Queensland police officers who receive a jail sentence for a crime will be “immediately dismissed” under new legislation proposed by the state government.
The police minister, Mark Ryan, said the bill would avoid the “unacceptable situation” of officers remaining in the service after being sentenced to imprisonment for criminal offences.
Under the current legislation, officers may not be dismissed until all criminal appeals have ended and a disciplinary investigation is finalised.
It comes after allegations of sexual assault, harassment and racism involving officers were heard by an inquiry into police responses to domestic violence.
“The examples that we have heard during the public hearings of the commission of inquiry are completely unacceptable,” Ryan told parliament on Thursday.
“For people who do the wrong thing, there is no place for them in the Queensland police service.”
Experts have described the proposed changes as low-hanging fruit amid horrific revelations from the inquiry.
The inquiry also heard many examples of police inaction when responding to incidents of domestic violence.
Prof Kerry Carrington, an expert on the policing of domestic violence, said she hopes the government will commit to further changes when the inquiry delivers its final report next month.
“It’s a reasonable change but it doesn’t go anywhere near addressing the deep-seated problems that have been unearthed by the inquiry,” Carrington said.
Carrington said the proposed legislation does not address issues that are generally not treated as criminal offences such as bullying, sexual harassment, racism and misogyny.
‘It’s almost impossible to sack a police officer … how on earth is this going to be remedied in this bill? I hope it’s simply a beginning,” she said.
The chief executive of Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Nadia Bromley, welcomed the changes but warned the government should not attempt to pre-empt the findings of the inquiry.
“The Queensland government has committed significant time and resources to an independent report on the best way forward. This investment, and the stories of the many people who came forward, is best honoured by allowing the process to proceed,” she said.
Dr Molly Dragiewicz, a domestic violence research professor from Griffith University, said the bill was an “excellent first step”.
Dragiewicz said she would like to see the inquiry recommend the introduction of an independent body to handle complaints about officers. The state’s Crime and Corruption Commission currently investigates less than 1% of complaints, with the vast majority handled internally by QPS.
Concerns have also been raised about the police disciplinary system, with Queensland’s police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, conceding that it was “broken” during the commission of inquiry.
The inquiry heard several officers who had sexually assaulted junior colleagues had not been dealt with appropriately and instead were subjected to “local managerial resolution” – a remedial conversation with a supervisor.
Ryan said the application of LMRs is governed by QPS policy and had already been addressed by the police commissioner.
“The government will carefully consider the recommendations the commission of inquiry might make about the police discipline system and consult all stakeholders about any need for legislative amendments during this term of government,” he said.
Earlier this month the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, indicated support for the notion of a “no confidence” power that would give the police commissioner the ability to sack problematic officers.
While it remains unclear as to whether the government will legislate such a power, Carroll has since announced that the QPS will re-examine discipline cases against officers accused of problematic behaviour.
“I have asked for a number of matters where I am not satisfied with the outcomes to be reviewed again,” Carroll said. “We will be doing everything we can … to ensure these people are no longer part of the QPS.”
Carroll has also vowed to protect police whistleblowers, saying it was “incredibly important” to ensure officers have confidence in their workplace.
The QPS has been contacted for comment.
