Queensland's acting police commissioner, Shane Chelepy, has stated that domestic violence case management is not the 'core business' of policing, and that other state agencies should take on greater roles in responding to social issues such as domestic violence and mental health. The comments came following the release of a 100-day review of the Queensland Police Service's operations and structure, which found that officers have been affected by 'significant mission creep', taking on non-core functions like mental health response, domestic and family violence case management, and prisoner transport.
Speaking at a press conference, Chelepy said the fundamental role of policing had shifted to addressing societal issues, but police are not trained for that. The review recommends transitioning some domestic and family violence responsibilities back to the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, and appropriately funded NGOs. However, Nadia Bromley, CEO of Women's Legal Service, warned that domestic violence constitutes a significant amount of violent crime in Queensland, and most Queenslanders expect police to be the frontline response to violent crime.
Chelepy clarified that police would still attend callouts but would seek a clearer referral process to other agencies after ensuring community safety. He emphasised the need for wraparound services to reduce repeat calls. The report notes that domestic violence calls represent the single largest source of demand, accounting for 34% of hours in the computer-aided dispatch system, and up to 70% in some districts.
Bromley expressed concern that few domestic violence services operate outside business hours, and without significant investment, no other system is resourced to respond 24/7. The police minister, Dan Purdie, said shifting resources back to crime detection and prevention would help police refocus on core priorities. The government has introduced legislation to reduce paperwork for police responding to domestic violence incidents, allowing on-the-spot orders, though some experts fear this could put vulnerable women at greater risk.
The report makes 65 recommendations, including reducing the size of the police service's executive and moving 400 officers from back-office roles to frontline duties. Union leaders welcomed the findings, with the police union president calling for the Department of Health to address mental health issues instead of leaving them to police.
