Qld. Police Commissioner in the gun

THERE is an odour pervading the city, drifting down from Parliament House at one end of town and police headquarters at the other, merging mid-point to create a colourless, poisonous cloud. It's been building in intensity for some time, the occasional whiff of questionable behaviour indicating that something was amiss.

There was that police investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in a nightclub hotel toilet made against three Broncos players, an investigation that inexplicably took months to finalise before it was eventually decided they had no case to answer.

Then there was the Taser issue, these weapons being handed out by then police minister Judy Spence despite the fact that a 12-month trial into the appropriateness of their use had not even been completed. They were handed over by a compliant minister because the police wanted them. End of story.

At the time, the London Metropolitan Police Authority declined an offer from the British government for the widespread distribution of Tasers because it believed that such a move would cause fear and damage public confidence in the police. The Queensland Police Service under Commissioner Bob Atkinson had no such reservations.

On the first night Tasers were in general use, a Queensland police officer and two security guards held down and shot a 16-year-old girl with a Taser when she failed to obey a police order to move on. She was waiting for an ambulance to attend a sick friend at the time.

On the Gold Coast, there have been repeated allegations that some officers working out of the Surfers Paradise police station have become a law unto themselves, routinely accepting free drinks and lap dances and consorting with those involved with the nightclub drug trade and organised crime. Police Minister Neil Roberts ruled out any inquiry and Atkinson said everything was being done to make sure police officers were not on the take. It was the usual "few bad apples" defence.

Last week, a Gold Coast businessman who went to the Surfers Paradise police station to pay a fine for his son claimed he was assaulted, thrown into a cell and threatened with having his arms broken after he asked for an officer's name.

The clues are there for all to see; the growth of the belief that if you're in the Queensland Police Service you can do what you want. The Government contributes to this climate of unaccountability by caving in to the police service all too often.

Last week Roberts indicated he was in favour of a police move to speed up the process of impounding cars for alleged "hooning" offences. The present scheme, the Minister said, involved a magistrate and "lengthy police paperwork". We are talking here about permanently confiscating someone's car or impounding it for more than 48 hours. If "streamlining" the procedure gives police more power and lessens the involvement of a hopefully independent judiciary and the rights of the individual, it should be resisted.

On the Government's previous form, it won't be. In the same week, Premier Anna Bligh boasted of giving new powers to police to issue on-the-spot fines of $100 to $300 for public nuisance offences such as swearing. As usual, the Queensland Police Service asked for more power and the Government quickly agreed.

Bligh's defence of the move was that it would save police time appearing in court. It would, I suppose, save police even more time if the courts were abolished completely. Detention without trial, I believe it is called. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope voiced a widely held concern when he said: "This will become the thing police just slap on someone whenever they aren't happy."

Crime and Misconduct Commission chairman Martin Moynihan's denunciation of Atkinson as presiding over a culture of denial in the police service is damning but has been a long time coming.

The signs of a police service increasingly out of control have been evident for a while. The CMC report should mark the end of Atkinson's career. Whatever happens, the Queensland Police Service is at a crossroads, one of which leads down a dark path we have travelled before.

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Crime and Misconduct Commission chairman Martin Moynihan says Police Commissioner must 'step up'

CRIME and Misconduct Commission chairman Martin Moynihan has announced he will start a wide-reaching probe into how police investigate each other. In an exclusive interview Mr Moynihan yesterday dramatically raised the stakes in the debate that has raged this week over a "self-protecting" police culture under Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson.

Mr Moynihan said the CMC would look at stopping police accused of wrongdoing from being investigated by police from the same station or "establishment", after public complaints about the process. "You can see why that is a matter of concern," Mr Moynihan said, acknowledging lack of public confidence was a "big problem". "You can see why people might not have full trust."

Mr Moynihan said the CMC now needed to "bore down" in an overall review of how the system of investigation of police was working.

He said he was angry that decent police officers who were doing their duty were "besmirched" by a culture of police not acknowledging wrongdoing. "The Commissioner needs to step up and do his job and not be looking for other people he thinks might be able to do something. He's got to do it."

He said it was very disappointing the Commissioner did not at first see a problem in the way original police investigators ran the Palm Island probe into the death of Cameron Doomadgee, known as Mulrunji. "It's not very reassuring that he (Mr Atkinson) has really appreciated that considerations have arisen that there is this culture that says that you don't acknowledge that anything has gone wrong. "There is a culture that there is no effective supervision from the top down so that people can depart from standards and it has no consequence for them."

He said the police failure to face up to consequences of their actions and failures in the system could be fixed with effective supervision, which was not at present happening. "It has to start at the top and come down," he said. "You can't ask constables on the beat to set the standards ... they have to know if they do the wrong thing something will be done about it."

Mr Moynihan said there was nothing to stop the Commissioner reporting within 14 days on the course of action intended to be taken regarding disciplinary action against police involved in Palm Island investigations. He said the Commissioner could delegate a senior officer to consider it and implement the CMC recommendations - even an officer from another police service - or let the matter go to a tribunal.

