Statement and Attachments for Assistant Commissioner Peter Martin
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STATEMENT l, PeterJohn MARTIN state:- I am an AssistantCommissioner in the QueenslandPolice Service (OPS). I have approximately31 years policingexperience having joined the QueenslandPolice Servicein January1980. After being inducted as a Constablein July1981, lserved in a numberof uniformedpositions within Brisbanebefore being transferred to Mareeba,Queensland. I servedfor a numberof yearsin relievingpositions in single- officerstations in ruraland remotelocations before being appointed to PlainClothes duty in Brisbanein 1986. I have servedas a Detectivein variouslocations for approximately10 yearsand haveworked in educationand training roles both at a Districtand Academy level. I havea broadrange of experienceas a CommissionedOfficer undertaking duties in areassuch areas as: Drug and AlcoholCoordination Unit and StaffOfficer to the AssistantCommissioner, Operations Support Command. I waspromoted to the rank of Superintendent,in the positionof Chief of Staff,Commissioner's Office and performedduty as: DistrictOfficer at BrisbaneWest District; Chief Superintendent, MetropolitanNorth Region; and relievingas the ActingAssistant Commissioner of thatRegion. After being promoted to AssistantCommissioner, I have relieved on a number of occasionsas the AssistantCommissioner at OperationsSupport Commandand MetropolitanNorth Region and haverelieved previously as theActing DeputyCommissioner (Specialist Operations). I was appointedto the positionof AssistantCommissioner, Ethical Standards Command(ESC) in April2008. The ESCis one of fivespecialist Commands within theService and the primaryresponsibilities of this Command are:- . Review,determine compliance with, and reporton issuesincluding: o the reliabilityand integrityof financialand operational information and the means used to identify,measure, classify and report such information; o the systemsestablished to ensurecompliance with QPS policies, plans,procedures, laws, regulations, and delegations of authoritythat havea significantimpact on operationsand reports; Statementof AssistantCommissioner Peter Martin APM 2t/09t2010 the meansof safeguardingassets from loss,theft and/orfraud and whereappropriate, the existenceof QPSassets; the economyand efficiencywith which resources are managedand used;and operationsand programsto ascertainwhether results are consistent with establishedobjectives and goals,and whetheroperations are beingcarried out as planned. lnvestigateallegations of corruption,misconduct and seriousbreaches of discipline,including suspected unethical conduct. Developeducational strategies to promote,reinforce and engenderin all employeesa full understandingof the expectedstandards of ethical behaviour. Enhanceethical standards for employeesof the QPS,including development of corporatepolicies, practices and strategiesthat prevent,minimise and discourageunethical conduct. 'Police Activelyoversight and investigatespecified RelatedIncidents' (Police- relatedincidents include deaths in custody- pursuantto s.1.17of the OperationalProcedures Manual). a Administerthe discipline system of theQPS. a Ensureproceduralfairness, quality and timeliness in all disciplinaryprocesses. a Encouragereporting by internalsources of suspectbehaviour. a ldentify,investigate and disseminatebest practiceprocedures across all functionsof theQPS. a Co-ordinaterisk management within the Service. proper a To maintainthe confidenceof all QPSmembers in respectto the and efficientmanagement of the QPSdiscipline system. 'the The Commissionerhas the legislatedresponsibilities for efficientand proper administration,management and functioningof the policeservice in accordancewith the taw. (s.4.8(1)of the PoticeSeruice Administration Act 7990(PSAA)). Without limitingthe Commissioner'sresponsibilities, he is responsiblefor amongstother things,,discipline of membersof the service'(s.4.8(2)(l) of the PSAA). TheCommissioner has the authorityto delegatepowers of the Commissionerunder the pSAAto anyother police officer or staffmember (s.4.10(1) of the PSAA)'With 'discipline respectto responsibilityfor the of membersof the service',the Commissionerhas delegated these responsibilitiesto ffie, as the Assistant Statementof AssistantCommissioner Peter Martin APM 21t09t2010 Commissioner,Ethical Standards Command. I therefore,on the Commissioner's behalfand with his authority,assist the Commissioner'sin meetinghis obligations underthe Crimeand Misconduct Act 2001 (Chapter 2, Parl3 CMAct). Disciplinearrangements in largewestern policing agencies are complex and dynamic environmentswithin which to operate. In comparisonwith otherwestern policing agencies,the QueenslandPolice Service is largein termsof size. lt is currently approximatelyequal 2nd largest