CCC boss takes aim at police discipline

The new chairman of Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission says he'll be focusing on obvious flaws in the police disciplinary system.

The new head of Queensland's crime and corruption watchdog says it's illogical that police can be dismissed for professional misconduct but end up keeping their jobs.

A month into the job, Alan MacSporran says there are some clear problems with police disciplinary procedures and that will be a focus for him.

"It seems to me illogical that if a police officer has behaved badly enough to be dismissed, that this sanction, this dismissal, can be suspended," Mr MacSporran has told ABC radio.

The CCC, in a submission to the parliamentary committee that oversees the watchdog, has called for a comprehensive review of the use of suspended sanctions within the police force.

It warns the prevalence of suspended penalties risks undermining public confidence in the police service and its disciplinary system.

Mr MacSporran says the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee has not yet indicated if it will support the call for a review.

"We'll have an opportunity to speak to our submission in due course, and we'll wait to see what their attitude is (but) we are contending that that should change."

Mr MacSporran also took aim at some reforms, pursued by the previous LNP government, to stop spurious complaints.

He said a requirement that complainants sign statutory declarations to back up their claims had likely stopped valid matters from being investigated by the CCC.

"We think, although it's not certain, that some of the complaints that have been weeded out in that process were ones that we should have received," he said.

"And there's a danger, we think, that some people who would have a complaint to make, legitimately, and one of substance, will no longer be prepared to complain because of the requirement of that statutory declaration."

Mr MacSporran also said he was prepared to look at whether police training in the use of firearms was adequate, after the police union raised concerns following a spate of fatal shootings.


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Source: AAP


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