Observations about Police Misconduct and Toxic Culture
TOXICPOLICE.COM - EXPOSING AUSTRALIAN POLICE MISCONDUCT
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This page lists articles and references covering a range of topics discussing cultural, process and management issues faced by all Australian police jurisdictions. It also provides links to research and other resources and opinions of note, and reports senior police appointments and movements.
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Reference Text on Australian police culture
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With increasing evidence that Australian police forces in a number of jurisdictions are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain sworn officers because of the police's mixed public image, social forces may demand change. An interesting reference is Veronica Gorrie's book "When Cops Are Criminals" whose predominant theme is that police and policing in Australia are systemically corrupt and abusive (YouTube video HERE). Experiences of police misconduct and criminal behaviours – from racial profiling to sexual assault and family violence – are shown to be normalised, multi-jurisdictional, and persistent.
The Independent Police Watchdog model Australia needs
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ABOUT THE DANISH POLICE COMPLAINTS AUTHORITY
The Police Complaints Authority is an independent authority that handles conduct complaint cases and investigates criminal cases involving police and prosecution service personnel. The Danish Police Authority is obligated to abide by the rulings of the Danish Police Complaints Authority because DIPCA is an independent body responsible for investigating police misconduct and criminal cases involving police personnel. As an independent authority, its findings and decisions are not subject to the control or direction of the police or the prosecution service, making its rulings binding. The Danish police are the most trusted police force in the world.
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https://politiklagemyndigheden.dk/en/about-the-police-complaints-authority/
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"Why we need independent investigation of complaints regarding police conduct
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Human rights standards demand that the investigation of human rights abuses is conducted by a body that is:
a) Independent of the police (that is, hierarchically, institutionally and practically),
b) capable of conducting an adequate investigation (i.e. is able to ascertain whether the actions of the police breach legal or disciplinary standards and whether police practices are in compliance with human rights),
c) prompt,
d) open to public scrutiny,
e) victim-centred and enables the victim to fully participate in the investigation, and
f) state initiated.
These standards are mandated under international law and, in Victoria and the ACT, through their human rights charters.
On 2 April 2009 the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) observed that Australian police must be independently investigated where allegations of abuses are made, and prosecuted and sanctioned when criminal conduct, disciplinary offences or human rights abuses are exposed."
https://policeaccountability.org.au/issues-and-cases/independent-investigations/
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Multiple published articles highlight the fact that Australian police forces make many decisions themselves about their officers' misconduct, frequently ignoring the independent watchdogs' recommendations and concerns raised by observers, including state-level politicians. The processes in place to investigate police misconduct (See "About the Independent Watchdogs" below) fail the international human right standards. In so many cases police forces' reputations are prioritised above justice for victims of police misconduct, and police continue to continue their misconduct with impunity.
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Toxic Police Behaviour and Misconduct is Global
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ToxicPolice.com is focused on Australian police toxic culture and misconduct. It's a global phenomenon, with striking similarities reported from the UK.
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THE BBC PANORAMA PROGRAM GOES UNDERCOVER TO EXPOSE RACISM, MISOGYNY AND VIOLENT ATTITUDES AMONG SERVING MET POLICE OFFICERS - 2025 UK
https://share.google/QoM20IX4B1DefBg2F
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Reports of misogyny and sexual harassment in the Metropolitan Police, published by the British House of Commons library.
​https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CDP-2022-0046/CDP-2022-0046.pdf
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BRITISH PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER ON THURSDAY CALLS FOR A "ROBUST" RESPONSE BY HEAD OF LONDON'S METROPOLITAN POLICE - 2025 UK
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MISCONDUCT999
Misconduct999 -​ a dedicated resource tracking police misconduct hearings and officer-involved prosecutions in England and Wales.
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AND FROM THE U.S. , COP TALK LIVE, FOCUSED ON CHANGING U.S. POLICE CULTURE
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Observations
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QLD POLICE SAY WORKERS COMPENSATION SCHEME ADDS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS - 2025 QLD
When Queensland police officer Natalie Gorman medically retired from the job she loved, she was unprepared for the detrimental impact a workers compensation claim would have on her psychological injury. After almost 20 years' service, the former sergeant received less than $4,000 in compensation after suffering post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during her time with the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
QUEENSLAND POLICE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER SHANE CHELEPY ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT - 2025 QLD
Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy has announced his retirement after 40 years in the service. During his time, he worked in multiple high-profile frontline roles, including in disaster management and response during pandemics and weather events.