police agency in Australiaand has around14,500 employees.Naturally with sucha largeworkforce there is likelyto be somemembers who do not meetorganisational or communityexpectations in termsof behaviouror performance. Thereare significant community interest issues associated with police discipline. lt is rightto expectthat PoliceOfficers are subjectto a differentand higherexpectation thanothers operating in other unitsof publicadministration (government departments and instrumentalities).The communityexpect and demandpolice to subscribeto higherstandards of behaviourand the QPS disciplinarysystem, which is consistent withthe objectsof the CM Act,aims to maintainand maximise community confidence. It acceptsthat some misconductis inevitablein largepolicing jurisdictions but is premisedon the beliefthat communityconfidence and legitimacy is dependentupon the Service having both the capabilityto deal with mattersand moreoverthe willingnessto set standards,implement preventive measures and addressissues whenthey arise. As the AssistantCommissioner, ESC I havea significantleadership role, together 'purpose withother Senior Executive Members, to promotethe of discipline',which is to: . Maintainpublic confidence in theQPS; r Maintainthe selfesteem of membersof theService; . Maintainconfidence in the abilityof the Serviceto fulfilits statutoryfunctions; o properstandards of conductfor membersof the Service; o Maintainthe efficiencyof the Service;and o protect the reputation of the Service (s.18.1.1. Human Resource ManagementManual (HRMM)) Statementof AssistantCommissioner Peter Martin APM 2y09t2010 To supportthe Servicesstrategic policy on disciplineand complaintmanagement, I havespecific responsibilities which are outlinedin Servicepolicy. These are: . Reviewingand reportingon issuessuch as the reliabilityand integrityof financialand operational information of theService; . lnvestigationof allegationsof corruption,misconduct and serious breaches of disciplinein theService; . Developmentof educationalstrategies to promote,reinforce and engender in membersa fullunderstanding of the expectedstandards of ethicalbehaviour; . Enhancementof ethicalstandards for membersof the Serviceby developing practicesand strategieswhich prevent,minimise and discourageunethical conduct;and o Encouragingmembers to reportsuspect behaviour (s.1.4.3 ol theOPM) In this leadershiprole, I alsocontribute to a nationalexamination of issuesaround 'Ethicsand Integrity lssues in Policing'.The Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA)facilitates regular meetingswith all policingjurisdictions in Australiaand New Zealand,to examineissues relating to ethics and integrity systems. At the ANZPAABoard Meetingof June2008, ANZPAA was taskedwith ensuring'professionalisation' of policing is monitoredand progressedand that a 'professionalstandards' agenda is pursuedto ensureissues of ethicsand integrity continueto be anticipated,understood and addressed.ANZPAA is progressingthis work, with jurisdictionalinput, through the ANZPAAIntegrity Forum (AlF) and a committeewhich reports to the AIF which is the ANZPAA IntegrityTesting PractitionersCommittee (AITPC). Work to date,which has involvedQPS input, has centredaround eight strategic priorities, which are: 1. Drugand Alcohol Use 2. DeclarableAssociations 3. Useof Force 4. Earlylntervention Strategies 5. lnformationSecurity 6. Falsifyingand Misleading lnformation 7. SocialNetworking Sites 8. EthicalHealth Index. It shouldbe recognisedthat ESCon behalfof the QPShas taken lead responsibility forthe 'Useof Force'strategic priority. Statementof AssistantCommissioner Peter Martin APM 2U09t2010 I amsupported in meetingmy responsibilitieswithin ESC through the workof a Chief Superintendent(Operations Coordinator) and variouswork units. The roleof the ChiefSuperintendent, ESC is to providequality advice to me as the Assistant CommissionerESC on all operationaland support activities of the Command.The ChiefSuperintendent ensures policing operations within ESC, at thebranch level, are effectiveand efficientand are activelycontributing to the achievementof the ESC andthe QPS goals. The ChiefSuperintendent liaises and negotiatewith members of the Service,government, community groups and the private sector at state,national andinternational levelto achieve effective policing outcomes. I am further supported by the work of three Superintendents(or Acting Superintendents)in roles such as Internallnvestigations Branch, Ethical Practices Branch,and Inspectorate and EvaluationBranch. I am alsoresponsible for thework thatoccurs within lnternal Audit which is managedby a seniorstaff member. Theprimary work units within ESC and their roles are: lnternallnvestigation Branch (llB)- Conductingsignificant internal investigations and the managementof complaintsgenerally, is the responsibilityof