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Media Release - Operation Tabarca

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission furnished a supplementary report to Parliament today in Operation Tabarca.

Media Release    

15.12.2020

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission furnished a supplementary report to Parliament today in Operation Tabarca. On 8 May 2020, the Commission presented its initial report in Operation Tabarca to Parliament. That report revealed systemic issues within the NSWPF concerning the notification and handling of complaints of bullying and discrimination. This supplementary report addresses those identified issues and considers the steps the NSWPF has since undertaken to address them. 

The Commission has found that the NSWPF has in the past had insufficient processes to identify complaint clusters. The conduct of the Commander should have been identified much earlier.  Instead, his behaviour was allowed to continue for several years. By that time 15 officers had left the Command, some permanently.

In response to its recommendations in the Shorewood Report and its investigation in Operation Tabarca, the NSWPF has, in consultation with LECC, implemented a Respectful Workplace Behaviour Misconduct Management Model. The Commission will review the operation of the proposed NSWPF response six months after commencement of its operation.

Recommendations

The Commission made the following recommendations:

  1. The Professional Standards Command (PSC) should monitor all newly registered misconduct matters and be involved in the triaging of misconduct matters relating to bullying and harassment with a view to identifying any patterns of behaviour amongst specific officers or complaint clusters about specific officers, specific police stations or Commands. The identified offending behaviour should then be investigated.
  2. Where the misconduct involves a Superintendent, PSC should review the matter to determine if it should be involved, either by way of assistance or by taking over the investigation of the matter.
  3. A program similar to the previous Supportive Leadership Program should be considered. The involvement of senior Managers should be mandatory.
  4. Attendance at regular refresher training (online or otherwise) about appropriate workplace behaviour should be mandatory.

The Operation Tabarca supplementary report can be found on the Commission website.