all government agencies so that the underlying issues and support systems can be addressed.

“I am incredibly proud of what the QPS continues to achieve but I know there is more work to be done and as a Service we will continue doing everything we can to keep the community safe.”

Stood-down cop Senior Sergeant Arron Ottaway out jogging on the Gold Coast after facing disciplinary action over a police pursuit. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Referencing the investigation into Sen-Sgt Ottaway, Ms Carroll said there were allegations in the matter “which need to be independently and thoroughly investigated”.

“This process must be adhered to in fairness to all parties,” she said.

The Courier-Mail revealed on Thursday that frontline police were calling in sick, refusing to go out in marked police cars and are reluctant to walk the streets at night for fear of being targeted by young criminals.

Anger and frustration is threatening to boil over in areas like Townsville and the Gold Coast, where sources say a no-confidence motion in the commissioner has been discussed by non-commissioned frontline troops.

Many Gold Coast police are fuming after respected veteran officer Arron Ottaway was stood down over claims he authorised officers to ram a stolen car driven by well-known and armed youth offenders earlier this month.

An online petition demanding “fair treatment” for Sen-Sgt Ottaway has attracted more than 2000 signatures - many of them serving police - just two days since being launched.

One seasoned Gold Coast officer said police had “had a gutful”.

“We’re tired, exhausted,” he said.

“There are more than 100 police on the Coast off on long-term sick leave, most of it related to stress from the job and PTSD.

“All the police on the road are doing is going to DV and mental health jobs. Some of them haven’t arrested a crim, done an RBT or written a ticket in months.”

The officer said disciplinary notices were being “handed out like confetti” for often spurious complaints, resulting in already scarce officers being relegated to desk duties for sometimes weeks and months at a time.

“This is at a time when we’re struggling to put crews on the road,” he said.

“We can solve a murder in a matter of days but some of these (internal) investigations are taking six to 12 months. There’s no presumption of innocence - they’re just assumed to be guilty until the investigation is complete. It’s a very demoralising and stressful process.”

Hundreds of people gathered in Brisbane to protest against youth crime and a voice for the victims last year. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Police Minister Mark Ryan backed Ms Carroll despite calls for a no-confidence vote - which at this stage has no support from the powerful police union - saying she did “a great job”.

He told The Courier-Mail the commissioner had a strong record leading the force through an exceptionally challenging period for Queensland, including the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing youth crime crisis.

“Like many Queenslanders, I admire and am grateful for the great work the commissioner has done for, and on behalf of, Queensland,” Mr Ryan said.

“She has been the Queensland police commissioner through one of the most challenging periods in the state’s history.

“She does a great job.”

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said there was a “serious disconnect” between senior officers and frontline police, particularly on the Gold Coast.

“It’s increasingly clear those in management positions particularly in the South Eastern Police Region have no concept of what it is like to be an operational police officer,’ he said.

“This lack of awareness by senior managers has created a level of frustration not seen before.

“Our legal team are continuing to work with the Commissioner to resolve the issues around Senior Sergeant Ottaway. We are hopeful common sense will prevail.”

Ms Carroll, who was appointed Queensland’s first female police commissioner in 2019, has her contract up for renewal in early July.

In 2022, she told The Courier-Mail she was keen to stay on to finish major reforms.

“I certainly will not be doing another five-year term,” Ms Carroll said when asked if she wanted a second five-year term.

“But I still have a lot to do.”

Ms Carroll admitted this week that the challenges of youth crime were taking a toll on officers.

Originally published as Katarina Carroll: Police Commissioner facing open revolt as ‘exhausted’ officers consider no-confidence motion