Mr Moynihan said he would only consider an extension of time if the Commissioner gave a justifiable reason. "It would have to be a genuine compelling story because he's been across this or had staff across this for a long time," he said.

Mr Moynihan said he felt he could continue to work with Mr Atkinson as police commissioner. "My job is to have a proper relationship with whoever is police commissioner," Mr Moynihan said.

The state Opposition yesterday called for Mr Atkinson's reappointment as police commissioner to be frozen and for the position to be advertised, according to Fitzgerald report recommendations.

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Killer cop faces two new official inquiries

They'll get the b*stard for something yet



POLICE officer Chris Hurley is facing two fresh investigations. The Crime and Misconduct Commission last night confirmed it had opened a new probe into Senior Sergeant Hurley's compensation claims for property lost when the Palm Island police station and residence was burned down in 2004.

It also confirmed it was investigating allegations raised by Deputy Chief Magistrate Brian Hine at last month's coronial inquest.

CMC investigators believe Sen-Sgt Hurley, who owns a Gold Coast house and a beachfront unit, got as much as $150,000 after rioters burned the three-bedroom police house, police station and court house six years ago.

CMC director of misconduct investigations Russell Peace said Sen-Sgt Hurley appeared to have got three separate payments after the riots. "We are looking at whether this is a case of 'triple dipping'," Mr Pearce said. "The investigation is into any possibility of alleged insurance fraud in relation to the payouts. We believe there may be a case to answer."

FOI documents show Sen-Sgt Hurley - the officer charged and acquitted over the Palm Island death-in-custody of Cameron Doomadgee, known as Mulrunji - successfully claimed a $102,955 ex-gratia payment from the State Government for lost property.

Sen-Sgt Hurley was the main beneficiary of a Queensland Police Union Palm Island fund, taking donations from fellow officers, the size of which has not been made public. In May 2008, Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson ordered an internal investigation into the insurance-related payouts, overseen by the anti-misconduct watchdog, that has now been completed, sent to a barrister for independent review, and handed to the CMC.

The Queensland Police Service, Police Union and Sen-Sgt Hurley have been notified of the decision to reopen the investigation. None would comment yesterday.

Mulrunji's partner Tracey Twaddle said she had not yet received "one red cent of compensation". Ms Twaddle and the Doomadgee family plan to file a civil damages suit against Sen-Sgt Hurley and the Queensland Police Service.

The CMC also is investigating findings by Mr Hine at last month's coronial inquest that Sen-Sgt Hurley, Sergeant Michael Leafe and police liaison officer Lloyd Bengaroo had become aware of what a witness had said, and changed their own version of events.

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Premier tells police boss to meet deadline for dealing with crooked cops

The heat is on -- and not before time

ANNA Bligh says embattled Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson needs to comply with a deadline set by the state's anti-corruption body to take action against police over the Mulrunji Doomadgee death inquiry.

Six officers were adversely named in the Crime and Misconduct Commission's report on the “flawed” investigation into Doomadgee's death in custody.

The Premier said this morning she expected Mr Atkinson to take seriously the recommendations of the CMC for disciplinary action against six officers, including two senior men he hand-picked to review the biased initial investigation into Doomadgee's 2004 death in the Palm Island lockup.

Speaking to reporters in Brisbane, Ms Bligh said the CMC had exposed very serious flaws in the original investigation, and “shortcomings” in the subsequent internal police review of it...

She said the CMC report on the Doomadgee affair did not reflect well on any of the parties involved in the investigations.

The agency has warned Mr Atkinson that it would move to launch disciplinary proceedings against the police it had cited if Mr Atkinson did not take action, to its satisfaction, within a fortnight.

Mr Atkinson said today that may not be possible because of procedural constraints.

But Ms Bligh said she expected Mr Atkinson to act on the CMC recommendations “within the timeframe” set by the agency.

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Killer cop promoted

I suppose it's kind of appropriate that he is now working on the Gold Coast -- where thug cops are notorious. I guess his bosses want to keep him away from blacks. There are few blacks on the Gold Coast

THE police officer at the centre of the Palm Island death-in-custody saga has been promoted while fellow officers who protected him face demotion or dismissal. Senior-Sergeant Chris Hurley, now based on the Gold Coast after being charged and acquitted in 2007 of manslaughter over the death, has held the rank of Acting Inspector when filling in for senior colleagues.

As many as six officers face discipline for misconduct in a scathing 194-page Crime and Misconduct Commission report on the handling of the investigation into the 2004 Palm Island tragedy, to be released today.

The multimillion-dollar report into the investigation of the death in custody of Cameron Doomadgee, known as Mulrunji, found evidence of officers protecting colleagues and bias. The report is expected to recommend action against the officers.

In contrast, Senior-Sergeant Hurley, who has been based on the Gold Coast after being charged and acquitted in 2007 of manslaughter over the death, has held the rank of acting inspector when filling in for senior colleagues on high profile events such as Schoolies Week.

