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Calls for ‘significant reforms’ around Queensland police’s handling of domestic violence as explosive inquiry wraps up

Betty Taylor has been fighting the scourge of domestic violence in Queensland for more than three decades and even she was shocked by the explosive testimonies she heard at an inquiry into police culture.

WARNING: This story contains strong language that some readers may find offensive.

The chief executive of the Red Rose Foundation has been closely following the inquiry into the Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) response to domestic and family violence, which has spanned five weeks and heard from dozens of witnesses, including current and retired police officers.

With Tuesday marking its final day of public hearings, the inquiry has painted a damning picture of police culture and problematic attitudes in the ranks towards domestic violence survivors.

Misogynistic attitudes towards women, policy and procedural failures as well as serious allegations of police inaction to protect domestic violence survivors have all been laid bare.

Ms Taylor said officers’ response to domestic and family violence in Queensland was the worst she’s ever witnessed in her 34 years of advocacy.

“This inquiry is incredibly important. I’ve worked across the domestic violence field for 34 years and … the response by police is the worst it’s ever been,” Ms Taylor said.

“Not even just by police — I think women are getting a rough deal in the community and through the courts.

“Victims have to have confidence in the police. They’ve got to know they can call and… be taken seriously.”

‘Time for really significant reforms’

Ms Taylor said she hoped the inquiry would provide momentum for meaningful change and reform.

“We’ve got women potentially being murdered and police aren’t taking the time to do thorough investigations. It really concerns me,” she said.

“My hope is [that] we really step up and look at what domestic violence really is: one of the worst crimes in our community.

“It’s time to step back and reflect and put in place some really significant reforms.”

Queensland Police Service officers in South Bank
There are calls for ongoing face-to-face domestic violence training for police.(ABC News: Patrick Williams)

Headed by Judge Deborah Richards, the landmark inquiry’s goal is to determine whether cultural issues are negatively impacting how police handle domestic violence cases, as well as the experience of Indigenous domestic violence victims and the way corrupt conduct and complaints against police are dealt with.

A key recommendation of the Women’s Safety and Justice taskforce, the inquiry follows urgent calls for action after several high-profile domestic violence murders, including the deaths of Doreen Langham, Hannah Clarke and her three children.

Among the explosive evidence, one service officer — who cannot be identified for legal reasons — told the inquiry that misogyny “ran wild” within the force as he detailed hearing male colleagues frequently making derogatory remarks about female survivors and avoiding domestic violence incidents altogether.

“Domestic violence is just foreplay”, “she’s too ugly to be raped”, “rape is just surprise sex” and “I can see why he does it to her — if I was in his position, I’d do that,” the officer told the inquiry, recounting comments he had heard made by seasoned male officers.

The officer became emotional as he told the inquiry “the core business in his station was misogyny, dehumanization and negligence.”

‘She’s just blowing hot air’

Retired officer Audra Pollard — who was a coordinator officer in police call centers — told the inquiry she witnessed police deliberately driving away from a suburb to avoid responding to a domestic violence incident.

Ms Pollard said her colleagues would often make derogatory comments about “repeat” domestic violence complainants, saying things like: “Oh — that f**kwit has called again” “That spoon is on the line again”, “Don’t bother sending a crew to that job, she’s just blowing hot air, that sort of thing.”

Two police officers take notes while talking to an unidentified woman.
Officers told the inquiry that misogyny and unconscious bias are major issues throughout the force.(ABC News: Luke Bowden)

The inquiry also heard from Sergeant Paul Trinder, a shift supervisor, who recalled a time where two officers, including a senior constable, downplayed a serious domestic violence incident, despite “clear photographic evidence” of assault and threats made against the victim.

“There was a statement from the aggrieved person that the respondent had threatened to decapitate the family dog ​​in front of her and her children,” Sergeant Trinder told the inquiry.

“That victim had been failed by that officer. There was clear photographic evidence that she had been assaulted, like a punch-sized bruise around her rib cage and so on.

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