SYSTEMIC RACISM, POLICE VIOLENCE AND INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION IN AUSTRALIA - 2025 NATIONAL
On June 1, 2020, a disturbing incident occurred in Ward Park, Surry Hills, Sydney, where Constable Ryan Barlow employed excessive force against a 16-year-old Aboriginal teenager, resulting in significant injuries. The teenager’s identity is protected for legal reasons. After a thorough investigation, Barlow was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in May 2023, sentenced to an 18-month community correction order with supervision in December 2023 and lost his appeal in November 2024. Despite this conviction, he remains employed by the NSW Police Force as of July 2025. This incident is not an isolated occurrence, but part of a broader pattern of systemic racism and violence against Aboriginal Australians, rooted in the colonial history of Australia and perpetuated by ongoing socioeconomic disparities. This comprehensive analysis seeks to unpack these complex issues by integrating historical context, statistical data, case studies and policy recommendations. By incorporating the corrected figure of 3.8% for the Indigenous population as of July 10, 2025, we aim to reflect the demographic realities and advocate for systemic change.
VICTORIA POLICE ANNOUNCES PLAN TO SLIM DOWN EXECUTIVE TEAM, DIVERT MORE OFFICERS TO FRONT LINE
Victoria Police's chief commissioner has announced a restructure of the organisation that will see more staff diverted to the front line. The changes aim to combat the state's major crime problem and help regain the community's confidence and trust in the organisation.
KIMBERLEY WOMAN PART OF SEVEN SISTERS PROJECT MAKES SUBMISSION TO UN IN FIGHT FOR JUSTICE - 2025 WA
Irene Davey has made a submission to the United Nations alleging mishandling of her daughter's disappearance by WA Police and the Australian Navy. Her case is one of seven West Australian cases examining missing or murdered Aboriginal women, being submitted as part of a project called the Seven Sisters.
NEW NORTHERN TERRITORY POLICE COMMISSIONER HAS A ROCKY ROAD AHEAD - 2025 NT
Rebuilding a fractured force that has churned through four police commissioners in 10 years, with one jailed, one sacked and another nudged into early retirement — the fourth retiring last week after heading up the Australian Federal Police since 2019.
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NEW NSW POLICE COMMISSIONER MAL LANYON SAYS HE WANTS TO GET FORCE'S CULTURE 'RIGHT' - 2025 NSW
The new commissioner of NSW Police does not believe there is still a "boys' club" within the force, but says behaviour that prompted a workplace culture review will not be accepted under his leadership.
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NSW GOVERNMENT LOSES MUSIC FESTIVAL STRIP SEARCH CASE AS WOMAN AWARDED $93,000 IN DAMAGES - 2025 NSW
The state government has lost a landmark case involving the illegal strip search of a woman by NSW Police at a music festival in 2018. Sydney woman Raya Meredith was awarded $93,000 in damages. The Sydney woman launched the legal case after being searched at the event where an officer asked her to remove a tampon while naked. The case is part of a broader class action which extends to police strip searches at music festivals from 2016.
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Woman remains traumatised by police strip search as new commissioner issues apology.
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GREENS CALL FOR TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLICE MISCONDUCT FOLLOWING INCIDENTS - 2025 ACT POLICE
A disturbing pattern of incidents involving inappropriate behaviour and racism justify a more transparent process for investigation and reporting of police misconduct, says Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury. Following a line of questioning in Budget Estimates, ACT Police and the Minister for Police could not provide or disclose details of the consequences for the officers involved in these incidents, citing secrecy and privacy provisions.
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FAMILIES DEMAND INQUIRY INTO POLICE HANDLING OF MISSING PERSON CASES - 2025 NSW
Families feeling abandoned by police are taking search efforts for their missing loved ones into their own hands. A petition has called for a NSW inquiry into the handling of cases and legislation to support an independent task force.
