Share and Follow
An Queensland police officer will face court after he was allegedly busted on a hidden camera taking $36 worth of chocolate, ice cream and soft drink from the station’s meal room.
The Longreach senior constable was charged by his coworkers after detectives hid a camera in the station meal room between August and September last year.
The station had a ‘cashless payment system’ for members of its social club, which saw officers mark a sheet for the food they took and billed at the end of the month.
However, police allege the Queensland constable took treats without marking the sheet stating what he owed on nine occasions, the Courier Mail reports.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers slammed the force for charging the officer over a seemingly small dispute.
‘It’s like last year’s Commission of Inquiry never happened as bullying of police by senior police is getting worse,’ he said.
‘This entire matter is an embarrassment to policing and this is another example of bullying behaviour in the workplace.
‘This officer should never have been charged and this is a miscarriage of justice, a gross abuse of the courts’ process and a huge waste of valuable police time.’
A Queensland Police officer has been charged with stealing after he allegedly took $36 worth of sugar snacks from the Longreach police station (above)
Mr Leavers said he was disappointed to see officers ‘acting like children about someone who doesn’t put a “tick mark” on a piece of paper’.
Read Related Also: Markets on alert after US banks join forces to rescue First Republic – business live | Business
‘This appears to be nothing more than a minor workplace dispute and it should have been dealt with in a professional, expeditious and adult manner by senior police management instead of wasting everyone’s time and money however that is clearly too much to expect,’ he said.
‘The handling of this matter is a perfect example of everything that is wrong with the senior management of the Queensland Police Service.
The constable will face court for charges of stealing chocolate, ice cream and soft drink
‘Senior police should now demonstrate some belated common sense and immediately drop the charges and issue this officer with an apology.’
The constable reportedly asked the social club in March, several months before the alleged theft, about changing the payment system. His suggestion was rejected and an email was sent to all staff explaining the system.
Officers at the station set up a hidden camera after a detective was alerted about the missing food.
The constable allegedly declined to be interviewed by the internal police Ethical Standards Command in September and instead requested to undergo a mediation process in November.
The matter was put to the social club and they voted to skip mediation and take the constable to court. He was charged in January.
Queensland Police have declined to comment on the situation as it is still before the court.
The constable is set to appear in Emerald Magistrates Court on March 28.
