Media Release - Review of NSW Police Force investigations of police officers involved in domestic and family violence incidents

Police have low compliance with key strategies for protecting victims of police perpetrated domestic violence – Law Enforcement Conduct Commission report

Thursday 23 April 2026

Police do not routinely document either potential conflicts of interest or their risk assessments when investigating allegations of domestic and family violence involving police officers, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission found in a report released today.

The Commission’s review also found some officers involved in domestic violence were also engaged in other types of misconduct, such as accessing confidential information from police systems.

The Commission made 3 recommendations:

1. Where both parties are current or former NSW Police Force officers, the complaint should be investigated by an independent command.

2. The NSW Police Force should reinforce the importance of documenting interim risk management action.

3. The NSW Police Force should conduct mandatory, targeted and repeated COPS/RTA audits on officers accused of domestic violence offences.

The Commission’s review looked at 67 complaint investigations conducted between 25 March 2024 and 24 March 2025, concerning 56 officers.

During this time, the NSW Police Force charged 15 out of 56 officers with 145 domestic violence offences; 8 officers were found not guilty; 4 officers were convicted and sentenced, and 3 officers have matters still before the courts.

The NSW Police Force has expressed an ongoing commitment to investigating officers involved in domestic and family violence incidents and has recently implemented new procedures.  All domestic violence incidents involving a police officer will now be reviewed by an Assistant Commissioner.

The Commission will monitor the impact of these policy changes.

The Commission’s Review of NSW Police Force investigations of police officers involved in domestic and family violence incidents can be found here and a fact sheet about the Commission’s report can be found here.

LECC Media

T: 0425 317 535

E: media@lecc.nsw.gov.au