Former Queensland police deputy commissioner Paul Taylor was subject to a second, "quite serious" complaint at the time he made a sexist comment at a conference this year, Queensland Commissioner Katarina Carroll has told an inquiry.
WARNING: This story contains strong language.
Commissioner Carroll has been recalled to give evidence for a second time at the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service (QPS) culture and responses to domestic and family violence.
At a public hearing in August, she was questioned over two incidents involving misogynistic comments made by Chief Superintendent Ray Rohweder and Mr Taylor at two separate police conferences this year.
Mr Taylor resigned the day after the inquiry was told he had referred to a gynaecologist friend of his as a "vagina whisperer" during a formal speech to 100 staff members at a leadership conference in Brisbane in April.
Counsel assisting the commission, Ruth O'Gorman, told the inquiry Commissioner Carroll was given a briefing note about possible disciplinary actions to impose on Mr Taylor, including online training, six months of supervision and a formal apology.
However, the inquiry was told Commissioner Carroll chose to "have a conversation" with Mr Taylor and did not impose any additional disciplinary action.
"Why was it that you decided ultimately to do nothing other than have a private chat with him and not impose any of these conditions?" Ms O'Gorman asked.
Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry the decision was made because she was aware of a second, "quite serious" complaint against Mr Taylor at the time that had not been resolved.
She told the inquiry she believed the outcome of that would be "much more serious" and could have resulted in Mr Taylor being dismissed from the service.
"When I spoke to Mr Taylor about this incident, I had already formed the view that I was likely to take other action over this other incident that would have harsher consequences," Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry.
"I honestly believed that the other investigation would be swifter than it was.
"He was going to pay a high price for those matters.
"He [Mr Taylor] was under no illusion of what I thought about his behaviour, he was extraordinarily remorseful and upset about what he had said.
"If I didn't have those two matters together … I would have dealt with this one incident very, very differently.
"In hindsight, I agree … that I could have done that a little bit better."
Commissioner Carroll was questioned over whether she would have asked Mr Taylor to resign after the lewd comments were aired during the inquiry.
"After the hearing, we had a quick conversation in my office," Commissioner Carroll said.
"I said to him – 'Paul, this is damaging to you and this organisation'.
"He said 'I should resign' and I said 'I completely agree with that.'
"There was massive damage to the organisation as a result [of the evidence given about Mr Taylor in the commission of inquiry], it would be even more damaging if he stayed in the organisation."
'It was a one-off comment'
The inquiry also was told Commissioner Carroll did not want to promote Chief Superintendent Ray Rohweder after he made sexist comments at a leadership conference this year but felt "constrained by the process".
It comes after a master of ceremonies at a "very formal" conference attended by senior leaders of the QPS in March had a cut and stitches on his face and told the audience that he had a "rough promotional process".
The inquiry was told Chief Superintendent Rohweder, who was a superintendent at the time, called out: "Did she shut her legs on you?"
He was subject to "local managerial resolution" and disciplined, however Commissioner Carroll signed off on his promotion to chief superintendent in July, the inquiry was told.
Chief Superintendent Rohweder remains on leave and is yet to comment publicly.
The inquiry was told Chief Superintendent Rohweder later said it was OK for him to make the lewd comment, saying "if it's OK for Mr Taylor, it's OK for me".
"Were you aware when you signed off on his promotion that he had subsequently demonstrated a lack of remorse?" Ms O'Gorman asked.
"I was aware he made the comment, but I can't remember what date, that's the issue," Commissioner Carroll replied.
Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry she "would have rather not" promoted Chief Superintendent Rohweder.
"I felt constrained by the process that I had in front of me … the matter was dealt with by LMR [local managerial resolution]," Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry.
"I would have rather not promoted him and I was of the view, and I would say correctly so, that he would be successful in appealing that decision [not to be promoted] … in the context of the fact that it [LMR] had been dealt with.
"It was a one-off comment … in the past, he [Rohweder] had called people out for misogynistic comments and sexist behaviour."
Senior constable threatened to punch female officer 'in the c***'
The commission was also told of a senior constable who told colleagues his female boss was a "c***" and if she did not give him a job he wanted, he would "punch her in the c***".
Ms O'Gorman told the inquiry the officer had applied for a relieving position but was refused the job by the female officer in charge, due to previous misconduct in the workplace.
"She is nothing but a c*** and if she doesn't give me a relieving role I'm going to punch her in the c***," she recounted him saying "in the presence of four or five other officers".
The officer in charge made a complaint to the Ethical Standards Command and the senior constable was dealt with by local managerial resolution.
He was told to make a written apology to the female officer in September 2020 – nearly two years after the incident happened.
Ms O'Gorman asked Commissioner Carroll: "I imagine you would accept … it was probably deeply unsatisfactory for that officer in charge to receive a forced written apology … nearly two years after he had spoken about her like that?"
"Completely inappropriate," Commissioner Carroll replied.
"When I look at this, every aspect of it has been inappropriately dealt with.
Dog food left on female officers' desks
Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry she accepted there was "deep" fear among some female officers in speaking out against sexual harassment and bullying for fear of retribution.
The inquiry was told some officers would leave dog food on colleagues' desk after they made a complaint.
"[These female officers have a] deep fear of speaking out but [are] also losing confidence in the discipline process that should be protecting them," Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry.
The inquiry was told of another incident involving an officer in charge who displayed sexist material in the office, including a photograph on a fridge of a women in a swimsuit with the words "tap and go", and referred to a colleague as a "towel head" and "Osama".
Ms O'Gorman told the inquiry an investigation found the senior officer bullied more than a dozen colleagues over a 13-year period.
The inquiry was told his conduct included "yelling, swearing, openly criticising staff, referring to colleagues by inappropriate names and displaying inappropriate material in the office … which created an unsafe and toxic work environment".
He was later promoted to officer in charge of a larger station after being dealt with by local managerial resolution, the inquiry was told.
The commission was told of a further case of another senior police officer who bullied or harassed 26 staff members and was found to have committed nine sexual assaults between 2002 and 2018.
"This conduct included sexual harassment, sexual assault and predatory behaviour which was directed primarily at junior female members of his unit," Ms O'Gorman told the inquiry.
In one incident, the detective senior sergeant walked up to a female officer before interviewing her for a job and "slid his hand over her bottom, up her back and onto her bra", the inquiry was told.
"It's disgusting, it's predatory, it's unacceptable," Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry.
Sexism should be 'called out', Commissioner says
Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry local managerial resolution LMR aimed to address "one-off" behaviour by resolving the issue "very, very quickly" so the officer "learns from that behaviour".
Ms O'Gorman asked Commissioner Carroll if she accepted female officers who had experienced sexism and misogyny had been "repeatedly let down" by the LMR process.
"It … sends a message to those women who are scared of speaking up … that there's really no point because the outcome will be LMR," Ms O'Gorman said.
"I agree with you," Commissioner Carroll told the inquiry.
"It should be called out and better dealt with. When it's not dealt with appropriately, it almost gives people … permission to act the way they do.
"In these instances, it should not have been a LMR."
The inquiry reopened submissions after Commissioner Carroll acknowledged there were significant cultural issues, relating to sexism, misogyny and racism within the QPS at an earlier hearing.
However, she told the inquiry she "can't accept" those issues were "widespread".
Ms O'Gorman told the inquiry, since then, the commission had received more than 400 submissions, 270 of which came from current police officers.
President of the Queensland Police Union, Ian Leavers, will be called to give evidence on Friday.
The inquiry will hand its final report to the state government by November 14.
