Cop to lecture on use of force

A ROGUE Gold Cost police officer who used excessive force on three different offenders, all while they were in handcuffs, must explain to junior recruits why he should have restrained himself.

The directive that he use his experience to explain to junior officers about minimal use of force is part of an alternative penalty handed down by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal when his original punishment was dropped on appeal.

Incidents included kneeing a man in the chest, hitting another handcuffed man in the head and dragging a third handcuffed man to the floor.

Senior Constable Aaron Minns (pictured) was acquitted of four assault charges in relation to the incidents in the Southport Magistrates Court in May 2016 but faced internal police disciplinary action in relation to the incidents.

The tribunal decision means that instead of being demoted from Senior Constable to Constable for five years, he has only had to serve one year of demotion.

But Sen-Const Minns will also have to conduct monthly training of junior officers “to speak from his own experiences and lessons learnt” about why police officers should have a minimal use of force mindset.

The tribunal was told the three incidents all occurred in later 2014 and early 2015 when Sen-Const Minns was assigned to the Gold Coast’s Rapid Action Patrol Unit.

In the first incident, on September 18, 2014, Sen-Const Minns kneed a man, whose hands were cuffed behind him, in the chest.

Then on Boxing Day 2014, Sen-Const Minns hit a cuffed man in the back of the head and neck. “Mr Minns then pushed the man into the back of the police vehicle, causing the man’s face to strike against a metal area in the vehicle,” the tribunal documents said.

In the third incident, less than a month later on January 18, 2015, Sen-Const Minns dragged a handcuffed man, who was a bikie associate, to the floor despite other officers having the man under control.

He told officers he was concerned the man may be attempting to destroy evidence of dangerous drugs.

After a disciplinary hearing, Deputy Commissioner Peter Martin decided Sen-Const Minns should be demoted to Constable for five years.

Sen-Const Minns had become a police officer in 2009.

“It is submitted that these (references) show a generally good character, solid work ethic and a preparedness to help people in need,” the tribunal documents read.

“These incidents in question are, according to several referees, out of character.”

Attempts to contact SenConst Minns, who is still working as a police officer in the southeast Queensland region were unsuccessful.