Police are having to handle approximately 500 domestic violence incidents each day, with a new report revealing “gaps” in how complaints are dealt with.
A Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) review of the NSW Police Force’s response to family and domestic violence incidents has uncovered several issues with how police officers deal with such cases, which have now reached 180,000 each year in NSW.
According to the latest crime statistics in NSW, domestic violence assault convictions have increased by 3.0 per cent over the past five years.
Over the same period, intimidation and stalking rose by 9.4 per cent, while breaching an apprehended violence order jumped by 8.9 per cent.
The report focused on 222 complaints made about NSW Police concerning family and domestic violence incidents.
More than a third of the complaint inquiries found that initial police investigations did not meet the expected standard set by the NSW Police Force.
“This finding is disappointing as NSW Police Force policies and procedures clearly outline the requirements and expectations concerning domestic and family violence investigations,” the report read.
One of the “most significant risks” was around inadequate record keeping, particularly relating to the removal of firearms.
The report recommended that more information be kept regarding the seizure of firearms, including the number of guns taken as well as the time and date they are seized and/or returned.
It also recommended the time and date that gun licences are suspended and when suspensions are lifted be recorded.
That recommendation comes after the murder-suicide of a father and son in Yamba in rural NSW shone a light on the current firearm registry.
Wayne Smith, 58, had his firearms licence suspended in August 2021 due to mental health concerns, only for it to be renewed in December 2022 after an independent medical assessment was taken.
His body, along with the body of his 15-year-old son Noah, were found with gunshot wounds in June.
The report also found issues with the way domestic violence investigations against police are handled, considering that over a quarter of all the complaints reviewed are related to officers.
“Some officers who were convicted of domestic violence offences, and many who were the subject of an ADVO, remained in the NSW Police Force,” the report read.
“This raises concerns that an officer with this personal history may have an actual or apparent conflict of interest when dealing with domestic violence incidents.”
Across 70 complaint investigations involving 60 officers accused of violence, 77 per cent were investigated by officers from the same command as the individual accused.
The report recommended that when possible, investigations about police officers should be transferred to another command and that if that is not possible, a Commander’s decision-making processes should be documented, including possible conflicts of interest.