David used the Police Budget Estimates hearing to ask Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione serious questions about the number of currently serving police officers with criminal records, including just how many are currently suspended from duty due to criminal convictions.
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Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws (GIPA) by our office and police whistleblower Richard McDonald have revealed that there are currently more than 400 serving police officers with criminal records, that 81 police officers have been suspended from duty this year and that 51 police officers have have faced charges in criminal matters.
Police Commissioner Scipione was also asked about his comments to the Daily Telegraph in January where, when asked about the high number of currently serving officers with criminal convictions, he claimed that:
In the majority of cases, these officers will have been convicted of a low range PCA or similar offence
Figures have since revealed that of the 260 drink-driving offences recorded by police, including those by senior officers on the force and those committed pre-employment, 202 were medium or high range.
You can see below how these matters were explored in the committee hearings.
Watch the ABC 7.30 report below and view the full GIPA documents via the ABC report.
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To find out more about this issue, see previous work our office has undertaken into the rising number of serving police in NSW with criminal records.