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NEW POLICE COMMISSIONER NAMED, HE ADMITS PAST MISTAKES - 2025 NSW
One of those mistakes was a factor in him being overlooked for the top job in 2022, after reports emerged of him being found lying on a footpath before becoming aggressive towards a paramedic after an alcohol-fuelled night in Goulburn. The second mistake threatened to arrest his latest ascent to the commissioner's office, after it emerged that he'd taken his wife and two friends onto a police vessel on New Year's Eve in 2023.
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NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon sworn in, vows to tackle organised crime and domestic violence.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-01/nsw-police-commissioner-mal-lanyon-sworn-in/105838570
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REPORT SCATHING OF POLICE AND INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG OVER FAILURE TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS OF POLICE MISCONDUCT - 2025 WA
The Parliamentary Inspector of the CCC has found WA Police's Internal Affairs Unit is “reluctant to find misconduct by police officers."
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TASMANIAN LAW RECOGNISES HATE CRIMES - BUT NO-ONE HAS EVER BEEN CONVICTED OF ONE - 2025 TAS
Currently in Tasmania, there is only one type of hate crime — a crime that has been motivated by racism.
But the draft bill lays out more attributes for inclusion, such as the victim being targeted because of their age, religious beliefs, language used, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation, disability or if they have a mental illness.
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POSITIVE COMMENTARY ON INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE POLICE HANDLING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES - 2025 WA & VIC
The WA government today released its second progress report on its five-year domestic violence reform plan, looking back on the plan's first year. WA praised for improvements it has made to officers' training, including better identifying who the victim is when they arrive at heightened situations.Victoria Police also positively mentioned for similar efforts.
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POLICE OFFICERS SUBJECT TO RESTRAINING ORDERS DESK-BOUND UNDER GUN REFORMS, UNION SAYS - 2025 WA
The WA Police Union says officers have been removed from operational duties because new gun laws mean they can't carry a firearm if they're subject to a restraining order. Union president Dave Flaherty said there was little risk of police-issued firearms being used "contrary to orders".
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VICTORIAN POLICE CHIEF SHANE PATTERSON RESIGNS AFTER NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE FROM OFFICERS - 2025 NATIONAL
Victoria's police chief, Shane Patton, has resigned from his role just two days after a no-confidence vote from his officers. It followed a protracted pay dispute between the Police Association of Victoria (TPAV) and the state government.
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FORMER NEW ZEALAND POLICE COMMISSIONER MIKE BUSH SET TO BE NAMED AS NEW VICTORIA POLICE CHIEF COMMISSIONER - 2025 VIC
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-05/victorian-police-chief-commissioner-mike-bush/105255876
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New Chief Commissioner Of Police Appointed
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-chief-commissioner-police-appointed
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NT POLICE COMMISSIONER MICHAEL MURPHY TO BE SACKED AFTER 'INCOMPETENT' INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG FINDING - 2025 NT
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy has been stood down after an NT ICAC probe found he engaged in "incompetent" conduct by recruiting a close friend to a high-ranking police position. NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced late on Saturday that Commissioner Murphy's position was "untenable". "Today, I informed Commissioner Murphy he has lost the confidence of the government," she said. "I gave Commissioner Murphy the opportunity to resign. "The police commissioner was asked to go on leave effective immediately. "I have now begun the process to terminate the appointment of the police commissioner."
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AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE COMMISSIONER REECE KERSHAW RESIGN EARLY - 2025 AFP
Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw has retired early as the nation's top cop, with a year left on his contract.
Deputy commissioner Krissy Barrett will replace him, becoming the first woman in the role.
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AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE REFUSING TO COMMENT ON TOP OFFICER RESIGNATION - 2025 AFP
The AFP is refusing to comment on the sudden departure of one of its most senior figures. AFP employees were notified of Assistant Commissioner Doug Boudry's sudden departure just months after being recognised for distinguished service.
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COPS GONE WILD: NSW POLICE OFFICERS CONSISTENTLY COMMIT BRUTALITY WITH IMPUNITY - 2025 NSW
These two incidents involve excessively violent use of force on a civilian under vastly different circumstances.
GP BLAMES ROTTEN CULTURE IN NT POLICE FOR OFFICERS' SUICIDES - 2025 NT
A doctor has blamed what he described as a "rotten culture" in the NT police force for Constable Michael Deutrom's suicide in 2022, as he defended his treatment plan at a coronial inquest. Constable Deutrom was one of three NT police officers who took their own life in the first half of 2022.
