Police force commits to tackling harmful work behaviour

NSW POLICE CULTURAL REVIEW FINDINGS:

* Out of a survey of 4473 sworn and unsworn NSW Police employees, in the past five years:

- 29.9 per cent had experienced bullying

- 25.2 per cent experienced discrimination based on gender, race, disability or other attributes

-17.9 per cent had been subjected to verbal abuse or threats

- 8.9 per cent had experienced sexual harassment other unwanted sexual behaviours

-1.1 per cent had experienced sexual assault

* Every woman who spoke to the review described experiencing either overt or covert sexual harassment, undermining, and belittlement at some time during their service

* Many were too afraid to speak up out to fear it could cause them to be ostracised or passed over for career development opportunities

* Rates of bullying were higher among some marginalised groups, including people with a disability and First Nations employees

* Women and those from culturally diverse backgrounds faced ongoing barriers regarding career progression

* Many frontline officers felt they did not get sufficient mental health support following a critical incident

RECOMMENDATIONS

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon accepted all 29 recommendations including:

* Embed greater independence and oversight into the management of harmful workplace behaviour

* Develop and implement a two-year prevention strategy aimed at reducing harmful behaviours

* Proactively manage harmful behaviours as psychosocial hazards

* Embed accountability for culture and people management, making these responsibilities central to senior roles

* Strengthen consistency and transparency of promotion decisions

QUOTES BY ANONYMOUS POLICE RESPONDENTS

* "Bullying and harassment is as much a part of this organisation as wearing a uniform. Bullying is not only tolerated, it is actively encouraged and expected of all members at every level."

* "I'm a resilient person but I was sitting in my car vomiting before coming to work."

* "If I had a dollar for every time someone has called me a (racial slur), I could retire."

* "A couple of guys were picking on another constable. He was crying. I consoled him. For another cop to cry in front of another bunch of cops is a big deal. I went around the corner and blasted them. They couldn't understand why I was blasting them. They just think it's funny."

* "If you open your mouth, you get sabotaged. It is crippling the organisation. The people who are favoured don't question anything or have rigorous conversation. There is fear of repercussion."

* "The leadership team - they have this attitude. They yell. They micromanage. If you ask them something their attitude is that you're so stupid."

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