Queensland Police Union Journal

Gilshenan & Luton 2012 Legal Overview
Inspector in the Galeano Inquest
suggested that if they were all printed
out it would fill a room), it is our
opinion that in risky environments
such as watchhouses, police cannot
afford not to know the policy back to
front, inside out.
While not recommending any change
to the CMC’s jurisdiction concerning
police discipline, surrounding
recommendations will seemingly
have the effect, if implemented, of
devolving more complaints to the
Service for determination.
which is enormous, for the benefit of
the community as a whole and police
officers specifically.
“While officers can never be expected to have a
verbatim knowledge of everything in the OPMs,
it is our opinion that in risky environments such
as watchhouses, police cannot afford not to
know the policy back to front, inside out.”
This is because at the end of the day,
as regrettable and tragic as deaths in
custody are, they are also inevitable,
and it will be compliance with the
OPMs that will save your skin 95% of
the time.
Finally, the recent Callinan-Aroney
report into the CMC would suggest
that the disciplinary landscape for
police officers may continue to
change in the coming years.
Curiously, the report also suggests
a downscaling of ethical standards
units across the public service,
and we are left to wonder how less
people will deal with the steady rate
of complaints that police (rightly or
wrongly) attract.
It can only be hoped that this is
achieved through efficiencies
and improvements in the police
disciplinary processes, the room for
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Queensland Police Union Journal June 2013