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Why domestic violence offenders should expect police to knock on door

Queensland police are rolling out a statewide operation aimed at holding serial domestic violence offenders to account by turning up on their doorstep to remind them they are being watched.

Sep 11, 2020, updated Sep 11, 2020
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll . (Photo: AAP Image/Albert Perez)

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll . (Photo: AAP Image/Albert Perez)

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the operation, dubbed Sierra Alessa, was aimed at improving accountability.

“We’re literally knocking on respondents’ doors — over 300 of them — and they’re responsible for 1,100 aggrieved persons, and saying to them ‘we’re monitoring you, we’re holding you to account, we know what you’re up to and expect to see us’,” Commissioner Carroll told ABC Radio Brisbane.

The offenders have least three domestic violence orders against them and Commissioner Carroll said some have up to seven.

“It really is about accountability and knowing they’re being watched,” she said.

“We’ve had very different reactions: in some cases, the respondent would say, ‘Thank you for being here’ and in others, obviously not so happy that we turned up on their doorstep.

“The research shows that this is a deterrent and we will keep doing this to make sure that as many people are as safe as possible.”

Why are repeat offenders still out there?

In Queensland, there are up to 107,000 domestic violence incidents each year.

Commissioner Carroll said there was no simple answer why serial offenders were still living in situations where they could potentially offend again.

“Every single one that we attend is very different: very different circumstances, living arrangements, some may be drug-affected, mental health issues, financial problems,” she said.

“In many cases, people want to keep their household together, they deal with their issues and they move on.

“Unfortunately, [in] some cases, that does not occur.”

She said while they have had some success, a true measure of success would be that no person died as a result of domestic violence.

“I think that’s what we all want,” she said.

“But we should never stop learning and never stop implementing new initiatives and new strategies.”

Legal advice for overturned conviction

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Commissioner Carroll said she was receiving legal advice on whether there were avenues to appeal a District Court’s decision to overturn the conviction of officer Neil Punchard, who leaked the address of a domestic violence victim to her former partner.

Earlier this month, Punchard’s jail sentence was overturned and he was instead ordered to complete 140 hours of community service, according to The Guardian.

“I don’t think it’s right, what occurred, and I actually find myself in a very difficult situation,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“His Honour articulated the facts and his decision last week, so I have to consider the facts.

“I’m getting advice from Crown Law to see whether I have avenues to appeal that decision.

“Secondly, I have to, more than anyone, operate within the boundaries of the law.”

She said the situation “can and does” damage the credibility of the Queensland Police Service.

“I need to hold people to account for releasing information that they shouldn’t, for eroding the trust of the organisation,” Commissioner Carroll said.

“We do … a wonderful job in this space … but you only need one or two people like that, that erode the trust of our entire organisation.”

– ABC / Edwina Seselja

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