The death of Mulrunji after his arrest by Senior-Sergeant Hurley led to riots in which the police station and courthouse were burned down.

But the subsequent investigation was "deeply flawed", according to the CMC's report, which offers damning insight into a police culture of "double-standards". In a top-secret draft obtained by The Courier-Mail, the CMC named nine former and serving officers for action but last night the CMC indicated fewer officers had been included in the final version.

The two-year CMC probe uncovered evidence of police bias, police acting above the law, officers protecting fellow officers from blame and "obfuscating" evidence when police investigated police.

But criminal charges have not been recommended against the investigating officers. The penalties they face include reprimand, fines, demotion or dismissal. The police union has vowed to fight any sanctions against the officers, including seeking a judicial review of the CMC findings.

Mulrunji's family and the Palm Island community said the failure to lay criminal charges amounted to "little more than a slap on the wrist". "This multimillion-dollar witch-hunt has produced little more than a wrap over the knuckles," Palm Island mayor Alf Lacey said.

"How can they spend all this time and money not to come up with any criminal charges. If those police did wrong, they should be put in jail just like the rioters. "Black or white, what do you say when the system (that is) supposed to protect you, fails you? What do you say when the system ordinary Queenslanders trust, betrays that trust?"

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson is urged in the report to act immediately to restore public trust in the Queensland Police Service. It says the QPS needs to rebuild the damaged image and repair the integrity of police. CMC officers will fly to Palm Island today to give the report.

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Man locked up for daring to ask police officer his name

What a goon! Clearly a danger to the public.

EMBATTLED Surfers Paradise police are embroiled in a fresh misconduct probe after a retired businessman was allegedly brutalised and thrown in a cell.

Lindsay Walters, 61, says he was subjected to shocking treatment at Surfers Paradise police station last month when he went in to pay a fine for his son. He claims he was sworn at, handcuffed and threatened that his arms would be broken.

The wealthy Paradise Waters businessman has made a formal complaint to the Crime and Misconduct Commission alleging unlawful arrest, deprivation of liberty and serious assault.

The CMC says the case could amount to official misconduct and has referred the allegations to the police Ethical Standards Command. It is the latest scandal for Surfers police, who are at the centre of a major CMC probe into allegations of involvement in the Glitter Strip's nightclub drug trade.

In a police statement, Mr Walters said he went to Surfers police station on May 4 after two officers called at his home that day in relation to an arrest warrant for his 28-year-old son Ben over an unpaid traffic fine in Victoria. He said he arranged to pay the $1000 fine for his son but when he went to the station was told the officer handling the matter was out.

He said he asked civilly several times to speak with the officer-in-charge. An officer eventually emerged and allegedly told him: "You've got two (expletive) choices sit there and wait or I'll arrest you." Mr Walters said he replied: "Well, that won't happen, because I'll leave." He said he was affronted by the officer's demeanour and turned to walk out. "Before I exited, I turned and said, 'excuse me, can I have your name please?"' Mr Walters said in the statement.

"At this instant, the officer burst through a door, strode quickly over to me and seized my left forearm. He forced my arm behind my back and said 'you're under arrest'. I felt an intense burning pain in my shoulders and neck. I said, 'why am I being arrested?'. The officer replied: 'An outstanding warrant'."

Despite his protestations, Mr Walters said his arms were forced back and he was handcuffed, causing intense pain. He admits to "some resistance" but said he was "shocked and amazed" by the way he was treated. He said that as he was being handcuffed, the officer said: "Stop resisting or I'll break your (expletive) arms."

Mr Walters said his belongings were seized and he was forced into a cell. He was released about 15 minutes later when the officer who had been handling his son's warrant returned. The officer apologised for his colleague's conduct and accepted the $1000 fine payment, Mr Walters said.

He said the officer who locked him up threatened to charge him with public nuisance but he was released without charge. "If I was playing up, why didn't they charge me?" he said yesterday. "I was humiliated and treated like a common criminal ... all for trying to do the right thing.

"I've never been in trouble with the law and some of my closest friends are serving and retired police, but this bloke (the officer) deserves to lose his job over this. I'm not going to let him get away with it."

A police spokeswoman confirmed an internal investigation into the incident was under way.

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Thug cops Taser man until he dies

Can you believe 28 taser shots one after the other into the same guy? He had a weak heart too but they showed no caution about that possibility

A MAN who died after being Tasered 28 times was not given breathing assistance by police because they could not find a mask and gloves, a coronial hearing has been told.

The pre-inquest hearing in Townsville before Deputy State Coroner Christine Clements heard that Antonio Carmelo Galeano, 39, died within 50 minutes of his partner calling police to her home at Brandon, near Ayr, on June 12 last year.

The hearing was told Galeano was naked and shouting threats when Senior Constable Craig Miles and Constable Melissa Cross went to the Green St address at 2.50am.

Believing Galeano was trying to climb through a tiny bathroom window, Sen-Constable Miles deployed his Taser from the outside of the house.