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NT police did not conduct internal investigation into death of officer Michael Deutrom, inquest hears.
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REGIONAL WA LEADERS SAY AUSTRALIND'S POLICE STATION IS 10 OFFICERS SHORT - 2025 WA
The Shire of Harvey says local residents feel unsafe due to a lack of police presence on the streets and slow response times.
WA Police Union president Dave Flaherty says police officers in the area are stepping up to fill the gaps, putting them at risk of burnout.
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NSW POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD NOT MAKE BAIL DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR CHARGED COLLEAGUES, FORMER MAGISTRATE SAYS - 2025 NSW
A former NSW magistrate and an anti-domestic violence advocacy organisation are calling for an overhaul of the state's police bail system. They argue the initial decision about granting bail for police officers who are charged should be made independently from police.Forty-two NSW Police officers have been charged with domestic violence offences from January 1, 2023 to March this year.
NSW POLICE OFFICERS CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN MISCONDUCT WITH IMPUNITY - 2025 NSW
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'LOSS OF FAITH IN POLICE': INDIGENOUS VICTIMS OF CRIME FEAR NOT BEING BELIEVED, VICTORIAN STUDY FINDS - 2024 VIC
Conducted by researchers at RMIT’s Centre for Innovative Justice in partnership with Djirra, Dardi Munwurro and Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women’s Service, the study found First Nations people are disproportionately victimised but received “inadequate support” throughout the criminal justice process – from reporting to navigating the court system and accessing support services afterwards.
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POLICE OFFICERS OVERWORKED AS UNFILLED VACANCIES AND SICK LEAVE SURGE, DRIVING THOUSANDS TO LEAVE THE FORCE - ​2024 NATIONAL
Thousands of vacancies for police officers across Australia are making it harder for police to protect the public, unions say.
Data collected by the ABC from each state and territory shows there are more than 4,500 vacancies for police officers across the country.
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ALLEGED TOXIC CULTURE DRIVING NSW OFFICERS OUT OF JOBS - 2024 NSW
An ABC investigation has discovered claims a toxic culture in the New South Wales police force is driving officers out of the job. Current and former officers allege the force is plagued with systemic bullying, nepotism, sexism and a lack of support for personnel suffering from PTSD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOlyGlnfjt4
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PERCEPTIONS OF CORRUPTION INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG REPORT - 2024 VIC
A total of 477 responses from Victoria Police employees (two per cent of the total number of 22,465 employees) were collected over the fieldwork period, 15 April to 19 May 2024. The survey was open to sworn police officers, protective services officers, and public servants, and also include Police Custody Officers who are recorded as public servants, employed at Victoria Police. Victoria Police assisted IBAC in the distribution of the online survey link to all employees.
https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/perceptions-corruption-2024-victoria-police
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - A PATTERN SET TO FAILURE - 2024 NATIONAL
When police fail to follow operating procedures in response to domestic violence incidents, the consequences can be deadly.
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INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG RECEIVES 4,300 ALLEGATIONS AGAINST POLICE - 2024 VIC
Victoria’s independent anti-corruption body considered more than 4,300 allegations and almost 2000 complaints against Victoria Police last year. The report identifies a rising number of complaints and notifications about police misconduct, IBAC says.
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The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has today released the annual snapshot of its independent police oversight role, identifying an increasing number of complaints, notifications and investigations about police misconduct.
https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/media-release-IBACs-independent-oversight-of-Victoria-Police-2024
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POLICE OFFICER SUICIDES IN AUSTRALIA - 2024 NATIONAL
Research by WA Police Union.
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WA Police Union research finds death by suicide surpasses those killed on duty.
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Advocates want more of a conversation on the mental health impact on frontline police.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-07/mental-health-support-to-prevent-police-suicide/103666516
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A POLICE OFFICER'S PERSPECTIVE ON WA POLICE'S ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE - 2023 WA
A paper published by the WA government offering a detailed critique of the culture, management practices, and support mechanisms within the WA Police. ​ It highlights systemic issues, personal experiences, and recommendations for improvement. Key points raised include a WA Police culture described as toxic, broken, and lacking psychological safety. Issues include bullying, nepotism, cronyism, and a lack of transparency in decision-making.
