Handling Complaints Against Queensland Police: Past, Present and Future

• NCJ Number: 207119
• Author(s): Ray Bange; Susan Johnson
• Date Published: August 2004
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Cmssn
• Sale Source: Queensland Crime and Misconduct Cmssn
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: Monitoring Integrity in the Queensland Police Service, No. 2

Annotation

This booklet explains the police complaints-handling process in Queensland, Australia, and its development and operation to date (2004).

Abstract

A new regime for handling complaints against police was introduced under the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001, which merged the Criminal Justice Commission and the Queensland Crime Commission to create the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC). Under this new regime, police agencies will be handling most complaints against officers, and the CMC will act as both a monitoring body and an investigative body. In this latter role, the CMC will assume the investigation of a complaint against police when it believes the public interest is at stake. Intelligence collected in the course of such CMC investigations may be used to address potential serious police misconduct that may extend beyond the particular complaint under investigation. Recent CMC research and prevention initiatives have focused on policies and practices in the appropriate use of capsicum spray, the use and handling of police dogs, and police pursuits, as well as compliance with legislative requirements for police interviews. This booklet concludes that the CMC is currently operating according to the provisions of the Crime and Misconduct Act.