Police Officer's Violent Conduct and Evidence Destruction Exposed
A former New South Wales police constable faces potential criminal prosecution and jail time after an independent investigation found he engaged in serious misconduct, including using excessive force on six separate occasions and deliberately destroying body-worn video evidence.
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) revealed on Monday that the 31-year-old officer, who resigned from the police force in June, physically assaulted teenagers during arrests and disposed of incriminating BWV devices in a body of water to conceal his actions.
Operation Bendoc Uncovers Pattern of Abuse
The investigation, codenamed Operation Bendoc, examined incidents occurring between February and April 2024. The most disturbing case involved the arrest of two teenagers at a train station on February 16th, where officers were responding to reports of young people carrying weapons.
The commission found the former constable threw a teenager to the ground and kicked them with significant force while they screamed in "fear and pain." In the same incident, he delivered three kicks to the stomach of another young person aged just 15.
An affidavit from the Aboriginal Legal Service documented that their client sustained facial grazes from the assault during arrest. The former officer admitted to the commission that he acted out of anger, stating: "I certainly felt so angry that my response was to lash out and kick him."
Colleagues Failed to Report Misconduct
The scandal deepened as the investigation revealed four other police officers knew about the constable's actions but failed to report them. The former officer had confessed to these colleagues about using excessive force on two occasions and destroying the body-worn video devices.
The LECC determined these officers also engaged in serious misconduct through their silence and recommended the police commissioner take reviewable action against them under the police act.
Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson SC expressed deep concern about the findings, stating: "Operation Bendoc revealed the repeated use of gratuitous force by a police officer for punitive reasons. Punishment of offenders is a matter for the courts. It is no part of the function of police officers."
Systemic Issues and Recommendations
Johnson highlighted the "great concern" about officers destroying BWV devices to conceal unlawful acts and noted the widespread problem of police reluctance to report misconduct by colleagues, which "erodes community confidence in the integrity of a police force."
The commission made several recommendations, including that the NSW police force provide additional support to officers experiencing "excessive stressors" and mental health concerns, along with enhanced training on the duty to report suspected misconduct.
The LECC has referred its findings to the director of public prosecutions for consideration of criminal charges. Under the commission's definitions, "serious misconduct" includes conduct that could result in prosecution carrying up to five years' imprisonment.
