The Queensland police union says it will back officers to use “open and closed hand tactics” to defend themselves in state watch houses, after the banning of controversial spit hoods.
The decision to ban spit hoods was announced by the police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, on Monday, after a review by the Queensland police service.
The Greens say Queensland must now completely outlaw the use of the hoods – which are made of fabric and placed over a detainee’s head to stop them from spitting or biting, and are considered a potential suffocation risk – including from prisons and correctional facilities.
Spit hoods have been used across the state 138 times between 2015 and 2022 after being introduced in 2009.
An estimates hearing in August was told they had been used eight times on minors – aged between 10 and 17 – since 2019. No data for adult use was revealed.
The decision to discontinue spit hood use was announced late on Monday afternoon
“The QPS is committed to enhancing our practices to ensure we are delivering high-quality policing services to the community we proudly serve,” Carroll said in a statement.
‘“We recognise there are community concerns around the application of safety hoods in police watch houses and we undertook an extensive review of the issue before formally discontinuing their use.”
The commissioner said watch house staff would now use alternative protection.
“The QPS will implement a number of safety measures in watch houses including increased PPE, additional protective screens and rolling out a new operational skills training program for watch house staff.”
The union representing rank and file officers, the Queensland Police Union of Employees, said it was involved in consultation about the ban and opposed the move.
The president of the union, Ian Leavers, told the Courier-Mail that “all options” should be available for police protection, including spit hoods.
“The removal of spit hoods will now mean police will have to use other methods to defend themselves from being spat on or bitten, including open- and closed-hand tactics.
“The QPU fully supports all of our members who choose to utilise these options.”
According to the Queensland police operational procedures manual, open-hand tactics can include wrist and arm locks, upper body holds, neck restraints including choke holds, pressure point control tactics and ground restraint. Closed-hand tactics can include punches, elbows and knee strikes or kicks.
Greens MP Michael Berkman led the call for the ban to bring Queensland in line with the majority of Australian jurisdictions.
“Queensland police deserve credit for scrapping these torture devices. The government should follow through on the commitment by banning them in legislation,” Berkman said.
“Despite the availability of clear alternatives like PPE, spit hoods have been used in prisons and watch houses, on children and adults, and disproportionately on First Nations people.
“There’s no good reason to put a bag over someone’s head, especially in watch houses where children as young as 10 are held in Queensland.”
Police insisted spit hoods were “rarely used” and could only be applied by trained staff with their use reported and overseen by senior officers.
The use of spit hoods and restraint chairs was described as “inhumane” by a 2017 royal commission into the protection and detention of children in the Northern Territory, which recommended their use be ended.
The Northern Territory government is also reportedly considering alternatives to the use of spit hoods on young people in police custody.
South Australia legislated a ban on the use of spit hoods last November.
