P100_Ute
02-05-2010, 06:32 AM
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/former-officer-claims-wa-cops-lie-brawl-take-sexual-favours/story-e6frg12c-1225860989722
OFFICERS allegedly competed over the number of arrests they could make and lied to protect each other in court, claims a whistleblower from within the ranks of WA Police.
The first-class constable, who quit the service last week after five years as an officer, is writing to Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan detailing her experiences and naming and shaming colleagues.
She has even accused former colleagues of deliberately starting brawls while on the beat and bragging about committing sex acts with women down side streets.
During her time at a Perth station in 2006 and '07, the 36-year-old said her fellow officers:
* Had a competition over the number of arrests they could make, with some police locking up more than 200 people a month.
*Arrested people for offences that were "totally unwarranted" to boost their arrest figures, often on false or exaggerated charges.
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* Lied to protect each other in court cases where victims claimed they had been assaulted by police.
* Joked and bragged how they took drunk young women down alleyways and side streets where they kissed, took photos and, on occasion, had sex.
* Patrolled the beat aggressively and started fights with a "let's punch on tonight" mentality.
The woman, who sought legal advice before going public with her claims, this year launched an Equal Opportunity Commission case against WA Police. But she denies it motivated her to make her allegations.
She says she petitioned senior officers and sought guidance about making an official complaint in 2007, but was told to "toughen up" and not make trouble because the team was "bringing in good stats".
The mother-of-two became so disillusioned with the job she had no choice but to quit.
The Sunday Times is legally barred from naming the police squad in question.
A spokesman for Mr O'Callaghan confirmed the case was before the Equal Opportunity Commission and urged the woman to report any evidence of police wrongdoing.
"There have been many issues concerning this officer and WA Police would welcome any inquiry by the Equal Opportunity Commission," the spokesman said.
"As for the other unsubstantiated claims the constable, like any member of the community, can lodge a complaint with the Police Complaints Administration Centre or the Crime and Corruption Commission. She would, of course, be required to produce some evidence to support her claims."
Detailing her allegations, the woman from Tapping, in Perth's northern suburbs, said: "The public would be mortified, absolutely mortified. Police are supposed to be there to protect and serve, but some of these officers were doing neither."
Her claims come at a time when WA police have never had greater powers, with mandatory sentencing in force for anyone convicted of assaulting an officer and stop and search powers to be introduced.
Making the most arrests became a competition among some officers, she said.
"It was all about who could write the most briefs," she said. "It was a competition for them. It was all about the stats. Sometimes they'd write up 200 briefs a month.
"They would charge people for stupid things. They'd hand a move-on notice to someone who was so drunk or drugged they didn't know what they were doing, and then arrest them for disobeying it.
"Or they'd arrest drunk people or foreign people for failing to provide their details when clearly they didn't know what was going on.
"They bragged about (their sexual exploits) all the time.
"I saw photos they'd taken of girls down alleyways.
"They lied in court all the time. All the time.
"It was a case of the boys sticking together and sticking up for each other, not about what was right and wrong."
The woman said she was bullied by her fellow officers as the only female in her team,.
In January, she launched action against WA Police in the Equal Opportunity Commission over a separate claim that her superiors ignored more than 20 requests for a transfer to a station closer to home, which would have made it easier for the single mother to raise her sons, aged 8 and 11.
The woman said she also wanted to put to the commission her claims about officers making unfair arrests, enjoying sexual favours and committing perjury in 2006 and '07.
But the commission cannot investigate alleged wrongdoings more than a year old.
Her lawyer, John Hammond, who is seeking $40,000 in compensation, said the woman's case was one of several before the courts in which WA Police were accused of treating female officers unfairly.
"There is a culture of some male police officers treating female police very poorly," Mr Hammond said.
Opposition police spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said police in WA had an "attitude problem" and she called on Commissioner O'Callaghan to consider integrity testing for officers.
OFFICERS allegedly competed over the number of arrests they could make and lied to protect each other in court, claims a whistleblower from within the ranks of WA Police.
The first-class constable, who quit the service last week after five years as an officer, is writing to Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan detailing her experiences and naming and shaming colleagues.
She has even accused former colleagues of deliberately starting brawls while on the beat and bragging about committing sex acts with women down side streets.
During her time at a Perth station in 2006 and '07, the 36-year-old said her fellow officers:
* Had a competition over the number of arrests they could make, with some police locking up more than 200 people a month.
*Arrested people for offences that were "totally unwarranted" to boost their arrest figures, often on false or exaggerated charges.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
* Lied to protect each other in court cases where victims claimed they had been assaulted by police.
* Joked and bragged how they took drunk young women down alleyways and side streets where they kissed, took photos and, on occasion, had sex.
* Patrolled the beat aggressively and started fights with a "let's punch on tonight" mentality.
The woman, who sought legal advice before going public with her claims, this year launched an Equal Opportunity Commission case against WA Police. But she denies it motivated her to make her allegations.
She says she petitioned senior officers and sought guidance about making an official complaint in 2007, but was told to "toughen up" and not make trouble because the team was "bringing in good stats".
The mother-of-two became so disillusioned with the job she had no choice but to quit.
The Sunday Times is legally barred from naming the police squad in question.
A spokesman for Mr O'Callaghan confirmed the case was before the Equal Opportunity Commission and urged the woman to report any evidence of police wrongdoing.
"There have been many issues concerning this officer and WA Police would welcome any inquiry by the Equal Opportunity Commission," the spokesman said.
"As for the other unsubstantiated claims the constable, like any member of the community, can lodge a complaint with the Police Complaints Administration Centre or the Crime and Corruption Commission. She would, of course, be required to produce some evidence to support her claims."
Detailing her allegations, the woman from Tapping, in Perth's northern suburbs, said: "The public would be mortified, absolutely mortified. Police are supposed to be there to protect and serve, but some of these officers were doing neither."
Her claims come at a time when WA police have never had greater powers, with mandatory sentencing in force for anyone convicted of assaulting an officer and stop and search powers to be introduced.
Making the most arrests became a competition among some officers, she said.
"It was all about who could write the most briefs," she said. "It was a competition for them. It was all about the stats. Sometimes they'd write up 200 briefs a month.
"They would charge people for stupid things. They'd hand a move-on notice to someone who was so drunk or drugged they didn't know what they were doing, and then arrest them for disobeying it.
"Or they'd arrest drunk people or foreign people for failing to provide their details when clearly they didn't know what was going on.
"They bragged about (their sexual exploits) all the time.
"I saw photos they'd taken of girls down alleyways.
"They lied in court all the time. All the time.
"It was a case of the boys sticking together and sticking up for each other, not about what was right and wrong."
The woman said she was bullied by her fellow officers as the only female in her team,.
In January, she launched action against WA Police in the Equal Opportunity Commission over a separate claim that her superiors ignored more than 20 requests for a transfer to a station closer to home, which would have made it easier for the single mother to raise her sons, aged 8 and 11.
The woman said she also wanted to put to the commission her claims about officers making unfair arrests, enjoying sexual favours and committing perjury in 2006 and '07.
But the commission cannot investigate alleged wrongdoings more than a year old.
Her lawyer, John Hammond, who is seeking $40,000 in compensation, said the woman's case was one of several before the courts in which WA Police were accused of treating female officers unfairly.
"There is a culture of some male police officers treating female police very poorly," Mr Hammond said.
Opposition police spokeswoman Margaret Quirk said police in WA had an "attitude problem" and she called on Commissioner O'Callaghan to consider integrity testing for officers.