SECRECY CONTINUES AROUND POLICE MISCONDUCT IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AS MP CALLS FOR MANDATORY PROACTIVE DISCLOSURE - 2023 SA
Mid-level officers breached the SAPOL Code of Conduct 32 times in a three-year period, documents provided to the ABC reveal, but details about the misconduct remain wrapped in secrecy. Commissioner Grant Stevens in March declined to release the ages and genders of officers involved in proven or admitted misconduct, following a request from the state's Deputy Ombudsman.
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COMMISSIONER SENDS WARNING TO VICTORIA POLICE OVER BAD BEHAVIOUR - 2023 VIC, QLD, NT
Victoria’s Police Commissioner has blown the whistle on his own force, reading the riot act to officers over bad behaviour, ranging from racism to violence to drug taking and sexual harassment. Lawyer Jeremy King specialises in police accountability, and joins us. A warning to Indigenous viewers, this story contains the image of a deceased person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjKULlCi37k
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A SNAPSHOT OF CORRUPTION AND MISCONDUCT RISKS FOR VICTORIA POLICE - 2023 VIC
The most common types of alleged behaviour includes inaction, breach of professional boundaries, force, criminal behaviour and misuse of resources.
https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/police-snapshot-and-key-insights
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PREDATORY BEHAVIOUR BY POLICE - 2023 VIC
This summary describes IBAC’s thematic review of a series of Victoria Police investigations into allegations of predatory behaviour by police officers. The alleged behaviour targeted members of the public, colleagues or both. Predatory behaviour by Victoria Police officers is an ongoing focus for IBAC. This thematic review builds on IBAC’s 2015 report on predatory behaviour by police officers against vulnerable members of the public, which found that colleagues tacitly accepted such behaviour, and supervisors and managers failed to act to address it. This thematic review also follows the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission’s independent review into sex discrimination and sexual harassment within Victoria Police, undertaken between 2014 and 2019. IBAC findings include: a) Despite efforts undertaken over recent years, predatory behaviour persists within Victoria Police and remains under-reported; b) Consistent with our 2015 report, women experiencing domestic or family violence were targets of this behaviour.
https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/predatory-behaviour-by-police
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QUEENSLAND POLICE UNDER FIRE - 2023 QLD
The Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has begun to restructure the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in an attempt to eradicate the “significant problem” of sexism, racism, and misogyny in the force. The ALP government has promised to enact the 78 recommendations of the Domestic and Family Violence 2022 report. Judge Deborah Richards’ three-month Commission of Inquiry found that officers’ attitudes and biases to the public have impacted domestic violence policing and failed to support the victims.
https://cpa.org.au/guardian/issue-2046/queensland-police-under-fire/
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REVIEW OF NSW POLICE FORCE RESPONSES TO DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE INCIDENTS - 2023 NSW
Opportunities for improvement were identified by the review, including Several issues emerged during the Commission’s review including the way in which police officers being involved in domestic and family violence incidents are dealt
with, deficiencies in investigating domestic and family violence matters, no formal process in terms of how local Commands recorded securing the service firearms of involved officers, inadequate or insufficient training in domestic and family violence processes and procedures, poor record keeping practices. The Commission’s review found that over a quarter of all complaint investigations related to police officers being involved in domestic and family violence incidents; some of them more than once.
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NSW Police Force response to recommendations made in Review of NSW Police Force responses to family and domestic violence - NSW 2023
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POLICE VIOLENCE ON THE RISE AS OFFICERS ABUSE THEIR RIGHTS - 2021 NATIONAL
utside the Land Forces Expo in Brisbane this week, a police officer flashed an “okay” hand sign at a protester. We all know by now what this means, so let’s not get caught up in decoding the bleeding obvious yet again. I’d rather we talk about what it effectively does in this context: it acts as a declaration of hostility toward leftist protesters. It goes hand-in-hand with a lot of actual violence; of course, we’ve seen yet more of that at Land Forces. The truth is that the police will always enact the maximum amount of violence that the state’s electorate allows them.
