World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Queensland police officer faces dismissal over sexual misconduct
A senior Queensland police officer could be dismissed over sexual encounters with two women he met at a gym where he was an instructor.
The women told police in 2020 that they had similar experiences with him in 2016 and 2018.
They said the sex was forced and that they were intoxicated, restrained or harmed.
The officer did not deny the encounters but said he believed they were consensual.
A criminal investigation found there was not enough evidence to charge him.
A Queensland tribunal member found his conduct was disgraceful and improper, and amounted to misconduct, even though it happened in his private time.
The tribunal will consider how severe the penalty should be after the appeals process ends on November 1.
A senior Queensland police officer could be dismissed over allegations of sexual misconduct involving two women.
A criminal investigation found insufficient evidence to charge him, but a police disciplinary process found misconduct.
The officer does not dispute having sex with the women, but said he believed it was consensual.
A tribunal member said the conduct was disgraceful and improper and amounted to misconduct.
The tribunal will consider the severity of the sanction after the appeals process ends on November 1.
- Who
- A detective senior sergeant in the Queensland Police Service and two women.
- What
- The officer faces possible dismissal after a tribunal upheld a misconduct finding over sexual encounters the women said were non-consensual.
- When
- The women said the incidents occurred in 2016 and 2018. The police service decided he should be dismissed in February 2022.
- Where
- Queensland, Australia; the women met the officer at a gym where he was an instructor.
- Why
- The tribunal member said the officer’s conduct was disgraceful and improper and crossed the line into misconduct.
The officer
Queensland Police Service
Consent
The officer
The officer said he believed the sex was consensual.
Queensland Police Service
The women said the sex was forced upon them; the tribunal member noted an inference they may have been drugged.
Disciplinary finding
The officer
The officer sought a review of the misconduct finding, which relied heavily on the investigation not finding the sex was non-consensual.
Queensland Police Service
The service’s Assistant Commissioner decided he should be dismissed for misconduct.
On the females’ recollection, it was forced upon them and there is even an inference that they were drugged.
disgraceful and improper and crossed the line to render it misconduct
The women said they had similar experiences with the officer.
The women reported the incidents to the Crime and Corruption Commission and then to police.
An Assistant Commissioner decided the officer should be dismissed for misconduct.
The article reported the tribunal member’s finding that the conduct amounted to misconduct.
The appeals process is due to run out before the tribunal hears material on the severity of the sanction.
- People involved
- One detective senior sergeant and two women
- Reported incident years
- 2016 and 2018
- Reports made
- 2020
- Dismissal decision
- February 2022
- Criminal charges
- No charge; the investigation found insufficient evidence
- Next step
- Tribunal hearing on sanction severity after November 1
Sources
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