Concerns remain amid ‘major shift’ in handling of police complaints

A fresh proposal to prevent police from investigating other officers in Queensland is set to put the state ahead of other jurisdictions nationwide, one expert who advised a highly critical probe of the force says.

And while a new integrity unit would have a leading role handling complaints against police, the retention of one “broken” plank in the system will need to be closely monitored.

The report found a widespread culture of racism and misogyny within the police force had hampered its ability to help domestic violence victims and survivors.Credit: Robert Shakespeare

The disciplinary measure – essentially a talking-to by a superior – was introduced in 2019 after pressure from the police union and a 2015 election commitment from the Palaszczuk government.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll, whose lack of understanding of the local management resolution process was found to reflect “poorly” on her leadership, is among those who have now agreed it is “broken”.

Despite this, none of the 77 recommendations made by the final report from the inquiry into Queensland police responses to domestic and family violence – released on Monday – call for it to be scrapped.

Instead, the report recommends that an independent Police Integrity Unit be running within 18 months inside the Crime and Corruption Commission to deal with all complaints about police.

Funding questions and further details will be worked out with help from a reform team led by Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, alongside overlapping government work responding to the recent Coaldrake and Fitzgerald reports.

But even as it stands, the approach would be a “major shift away from the common and entirely inadequate practice of police investigating police”, University of the Sunshine Coast criminology professor Tim Prenzler told Brisbane Times.

Prenzler was one of two experts the inquiry – led by Childrens Court president Deborah Richards – sought insight from on the adequacy of Queensland’s conduct and complaints system.

While similar to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission in NSW, Prenzler said the Queensland unit would also have initial authority over all complaints.

“This has been a cheap and easy means of police appearing to deal with complaints ... [which] has not generated any evidence of success.”

Tim Prenzler on the local management resolution system

He also described a proposed Victim Advocacy Team within the Police Integrity Unit as a unique approach with the potential to boost accountability.

However, the power of the unit to only recommend disciplinary action – and seek a review if deemed inadequate – opened up the “potential for slippage”.

“[This] will need to be closely monitored, and a restructure might be required in the future,” Prenzler said, while also expressing concern about the continued use of local management resolutions.

Richards’ report lays out a timeline of rolling reviews for the new integrity unit, which is expected to have a role investigating deaths in custody and helping the existing internal police ethics team.

While conceding the new unit will initially rely on seconded police, it is envisaged that within six years, they will make up fewer than 40 per cent of the staff.

Separately, the Queensland Human Rights Commission has been asked to steer broader police efforts to boost the number of women and culturally diverse staff over two years after concerns about a controversial CCC report into hiring practices were dismissed.

In a statement on Monday, the CCC said it recognised the benefits of the new Police Integrity Unit. But Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers rejected it, saying the existing system was just “maladministered”.

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