QPS officers photographed wearing Thin Blue Line patches at Bla(c)k deaths in custody events
Aunty Shiralee Fisher/Tilberoo died in custody at the Brisbane City watch house on 10 September 2020.
In the days immediately following, community members gathered to express outrage and despair at another Blak death in custody. During this event, a Queensland Police Service officer was photographed wearing a thin blue line patch depicting the US flag. Although the patches have historically carried various meanings, this patch has come to be affiliated with right-wing extremist and white supremacist ideology, and has been used as a symbol of opposition to Black Lives Matter movements.
Read more here: https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/09/14/police-officer-photographed-wearing-extremist-flag-patch-brisbane-death-custody
The officer was investigated and nothing further eventuated:
Just a week later, legal observers photographed two officers wearing the Australian version of the thin blue line patch while policing a march and vigil held in solidarity with the Fisher/Tilberoo families.
Photographed 18 September 2020 outside Brisbane City watch house
Photographed 18 September 2020 outside Brisbane City watch house
It is clear that QPS culture and policies demonstrate a dangerous lack of accountability for an institution that is being called out for systemic and outright racism contributing to the deaths of 441+ Indigenous people in custody since 1991. Weeding out the "bad apples" isn't going to change that, but it's the absolute least QPS can do right now.
Contact the following people calling for the termination of those officers’ employment. Suggested text is included below.
Commissioner of Police, Katarina Carroll:
Phone: 3364 3010
Email: Commissioner@police.qld.gov.au
Minister for Police, Mark Ryan MP:
Phone: 07 3035 8300
Email: police@ministerial.qld.gov.au
Inala police station:
Phone: 3737 5555
Suggested text
Dear [INSERT HERE],
On Friday 11 September, an officer was photographed wearing a patch with the US flag bisected by a thin blue line at a snap rally following the death of Aunty Shiralee Tilberoo/Fisher in the Brisbane city watch house. I understand the matter was investigated and a statement issued. Despite this, Senior Constable 31281 and Senior Constable 29692 were filmed wearing a similar patch with the Australian flag and a horizontal blue line while policing a vigil organised by the Fisher/Tilberoo family on the evening of Friday 18 September.
Although the patches have historically carried various meanings, this patch has come to be affiliated with right-wing extremist and white supremacist ideology, and has been used as a symbol of opposition to Black Lives Matter movements. There is no time and place where a QPS officer should be allowed to brand themselves with imagery that has political connotations, let alone associations with right-wing extremist and white supremacist ideology. The fact that these officers felt comfortable doing so raises strong concerns for the culture within the Queensland Police Service and raises doubts about the existence of appropriate accountability structures.
Further, the context surrounding this particular incident is that the officers chose to exhibit the patches presumably with the knowledge of the investigation the week prior, and that members of the community present at the vigil would likely recognise the patch as emblematic of white supremacy and as in counter-protest to the purpose of the vigil itself. Fridays 11th and 18th of September were both occasions where the community assembled to mourn the death of Aunty Sherry in the custody of QPS and protest the systemic injustice of 441+ deaths since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. For these QPS officers to choose to wear these patches at such occasions is offensive and inappropriate, and in the eyes of the community appears to have been a calculated decision by the officers given the nature and purpose of the events.
I am calling for termination of Senior Constable 31281 and Senior Constable 29692’s employment with the QPS. The Code of Conduct for the Queensland public service requires QPS officers to demonstrate impartiality and integrity in fulfilling QPS duties and responsibilities. The Public Sector Ethics Act 1994 requires that any biases held by a QPS officer must be resolved or appropriately managed in favour of the public interest. Public response following the first incident on Friday 11 September makes clear that it is against the public interest for QPS officers to wear patches that are associated with white supremacist ideology. The decision of Senior Constable 31281 and Senior Constable 29692 to wear thin blue line patches on Friday 18 September is a clear violation of this responsibility. At best, it demonstrates a complete lack of adequate education, awareness and sensitivity within QPS culture, and at worst, it confirms that individuals who hold white supremacist ideals feel comfortable holding and expressing those views while in the course of their employment with QPS.
I do not consider suspension of the officers in question to be an adequate alternative. If the QPS is committed to fostering a culture of impartiality and integrity within their ranks they will ensure that all officers are aware of a zero-tolerance policy for unethical behaviour, starting with that outlined in this letter.
Regards,
[INSERT HERE]