Racist police-run Facebook group under investigation

The Queensland Police Service will run an internal investigation into the group which made racist, sexist and homophobic posts.

Police are seen at a crime scene where the body of a four-year-old girl was found at a house in Cannon Hill in Brisbane Monday, May 25, 2020. Police have established a crime scene at the Bent Street home. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING

More than 1000 Queensland Police officers were members of a Facebook group which is now under investigation for racist, sexist and homophobic content. Source: AAP

A private Facebook group of thousands of police officers from around the country is under investigation for racist, homophobic, sexist and defamatory posts.

The 'Defend the Blue' page has 3500 members, many of which are current or former police officers.

Of those members, 1700 are current or former Queensland Police officers, which has prompted Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll to launch an internal investigation into the page.

It is understood that among the posts are criticisms of the Black Lives Matter movement and the arrest of Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe over the 2019 shooting of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendemu.
Commissioner Carroll said the page was 'disappointing' but said she believed a majority of the page's members were on there for "the right reasons".

"My understanding is that there was good intent when people start these Facebook sites," she said.

"When you look at it, there's information about BeyondBlue, mental health, general chatter amongst friends.

"However there is a minority who say and do very unacceptable things.

"There's racist comments, there's homophobic comments and those are not in line with our values or the expectations of the community."

On Monday Commissioner Carroll sent an email to officers about the content of the page, warning that it is now subject to an investigation.

Commissioner Carroll told media on Tuesday morning that the public expects more of officers.

"I expect a professional organisation to serve their community well," she said.

"That site, its administrators and some of the people on there and the pseudonyms they use will be investigated, and if disciplinary action needs to be taken, it will be taken."

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Published 13 July 2021 2:59pm
By Keira Jenkins
Source: NITV News


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