The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into a complaint that an officer accessed the Police database, reviewed the complainant’s records and obtained the address of the complainant’s ex-partner for non-work-related reasons.
Police conducted a further audit of the officer’s use of the database and located several other off-duty queries of vehicles connected to the complainant’s ex-partner that did not appear to have an official work purpose.
While making enquiries into the matter, Police became aware of another incident where the officer had allegedly pursued the complainant’s vehicle without activating the Police vehicle’s lights and siren.
Police conducted an employment process which involved speaking to the officer involved. The officer admitted to querying the complainant’s ex-partner’s records, acknowledging she did not have a work-related purpose. The officer also admitted to pursuing and pulling over the complainant’s vehicle without lights and siren and for a non-work-related reason. The officer explained the queries of the vehicles were for work-related reasons, however accepted they should not have completed the checks while off duty.
Police found the officer’s actions were in breach of their code of conduct and multiple Police policies, including the Acceptable Use of ICT Policy and Urgent Duty Driving Policy. Police undertook an employment process to address the officer’s actions.
The Authority agrees with the employment process undertaken and outcome reached.
IPCA: 25-26803