Galeano slumped to the floor and Sen-Constable Miles sent his partner into the house to restrain him. With the Taser probes still in Galeano, Sen-Constable Miles fired three more circuits of up to 16 seconds when it looked like he was getting up. "Each of those four activations occurred within a minute," counsel assisting the Coroner Stephen Keim told Townsville District Court.

Sen-Constable Miles then changed the Taser cartridge and went inside. Analysis of the second cartridge has revealed it was fired 24 times over 5½ minutes, with each activation lasting five seconds. Police have alleged Galeano tried to retrieve shards of glass but was eventually overcome and handcuffed.

Sandra Winn, who had been in a relationship with Galeano and who made the initial call to police, observed Galeano to be "black in the face" at this time, the hearing was told. Although the police administered chest compressions, they did not provide breathing assistance because there was no mask or gloves in their first aid kit. Galeano was pronounced dead 10 minutes after paramedics arrived.

Mr Keim said analysis of the Taser had found it was in good working order. But it is yet to undergo an "electron microscopy" which will examine the extent to which each activation period was a complete circuit.

Outside the hearing, Ms Winn said she had not moved from the address, despite the traumatic events of last year. "I sleep where he died," she said. "There are still burn marks from the Taser on the bathroom floor."

The coronial inquest has been tentatively set down for November 1. As well as the circumstances of his death, the inquest will examine the treatment and assessment Galeano received at the Ayr and Townsville hospitals two days before the incident.

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Another bad apple

Qld. cop stood down after allegedly harassing girl, getting into fight at nightclub on Gold Coast

A POLICE officer stood down over an incident outside a Gold Coast nightclub was allegedly involved in a fight after harassing a young woman.

A witness has told The Courier-Mail, the 39-year-old senior constable was lined up outside Shooters' Lounge Bar at Surfers Paradise about midnight on Saturday June 5, with a group of young friends. He was observed to be "highly intoxicated" when he said to a woman near him "tell my friends I'm too old to be here". She replied, "yes, you are too old".

But he allegedly grabbed her by the arms and repeated what he said, just centimetres from her face. The woman's boyfriend then remonstrated with him and the pair then started scuffling befored the police officer was knocked to the ground. He got up and pulled out his police badge but the fight continued.

Security was called and police arrived who separated the men. The off-duty officer is alleged to have resisted arrest.

The young couple was later called into Surfers Paradise police station where statements were taken. Police have so far not commented on the incident.

The senior constable has been stood down from his position in the North Coast region, while an internal investigation, overseen by the Ethical Standards Command, is carried out.

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Cops covering up for cops again

Police boss has dangerous nutcase of a son



A knife siege involving Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson's son last weekend was kept quiet after senior officers gave orders that it not be reported as a "significant event".

Police negotiators and half a dozen crews were called to 38-year-old Paul Atkinson's house on the Gold Coast early on May 29 after a complaint by a teenager at a bus stop that a man was armed with a large knife.

In what was initially treated as a siege, police negotiators were sent to the scene after Mr Atkinson allegedly barricaded himself inside his house.

James D'Agostino, 17, and girlfriend Amber Walter, 18, were at a bus stop in front of Mr Atkinson's house early on the Saturday morning when they saw a bare-chested man standing in the front yard in the rain.

Ms Walter said the man called out: "Can you call the cops? Tell them there's a madman at (the address). "Tell them it's Bob Atkinson's son. He's the Queensland Police Commissioner."

Mr D'Agostino called police, who then doorknocked the neighbourhood. The incident lasted three hours but was not recorded as a significant event, which ensures senior police executives are briefed and advised of any follow-up action.

Senior police, including a commissioned officer, have told The Sunday Mail that the handling of the case was "highly unusual". They said such an incident, involving a report of an armed man, a senior police officer's son and negotiators called in, should have triggered a significant event message, even if there were mental health issues involved.

But a police spokeswoman denied policy had been breached. "The matter was dealt with under the provisions of the Mental Health Act and by Domestic Violence Order, not the Criminal Code, as is standard procedure in instances of this type," the spokeswoman said.

When asked if police were told by superior officers not to report it as a significant event the spokeswoman said: "This could be the case. "There was no reason to submit a significant event message, as senior officers were already briefed on the matter. There is nothing unusual or inappropriate about this."

No charges were laid against Mr Atkinson.

Mr D'Agostino said he was surprised he had not received any calls from police since his complaint. When he first saw the man he had his arms dangling over the front fence and was holding a knife. "It looked big. It was a decent size," Mr D'Agostino said. He called triple-0, reporting to police that the man had a knife. He then provided his name and phone number.

Ms Walter, who stayed in the bus stop shelter, said she was "pretty scared". "I just didn't want to move," she said. Once on the bus, Ms Walter phoned her mother and told her not to let her little brother go near the bus stop.

One elderly neighbour was asked by police if she was all right while another woman said she was asked if she had seen a woman and a child. One neighbour said the house where the incident occurred, which was next to a pathway through to another street, was virtually cordoned off by police. "They had a negotiator at the front door," he said. "There were well over a dozen police in uniform. The public walkway was blocked off by police."

