Audio has emerged of two Queensland police officers mocking a domestic violence survivor after she called them for help.
The Southport woman said she called Gold Coast police because she believed her ex-partner had breached an order and allegedly entered her home.
“I had a video… security camera footage (of the robbery),” the woman said. 7 News.
She said that when police arrived, one of the officers “stood over me, was quite rude and intimidating, so I asked him if he would mind staying outside my house.”
After taking the report and collecting their evidence, the officers left but called her at 12.47am that night and left a voicemail saying there was not enough evidence to proceed as the ex-partner had denied breaking in.
The officer then attempts to hang up the phone, but the call remains connected and he is heard joking with a colleague that the woman would be distraught and no action would be taken.
“This bitch is going to say, ‘What the fuck!’ You’re going to get a complaint for sure,” one officer is heard saying, prompting laughter from the other.
Then one officer said, “You can’t say you didn’t investigate,” to which the other replied, “No, it must be that you weren’t professional enough or some nonsense.”
“It probably will be: even your sergeant told you to get out,” the other said, referring to making the woman feel uncomfortable while they were there.
The woman, whose identity is protected, said she felt “intimidated” by an officer who showed up when she called.
The woman filed a complaint with the police and received a response asking to listen to the voicemail.
She claimed she was later told they wouldn’t follow up because it was just an “office prank.”
But the woman says the experience left her feeling let down by the police she had called for protection.
“What’s the point? I feel like when you’re in trouble, your neighbor is more likely to help you than the police.”
A Queensland Police spokesman said: “Police received a complaint in relation to this incident from the complainant on 22 April via Policelink.”
‘A senior officer personally contacted the complainant and the officer in question officially apologised. At that time, the complainant informed the police that she was satisfied with the subsequent contact with the police and the explanations provided. This interaction was officially recorded.
“No information was provided on whether there will be further disciplinary action for the officers involved.”