Leaked audio recordings from the Brisbane city police watch house have exposed officers using racist slurs and joking about violence against black people and protesters. The tapes, obtained by Guardian Australia from a whistleblower, capture multiple offensive conversations involving watch house officers and sworn police.
In one recording, an officer jokes about beating and burying black people, referring to them as “real fucking Sudanese people” and saying “just get ’em and beat the fuck out of them and bury them. Mate, no one would know.” Another officer refers to Nigerians as “jigaboos” and expresses fears that Australia “will be fucking taken over.” Discussions also include jokes about “skull dragging” protesters and comments about African population growth, with one officer saying “let’s just hope Ebola works.”
The whistleblower, Steven Marshall, a watch house officer of four years, says he recorded the conversations after being deeply disturbed by the racist remarks. He claims he exhausted internal complaints over many years but felt they were never taken seriously, and that he suffered reprisals for speaking up. Marshall says he worked with “hundreds of good officers” but had serious concerns about the culture at the Brisbane city watch house.
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) said in a statement that its ethical standards command is investigating and would review any previous complaints. The QPS stated that “adverse language used towards the First Nations community is completely unacceptable” and that it encourages members to report inappropriate behaviour. The QPS also noted new oversight measures as part of an ongoing review into its local managerial resolution system.