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Watchdog no longer trusts in Qld. police honesty

About time!

THE Crime and Misconduct Commission has indicated a scathing distrust of police, announcing it will now take charge of investigating all deaths in police custody.

Queensland Deputy Chief Magistrate Brian Hine was unable last week to make a definitive finding about the 2004 death of Aboriginal man Cameron Doomadgee - known in death by the name Mulrunji - due to unreliable witnesses. But he found that Mulrunji's arresting officer, Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, punched Mulrunji several times as he lay on the floor of the Palm Island watchhouse.

He suggested that the officers who initially investigated the death had colluded with Sen-Sgt Hurley, tipping him off to an Aboriginal witness's claims about the punching. Mr Hine recommended the Crime and Misconduct Commission be the sole or primary investigator in future unnatural deaths in custody.

On Monday, the CMC wrote to the Queensland Police Service, advising it would take on the role immediately. CMC chairman Martin Moynihan announced the decision on Tuesday, saying all relevant parties had been notified of the change in responsibility. ``We are liaising with the state coroner and the QPS to develop protocols to ensure that all parties understand and respect the roles to be performed by each agency,'' Mr Moynihan said in a statement. ``Until these protocols are endorsed, interim arrangements for the investigation of deaths in police custody have been established.''

Meanwhile, Police Minister Neil Roberts said he and Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson were concerned about the findings regarding police collusion. ``These issues will of course require careful analysis to determine what future action is required,'' he told parliament on Tuesday.

Mulrunji died at the Palm Island Watchhouse on November 19, 2004, after struggling against Sen-Sgt Hurley following his arrest for drunkenness. A CMC report into his death is expected to be released in coming weeks.

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Drunken cops: 5 in a row

ANOTHER Queensland police officer has been stood down for suspected drink driving. The off-duty sergeant from the North Coast region was involved in a crash on the southbound ramp to the Bruce Highway at Caloundra yesterday morning. Police said he was taken to Nambour Hospital by the Queensland Ambulance Service with minor injuries. Investigations are continuing.

He is the fifth off-duty officer to be caught allegedly drink driving this year. This week, Mackay Senior-Constable Leisa Aitken appeared in court charged with driving under the influence of liquor. She pleaded not guilty and the matter was adjourned until July.

Three other officers have faced court and are now awaiting internal disciplinary hearings.


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Queensland cops colluded to protect killer colleague


The thug in question above

QUEENSLAND police colluded to protect an officer who caused the fatal injuries to an Aboriginal man in his custody, a coroner has found. However, Coroner Brian Hine said the unreliability of police and Aboriginal witnesses meant he was not able to make a definitive finding on the death in custody of Cameron Doomadgee.

Mr Doomadgee died on the floor of a watch-house cell on Palm Island in November 2004.

Mr Hine accepted the fatal injuries suffered by Mr Doomadgee - a burst portal vein and a liver which was cleaved in two - were caused by Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley. However he was unable to rule whether the injuries were inflicted deliberately or accidentally.

Mr Hine said the injuries could have been caused by Sen Sgt Hurley accidentally falling on top of Mr Doomadgee or by the officer "dropping a knee into his torso". He also accepted Sen Sgt Hurley had punched Mr Doomadgee in the face and abused him during his attempts to force him into the police station.

The coroner's inability to deliver a definitive finding on the death in custody of an Aboriginal man was a "tragedy", the deceased's family says.

Lawyer Andrew Boe, representing the family of Cameron Doomadgee, said the officers should "hang their heads in shame". "This is a tragedy not just for the family, but for all of us, to think that this level of investigation went so badly because of the specific conniving conduct of police officers" he told reporters in Townsville. "This judgment documents an abysmal failure of duty of care to a man in custody and abysmal investigation by police."

The inquest held fresh hearings in March after Queensland's Court of Appeal upheld a decision to overturn the 2006 findings into the matter by Deputy Coroner Christine Clements.

Sen Sgt Hurley was acquitted of Mr Doomadgee's manslaughter by a Townsville jury in 2007. [That acquittal would now appear to be badly polluted by police malfeasance. Grounds for a re-trial?]

More HERE

Queensland cop 'stole $20 from dead man's wallet'

And the investigation of the matter is very leisurely

A group of Queensland police officers is being investigated over the alleged theft of $20 from a crash victim's wallet. Ethical Standards Command has been investigating at least four Sunshine Coast officers over the missing money for almost a year. The ugly incident is among about 200 matters being examined by Ethical Standards - some of which have dragged on for years.

Officers responsible for receiving the property belonging to a man killed in a road accident last year noted he had four $20 notes in his wallet. By the time the wallet was returned to the station, one of the $20 notes had disappeared.

The alleged theft was noted by senior staff at the station the next morning when the victim's belongings were being prepared for collection. It is understood one officer offered to replace the $20 with his own money but was told it would have to be reported to Ethical Standards.

