A scathing review of the largest police force in Australia has found troubling incidents of a toxic workplace culture, but experts say the problem is not unique.
Bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination within the police force are rampant and going largely unreported, a wide-ranging review of NSW Police revealed on Thursday.
Failures of leadership and culture were blamed for allowing these "unacceptable behaviours" to flourish.
The review of thousands of current and former employees found 30 per cent directly experienced bullying in the past five years, leaving many feeling "scared, belittled or humiliated."
Deakin University criminologist Michael Cain said a "boys club is still well and truly endemic, within not just Australia but in policing internationally".
"You can put a million band aids on these issues to address it, but without having a robust independent investigative body to handle these complaints both the public and officers within the police force are never going to feel comfortable reporting the conduct of other police," he told AAP.
