CCC statement regarding its involvement in investigations arising from an incident at the Surfers Paradise Police Station in January 2012.
On 13 August 2015, the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties wrote to the Acting Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) Chairman Ann Gummow in relation to investigations arising from the assault of a man in the Surfers Paradise police station in January 2012 and the release of CCTV footage of that incident.
The CCC acknowledges the community concern that, while officers who appeared to use excessive force against a member of the public were not subject to criminal charges, the officer who allegedly released the footage of such an event is facing criminal charges.
The CCC considered the issues raised in the correspondence and determined it was in the public interest to prepare a public statement to address the issues raised by the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties. The CCC replied to the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties on 14 August 2015 advising it would make such a public statement.
In the interests of public confidence and transparency, the CCC believes it is important to detail:
- how the original 2012 incident was handled by the then Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC),
- the involvement the CMC had in decisions not to pursue criminal charges against any of the officers involved in the original incident,
- the CMC’s involvement in the police discipline process against the officers in the original incident,
- the CMC’s involvement in the police discipline process in a related investigation of unauthorised release of information and
- recommendations the CMC and CCC have made in relation to the police discipline system.