ESC investigators arrived at the station that afternoon - but almost a year later no one has been charged or disciplined over the missing cash.

The ESC is already under fire over the time it takes to complete investigations. Officers complain they are left in limbo while cases are allowed to drag on for months. Three of the officers under investigation over the alleged theft continue to work at the station.

An officer who spoke to The Courier-Mail said a $20 note folded in exactly the same way as the others in the man's wallet was found in the station's social club tin. He said the club's organiser had recently emailed staff reminding them of money owed to the club and asking them to pay up. "We all know who it is but he won't own up and we can't prove it," the officer said. "That's what eats at me. I have to work with this man."

Last year 2760 complaints were lodged about the conduct of Queensland's 10,200 police, up from 2267 the previous year and 2104 in 2008. Almost 30 police are now suspended or have been stood down while being investigated.

The QPS said Ethical Standard investigators involved in the wallet case were unavailable to answer questions.

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Police officers face disciplinary action over botched probe into death in custody of aborigine

TOP Queensland police have been accused of protecting their own while investigating the Mulrunji death in custody. A soon-to-be released Crime and Misconduct Commission report is understood to name at least nine serving officers and recommends at least seven face official misconduct charges and disciplinary action over the police handling of the 2004 Palm Island death.

The report claims the people of Palm Island, the wider indigenous community and the ``public generally'' have been let down. And it is set to be particularly critical of the apparent failure of investigating officers to be seen as impartial.

The CMC is understood to have found the investigation into the death of Doomadgee, also known as Mulrunji, was seriously flawed and its integrity gravely compromised in the eyes of the community.

Mulrunji was found dead in a cell less than an hour after his arrest and a scuffle in Palm Island watchhouse on November 19, 2004. Sen-Sgt Chris Hurley was tried and acquitted of the manslaughter of Mulrunji in 2007, admitting that his knee may have come into contact with Mulrunji's stomach in a complicated fall.

The death infamously sparked riots on the island three days later when the police station was burnt to the ground.

The long-awaited report, which explores the initial police investigation and subsequent internal investigation, is due to be released next week after Deputy Chief Magistrate Brian Hine hands down the findings of a third coronial inquiry into Doomadgee's death. It has accused the Ethical Standards Command officers of running a biased investigation to protect other police.

It is alleged that witnesses were guided in their answers in interviews, with some provided in advance with copies of the questions they were to be asked.

A further allegation is that some key witnesses were not even interviewed by the officers, privately described by Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson as among his "most respected".

The Queensland Police Commissioned Officers Union is considering legal action to stop publication of the report.

The report is set to attack police "double standards'' and the apparent culture of officers protecting other police. Mr Atkinson will be urged to act immediately to restore public trust in the police service opening the way for a royal commission.

It is understood the harshest criticism is reserved for officers who headed the investigation into police. It is expected to suggest high-ranking officers escape criminal charges but be fined, demoted, or dismissed.

The CMC believes officers protected other police from blame. Four officers are believed to be facing disciplinary action for official misconduct over the initial Palm Island investigation. Three other senior officers are slated for management action. Another two officers are likely to face disciplinary action for negligence in failing to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the initial QPS investigation.

A CMC spokeswoman said the QPS had had until April 30 to provide feedback to the draft report under the procedural fairness process.

She said all relevant affected parties had provided feedback, and the final report was expected to be publicly released within the next month.

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What are they hiding? Some very worried cops

Forensic police refuse to supply DNA

Five police forensics officers have been booted out of their roles for refusing to supply DNA samples to their employer. The Queensland Police Service had given the officers until March 1 to provide a "voluntary" sample for the purpose of eliminating their DNA from crime scenes.

As many as 50 per cent of officers are believed to have objected to the requirement but only a handful stood their ground out of concern about the lack of safeguards for their genetic blueprint.

A QPS spokesman said 10 officers had refused to provide their DNA out of 495 who work in the forensics area. Of those, four are on long-term leave and are "not expected to return to forensic duties", said the spokesman.

The other five are working in an area of forensics that does not require DNA sampling and another will be asked to provide a sample when the officer returns from leave.

As a result, five scenes-of-crime and scientific officers in the South Eastern Region have been informed they will be transferred back to general duties.

A complaint has been lodged with the Crime and Misconduct Commission, which has referred the matter to the police internal investigations branch, the Ethical Standards Command.

A CMC spokesman said the complaint centred on the pressure being applied to supply a "voluntary" sample and the threat of transfers if they did not comply. "We will be monitoring that (ESC investigation) and reviewing the outcome," the spokesman said. He said the CMC simply did not have the ability to handle all complaints that came to it. "As part of the devolution strategy, we encourage police and other agencies to take responsibility for their own conduct."

An officer who spoke to The Courier-Mail said police were concerned the service was taking low copy number DNA which increased the risk of contamination and inaccuracy. LCN DNA uses as little as 15 to 20 cells for analysis. "There's a lot of concern about it, how it's being managed," the officer said.

