Queensland police promoted officer who called colleague a ‘towelhead’ and had history of bullying

Queensland police commissioner Katarina Carroll says she chose to give a deputy commissioner ‘management guidance’ before the comments were aired at an inquiry. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Queensland police promoted a senior officer who was previously found by an internal inquiry to have engaged in sexist behaviour and systemic bullying over 13 years, including calling a colleague “Osama” and “towelhead”, an inquiry has heard.

The police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, has been questioned at a state inquiry into police culture and police responses to domestic and family violence.