The investigation of complaints of assault made against police places substantial demands on the resources of the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS). It also causes stress to the civilians and police involved, regardless of whether the complaints are substantiated.
While it is very important that complaints of assault continue to be investigated vigorously and that nothing be done to discourage people who have concerns about police conduct from making complaints, deploying significant additional resources to the processing and investigation of complaints Of assault may not represent the most cost-effective use of limited resources.
The purpose of this report is to identify the conditions that give rise to complaints, so as to help the QPS implement strategies to minimise the potential for conflict between police and members of the public while at the same time allowing police to do their job.
This paper was tabled in Parliament on 26 March 1997.