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POLICE VIOLENCE IN AUSTRALIA - 2020 NATIONAL
An independent article exploring various aspects of Australian police violent behaviours.
https://othersociologist.com/2020/05/31/police-violence-in-australia/
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WA'S CORRUPTION WATCHDOG SLAMMED FOR NOT TAKING COMPLAINTS ABOUT POLICE - 2020 WA
Almost all complaints of excessive force by WA police are referred back to internal affairs units by the state's corruption watchdog, further fracturing the relationship with Aboriginal communities. But the state's police union president has told a parliamentary hearing there is no systemic racism in WA's police force and officers are already heavily scrutinised. Since July 2016, WA's Corruption and Crime Commission has probed just eight of the 289 complaints it received claiming excessive use of police force, with the vast majority referred to the WA Police internal affairs unit.
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POLICING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE - 2020 NATIONAL
This review examines what is known about the policing of domestic violence. It covers six domains of police involvement in domestic violence—workforce development, reporting to police, first response, prevention of further domestic violence, investigative responses and charging of perpetrators.
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DEATHS IN CUSTODY IN AUSTRALIA 2017-18 - 2020 NATIONAL
The National Deaths in Custody Program (NDICP) is responsible for monitoring the extent and nature of deaths occurring in prison, police custody and youth detention in Australia since1980. The Australian Institute of Criminology has coordinated the NDICP since its establishmentin 1992, the result of a recommendation made by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths
in Custody the previous year. This report contains detailed information on deaths in both prison and police custody and custody-related operations in 2017–18, and compares these findings to longer term trends. No deaths occurred in youth detention in 2017–18.
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CCC REPORT ON REVIEW OF WA POLICE MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATION - 2020 WA
The Corruption and Crime Commission has today tabled in State Parliament a Report on oversight of a police investigation into an arrest for disorderly conduct following its monitoring and review of the way WA Police dealt with an allegation of misconduct by an officer. The Commission and the Commission's oversight body, the Office of the Parliamentary Inspector (PI), identified concerns with WA Police's investigation into this matter. WA Police reopened their file. However, it took over two years to finalise the investigation into Mr X's complaint.
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NSW INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG FUNDING ROW REVEALS ONLY 2 PERCENT OF COMPLAINTS FULLY INVESTIGATED - 2019 NSW
2,547 complaints assessed last year by the police watchdog the Law Enforcement Complaints Commission (LECC). But it has been revealed that just 2 per cent of complaints to the LECC were fully investigated due to funding cuts.
​https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-03/nsw-police-complaints-watchdog-funding-row/11667350
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MORE THAN 1,000 MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST WA POLICE FILED IN THREE MONTHS - 2019 WA
In a new report, WA’sin the state’s police fo Corruption and Crime Commission has revealed it identified 1,836 misconduct allegations between 1 April 2019 and 30 June 2019. The CCC attributes this unusually large number to a backlog of reports that had built up due to staff turnover and vacancies.
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REVIEW INTO THE NSW POLICE FORCE PROMOTIONS SYSTEM - 2019 NSW
The Review found that while the promotions system in NSW Police appears gender-neutral on paper, it disproportionately disadvantages women in practice. Women are under-represented at senior ranks; flexible or part-time work arrangements (which more women use) reduce access to leadership training, relieving roles, and major assignments. Caring responsibilities, relocation, and informal networks (including “cliques” or being excluded from sponsorship/mentoring) were cited as barriers. Culture plays a role: sexist attitudes, limited female role models, and perceptions that women are less ambitious or capable exist. Sexual harassment and sexism persist. The system’s merit-framework often masks unconscious bias.
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UNAUTHORISED ACCESS AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION HELD BY VICTORIA POLICE - 2019 VIC
This report provides an overview of the key risks associated with unauthorised access and disclosure of information by Victoria Police employees. It explores the drivers of these risks, as well as potential prevention, reporting and detection measures.
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DRINK DRIVING DETECTIONS OF VICTORIA POLICE OFFICERS - 2016 VIC
IBAC identified that over the past 15 years, detections of officers drink driving have declined, however the average BAC reading of officers has increased. In comparison with the Victorian public, a higher percentage of officers are detected drink driving after a collision, with these numbers also increasing over the sample period.
https://www.ibac.vic.gov.au/media/646/download?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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INDEPENDENT REVIEW INTO SEX DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT, INCLUDING PREDATORY BEHAVIOUR IN VICTORIA POLICE - 2015 VIC
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FACTBOX: TASER-RELATED DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA - 2013 NATIONAL
Here is a list of Taser-related deaths in Australia since 2002, and an overview of how many times Tasers have been used by police in each state over the past two years.
