Queensland Police reject decorated Australian Army captain

They probably thought a top military man would be too smart and experienced to put up with the routine slackness in the Qld. police. And that's probably an accurate judgment. So they looked for any excuse to reject him

A DECORATED Australian Army captain with a high-level security clearance who led troops in Afghanistan and East Timor has been refused a job with Queensland Police.

The army officer, who has asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of his military work, said he was denied acceptance into the ranks of Queensland's police recruits because of a minor and unrecorded misdemeanour during a training exercise when he was an army cadet seven years ago.

The army captain said the misdemeanour of making a hand gesture at another cadet during a lunch following the exercise was erased when he graduated from Duntroon and did not hamper his career.

But when he did not put the incident down on his police application, added to being fined for riding an unregistered and uninsured dirt bike, the service knocked him back for admission into the recruitment system.

The disgusted officer has complained to the Queensland Ombudsman, saying while he no longer wants to be part of the Queensland Police after its handling of his application, he wants his name cleared so it doesn't disadvantage him applying to other forces across the country.

"I am currently a captain in the Australian Regular Army and have recently returned from operations in Afghanistan,'' he wrote in the letter to the ombudsman.

"I have been through a thorough and prolonged vetting process by the Defence Security Authority and subsequently granted a high-level security clearance (which I am unable to disclose) and have had, and continue to have, access to highly classified material at the national and strategic level. "None of this would have been possible if my integrity was questioned at any point in my career.

"I have led Australian soldiers on combat operations in Afghanistan and other operations in Timor Leste.

"I have been entrusted to lead these men and represent Australia on an international stage in a high-threat and extremely complex environment.

"I am genuinely offended that the Queensland Police Recruiting Integrity Unit has identified that they have concern with my integrity and deem me as unsuitable.

"As an officer of the Australian Defence Force I am insulted the QPS feel it appropriate to call my integrity into question based on a lazily conducted recruiting process.

"I feel very strongly about this matter, as any member of the Defence Force would, especially given the importance of integrity within the military.

"Therefore, my intention is to follow this matter through until my integrity is cleared.''

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