Boss plays a straight bat to allegations
POLICE Commissioner Ian Stewart is standing by his Gold Coast leadership despite warnings the city’s policing is a disaster waiting to happen on the eve of the Commonwealth Games.
The Bulletin yesterday asked Commissioner Stewart if he had faith in Coast police management and would he consider replacing senior officers following a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) bombshell.
Fifteen Coast police officers are facing an internal investigation for alleged corruption and misconduct after the CCC investigated complaints about dodgy crime data and bullying.
The investigation was launched after the Gold Coast Bulletin revealed three police whistleblowers were shafted, split up and sent to other stations, forcing one to take indefinite sick leave. In a statement released late yesterday, the Commissioner replied “yes” when asked if he supported the leadership group which included new Chief Superintendent Marty Mickelson and superintendents Craig Hanlon and Dave Cuskelly.
The Commissioner declined to release details of a cultural review into the Coast police service, citing “legal and confidentiality issues”, is still considering the release of a workplace survey and considers the QPS can deal with the complaints against 15 officers.
But Bond University criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy, a former Coast detective, said the latest development showed systemic problems with policing on the tourist strip.
“We have now seen crime increases across a number of crime categories for the last three years, we have seen a senior officer criminally charged, and now we have a host of corruption allegations facing senior Gold Coast police,” he said.
“I would be very surprised if the junior police on the street had any confidence in the senior management of the Gold Coast District, nor the Commissioner for that matter.”
A spokesperson for the Police Minister Mark Ryan said it was inappropriate to comment as the matter was before the Ethical Standards Command.