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TASERS - UNDATED NATIONAL
The Federation of Community Legal Centres has long been concerned that Tasers should not be seen as the panacea to police use of a firearm. There are significant risks that Tasers can kill or harm when used on vulnerable groups or in particular ways. These are the same vulnerable groups that are over-represented in statistics relating to police use of lethal force in Victoria.
Evidence from overseas, and increasingly from Australia, suggests that Tasers are prone to misuse. We also know that use of lethal force by police can be avoided in most instances with tactical communication, nonviolent intervention and other lower use of force strategies.
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AUDIT OF NSW POLICE FORCE HANDLING OF DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE COMPLAINTS - 2011 NSW
Our audit found that domestic violence-related complaints received in 2008 were generally well-handled by the NSWPF. In most cases, police correctly assessed the issues raised by complaints, notified them to the Ombudsman when required, and, when warranted, took appropriate action to address the issues raised. However, we did identify some instances where complaints were not well-handled by police.
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Complementary Sites
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THE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
The Police Accountability Project is located in Victoria, Australia. By providing victim-centred remedies, strategic litigation, evidence based research, community support and policy and law reform, the Police Accountability Project aims to provide justice for those who least experience it and by doing so hold police who abuse to account. We aim to drive the political, cultural and systemic change required for true police accountability.
https://policeaccountability.org.au/about/
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https://www.facebook.com/policeaccountabilityvic/
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About the Independent Watchdogs
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Each Australian police jurisdiction has its own legislation governing the way in which police misconduct is investigated and how decisions are made to charge, prosecute and discipline officers. There is a lot of variation in how this works, but in general the Independent watchdogs:
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Can refer more serious matters to their respective Director of Public Prosecutions independently of the police commissioners. Less serious matters are typically handled by the police forces' professional standards units and the police commissioners make final decisions on punishments. The definitions of, and delineation between, serious or not serious matters is unclear from the available literature, and may vary across jurisdictions.
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Cannot direct police commissioners on disciplinary actions to be taken against officers. This approach generates the most public debate and criticism since too often it appears that officers who have been found guilty of misconduct are retained in the forces, despite the organisational reputational damage inflicted and the risks inherent in employing officers whose personal integrity and decision-making are in doubt. Two 2025 articles above illustrate the debate and criticism (See GREENS CALL FOR TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLICE MISCONDUCT FOLLOWING INCIDENTS - 2025 ACT POLICE and REPORT SCATHING OF POLICE AND INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG OVER FAILURE TO RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS OF POLICE MISCONDUCT - 2025 WA).
Links to the independent police watchdogs annual reports follow. These contain summaries and commentary about police misconduct (and other public sector organisations) investigations:
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AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY - ACT IC
https://www.integrity.act.gov.au/about-us/corporate-documents/annual-reports?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE - NATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION
https://www.nacc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2024-11/annual_report_2023-24.pdf
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NEW SOUTH WALES - NSW ICAC
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/tp/files/189674/NSW%20ICAC%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.pdf
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NORTHERN TERRITORY - ICAC NT​
https://icac.nt.gov.au/_resources/media/documents/publications/ICAC-NT-AR-2023-24-web.pdf
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QUEENSLAND - CCC
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA - ICAC SA
https://www.icac.sa.gov.au/publications/annual-reports/annual-reports
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TASMANIA - IC TAS
https://www.integrity.tas.gov.au/publications/publications/annual-reports?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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VICTORIA - IBAC
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA - WA CCC
https://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/media/annual-reports?utm_source=chatgpt.com​
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Links to Forces' Wikipedia Pages
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​​​AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT_Policing
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AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Federal_Police​
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NEW SOUTH WALES
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_Police_Force
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NORTHERN TERRITORY
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Territory_Police_Force
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QUEENSLAND
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensland_Police_Service
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Australia_Police
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TASMANIA
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasmania_Police
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VICTORIA
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Police
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Australia_Police_Force
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