SA Police sergeant fined over ‘unwanted’ physical harassment of colleague, new public disciplinary and misconduct table reveals

A senior police boss has been fined and reprimanded for the “unwanted and physical” harassment of a colleague while off duty, the state’s top officer has revealed.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has ordered new reporting of internal misconduct cases. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

A senior police boss has been fined and reprimanded for subjecting a colleague with “unwanted and physical” harassment while off duty, the state’s top officer has revealed.

For the first time, SA Police has published details publicly online of disciplinary proceedings against officers, and other workers, after criticism of its misconduct secrecy.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has ordered the new reporting around incidents either subject of secret Police Disciplinary Tribunal proceedings or a criminal court case.

But no names or details such as the officer’s gender, location or dates of incident will be released that could identify any sanctioned police officer, Mr Stevens ruled.

In a submission to MPs, The Advertiser has called for secret police rules around the reporting of internal investigations to be repealed as SA was a ­national “outlier”.

The quarterly report, published online between January 1 and March 31 this year, reveal a sergeant was fined $1000 and had a reprimand recorded for breaching performance of orders, duties and disobeying orders.

“The police officer displayed unwanted and physical conduct towards another employee, whilst off duty,” a spokesman said.

The league table revealed another two senior constables were reprimanded – and one fined $600 – for a series of failures to perform their duties.

“Whilst subject to an internal investigation, the police officer contacted another employee and was verbally abusive to them,” a case summary stated.

Another senior constable was fined $600 and also reprimanded over a failure to properly record reports of crime.

Under laws created in 2016, all police complaints are subject of blanket secrecy, meaning all details or reference to such inquiries are banned from publication.

Traditionally, officer misconduct cases were published in the restricted South Australia Police Gazette and the force’s annual report.

Mr Stevens stated he had authorised release and publication of the disciplinary matters, which included the police internal code of conduct rules.

In a statement on Wednesday night, a police spokeswoman said Mr Stevens “has now decided it is appropriate that disciplinary outcomes relating to police officers are reported publicly on the. police website”.

“This increased level of transparency will strengthen public trust and confidence in the police disciplinary system and better serve its ultimate aim – the protection of the public,” she said.

The Advertiser reported last month how SA’s “police state” ­secrecy laws face overhaul as MPs consider making changes to draconian restrictions that are not enforced nationally.

Parliament’s powerful Crime and Public Integrity Policy Committee will publish a report by year’s end that may include easing restrictions on public information after a 15-month inquiry.

Mr Stevens, who was recently awarded a $101,222 pay rise for a new five-year contract to a $647,241 salary, argues he has proved he can, and will, disclose details in the public interest.

In a parliamentary submission in response to The Advertiser, Mr Stevens said he was happy with the balance, the threshold for reporting was low, and that he had “no confidence” the newspaper would not publish details that may identify under investigation.

But his spokeswoman said of the new reporting rules: “Any police officer who is subject to disciplinary proceedings has a legal right to confidentiality and that will not be compromised by expanding publication in this manner.”

Originally published as SA Police sergeant fined over ‘unwanted’ physical harassment of colleague, new public disciplinary and misconduct table reveals