The officer said they had been left in no doubt about their future in forensics if they refused to provide a sample. "The Superintendent of Forensics has told us directly, if we don't supply our DNA, we can come and talk to him about our career options," the officer said.

The Queensland Police Union is demanding legislative protection for officers who provide DNA amid fears the scheme will eventually affect all officers. [As it should]

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Top cops fed lines to thug police

Corrupt behaviour from those supposed to be investigating improper behaviour. Truth and justice come second to protecting fellow police -- even if the police concerned are killers

THE Crime and Misconduct Commission has recommended two senior officers, picked by Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson to review the discredited investigation into the 2004 death in custody of Palm Islander Mulrunji Doomadgee, face disciplinary charges for an alleged whitewash.

A draft CMC report has accused the Ethical Standards Command officers of running a biased investigation to protect other police. It is alleged that witnesses were guided in their answers in interviews, with some provided in advance with copies of the questions they were to be asked.

A further allegation is that some key witnesses were not even interviewed by the officers, privately described by Mr Atkinson as among his "most respected".

Last night, a Queensland Police spokesman would not comment on whether the Ethical Standards Command report would be released, although the CMC has committed to putting it out within weeks. The Queensland Police Commissioned Officers Union is considering legal action to stop publication of the report.

The revelations in the draft are a further embarrassment to Mr Atkinson, who has led the service for the entire six years since the violent death of Doomadgee sparked riots in the Aboriginal community off Townsville.

The internal police review was launched in 2006 after Deputy State Coroner Christine Clements slammed the death in custody investigation as lacking "transparency, objectivity and independence". Palm Island Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley was charged and acquitted in 2007 of Doomadgee's manslaughter.

The Ethical Standards Command handed its 266-page report -- which was vetted by an independent barrister -- to the CMC in 2007. It recommended only "managerial guidance" for the four police -- two of whom were friends of Sergeant Hurley -- who initially investigated the death in custody. But the CMC rejected the report and has recommended tougher disciplinary action against the four investigating officers.

For almost 18 months, since receiving the police report, the CMC -- Queensland's corruption watchdog -- has revisited all evidence and all witnesses. "There is a long list of problems with the Ethical Standards Command report, it was a totally unsatisfactory investigation," a source told The Australian.

Last year, The Australian revealed that the CMC had accused the top-level police unit of "protecting their own". The then-CMC chair Robert Needham later went public, confirming that his body was "not going to be complimentary " of police.

"In effect, what we have done is we have gone back to ground zero and gone right to the primary documents, right to every interview that has ever been had with all the relevant officers, to the evidence of the coronial inquiry and gone back to every single thing in great detail," he said.

The police issued a statement saying: "In the circumstances that currently exist it is not appropriate that we comment on the Palm Island matter at the present time."

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Queensland police spend millions investigating each other

Long overdue. It shows how big the backlog is. Let's hope they do get rid of the goons eventually. Faint hope, I suppose

THE Queensland Police Service is spending more money investigating its own officers than on vital crime-fighting operations amid claims it has become addicted to "navel-gazing".

The budget for Professional Standards and Ethical Practice, which has blown out from $151 million to $260 million in the past five years, now accounts for nearly one-fifth of the entire police budget.

In contrast, the service spent less than $1 million on 27 undercover operations last year.

The ballooning ethical standards budget comes as the QPS battles rising complaints about police conduct.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said a "ridiculous amount of time" was being spent investigating police in Queensland. "The QPS is now more interested in navel-gazing and accountability overkill than the core business of catching crooks," he said.

The ethical standards budget represents 17 per cent of the total QPS budget – not far behind traffic operations which command about 20 per cent of overall expenditure. A total of $5 million has been budgeted for phone intercepts this year, the Taser rollout will cost $14 million, and $1.5 million was set aside for Operation Merit in Fortitude Valley which targeted alcohol-fuelled violence.

Last year 2760 complaints were lodged about the conduct of Queensland's 10,200 police, up from 2267 the previous year and 2104 the year before that. Of those complaints, the Ethical Standards Command is investigating close to 200 matters, some of which have dragged on for several years.

Almost 30 police are now suspended or have been stood down while their alleged indiscretions are examined, including five officers who stripped naked and ran through traffic during a bucks party last September and who now await disciplinary action.

Professional Standards and Ethical Practice has been identified as the top priority for the QPS in the 2010-11 operational plan – replacing the prevention and detection of crime.

Australian Council of Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman questioned how effectively the large budget was being used given the "unacceptable delays" in investigations. "While there are some conscientious and competent police in the Ethical Standards Command, the model is broken as evidenced by the fact the Palm Island (death in custody) complaint is five years-plus," Mr O'Gorman said. "They still can't complete an investigation on the simple premise that (Sgt Chris Hurley) was investigated by his mates."

He said the QPS needed to return to the immediate post-Fitzgerald report model of complaints against police being investigated independently.

Mr Leavers said officers were unable to give their best to their community when they were stood down. "It is the community that suffers when police officers are unable to perform normal duties whilst under investigation," he said.

Chief researcher with the Centre for Excellence in Policing at Griffith University Tim Prenzler said only 3 per cent of matters involving police were investigated by the Crime and Misconduct Commission. "It's not really enough for an agency that claims to be an independent corruption body."

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Police caught on camera running red lights, speeding for no reason

ALMOST 200 Queensland police officers have been caught treating the road rules with contempt – speeding and running red lights without a legitimate reason.

Figures obtained by The Courier-Mail under Right to Information laws show 653 police were snapped by speed and red-light cameras in 2008-09. Of those, almost a third were made to pay the fines themselves after internal investigations found they could not justify their behaviour. Decisions are pending in another 23 matters.

In 20 cases where police were held responsible for their offences, they were travelling at more than 20km/h above the speed limit or running red lights. And, in one instance, police were forced to pay the corporate penalty for speeding when they could not identify the driver of the police vehicle caught on camera.

Speeding is one of the biggest killers on Queensland roads and was last year considered a factor in almost a quarter of the 331 deaths.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said public safety was one of the service's key priorities. "Every time a police car is issued with an infringement notice the full circumstances are investigated and overseen by officers at regional and state level to determine if the driver was operating lawfully," the spokeswoman said.

Under section 144 of the Transport Operations Act, police are exempt from some road rules when responding to a car crash, a disturbance or police in need of assistance and during pursuits and ambulance escorts. "If the driver cannot prove they were acting lawfully under the act, the infringement is enforced," the spokeswoman said.

During 2008-09, the QPS had 2259 vehicles on the road which travelled 78 million kilometres, she said. "In that time there were 192 traffic infringements enforced. This is a very low rate of speeding infringements by any measure." [i.e. most of them got away with it]

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Police who don't want to be police

QUEENSLAND police officers are changing out of their uniforms for fear of being targeted while off duty on Brisbane trains.

According to an anonymous letter to the Queensland Police Union Journal, one officer complained that high-ranking officers were concerned uniformed police were hiding under plain shirts and jackets to avoid attention. "Many of our members travel on public transport and often make use of a cover shirt in order to prevent harassment and possibly being assaulted by some of the undesirable passengers," the letter says.

"I am also fully aware of the reason police wearing uniform on public transport is to provide a high visibility, however, with due respect to those who hold plain clothes positions and also utilise public transport, one has to question the validity of the high-visibility concept. "Members work their required hours and as such should then be afforded the opportunity to travel home without having some grub, who probably doesn't have a ticket, give them a hard time."

Police travel free on TransLink public transport by showing their badge, whether in uniform or plain clothes, on and off duty.

A Queensland Rail spokesman said passengers benefited from police travelling on trains. "In our experience, the presence of uniformed officers on QR services helps to reduce the incidence of antisocial behaviour," he said.

"Off-duty and plain clothes officers also assist transit officers with curbing antisocial behaviour, and have demonstrated their willingness and ability to identify and curb antisocial behaviour before it escalates. "QR appreciates the assistance."

According to the TransLink policy, police travelling free are to stand to allow fare-paying passengers to have a seat when services are busy.

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Police secrecy about attack on Indian

"Racial sensitivities" apparently. The public are too dumb and stupid to be given important information, apparently. One guess that the offender was an ethnic too -- perhaps a Polynesian (Maori etc.)

A SERIOUS alleged knife attack at one of Queensland's busiest train stations during the peak afternoon commuter period was kept quiet by authorities. The Courier-Mail has learnt that an Indian man's throat was slashed while he waited on Platform 9 at Brisbane's Roma Street Station about 4.20pm on March 17.

A 26-year-old man was charged a short time later after handing himself in at police headquarters, across the road.

It is alleged the attack on Narendrakumar Patel, 34, was seen by police monitoring the station on closed-circuit television screens. But details of the incident were never released by police despite the high-profile location. Sources have claimed that a decision was taken by authorities not to release details of the assault, which is certain to fuel fears about train station safety.

It also will spark debate about whether Indians are the target of racially motivated attacks in Queensland, an issue that has raised tension between the Australian and Indian governments after a spate of attacks in Victoria.

Police would not comment on the case, or the decision not to release details.

But Opposition justice spokesman Lawrence Springborg said the attack struck "at the heart of confidence of all rail commuters" and the public had a right to know about it. "I hope that this has not been covered up or hosed down by our authorities because of the nationality of the victim," he said.

Police Minister Neil Roberts said train stations were patrolled by 54 officers in the rail squad and more than 100 full-time transit officers and private security guards. He said the clear-up rate for crime on the rail system was "very good".

Mr Roberts also said he had been briefed on recent incidents involving people from various ethnic backgrounds. "Some are obviously racially motivated, however police advise me that in their opinion the majority of incidents involving persons from different ethnic backgrounds are not suspected of being racially motivated," he said.

The man accused of attacking Mr Patel was charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and carrying a knife in a public place. It is believed the bluntness of the knife saved Mr Patel from more serious injuries. Despite police prosecutors opposing bail, the man was released and is due to face court again on April 15.

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