QPS Fails to Meet Public Perception Benchmarks for Police Integrity

Queensland Police Service has failed to meet its goals related to public perception of police integrity, with some metrics falling significantly short. The QPS's annual report, tabled in state parliament, includes data on how the public views police professionalism and honesty, as well as trust and equality.

The data, based on the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing (NSCSP), which surveyed 20,811 people aged 18 and over across the country, reveals that only 55.9 per cent of Queenslanders think police officers are honest, almost 20 per cent below the service's goal of 75 per cent.

"The former government never backed or supported police, and Steven Miles and Labor's continued failure to back our stronger laws and greater support for frontline officers makes that clear," Police Minister Dan Purdie said.

The service also missed its 75 per cent goal on public perception of fairness and equality, with only 52.3 per cent of Queenslanders agreeing police officers "treat people fairly and equally".

With goals of 85 per cent, the report found 68.6 per cent think police perform their job professionally, and 63.8 per cent said they have confidence in the police.

Attorney-general Deb Frecklington said the government "continues to consider the implementation of a police integrity unit after Labor spent years sitting on their hands and failing to take any action".

The measure forms part of the QPS's key performance metrics, but this year fell under the category "discontinued measures". The report stated the specific service standard would not be measured in the next financial year due to "state and federal state and territory police agencies agreeing not to extend the National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing (NSCSP) contract beyond 30 June 2026".

A spokesperson for QPS said the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) Board, which is responsible for the NSCSP, had decided to discontinue the survey in collaboration with state and federal police agencies including QPS.

"The QPS is working with ANZPAA on alternative options," the spokesperson said. "Complaints from members of the public against sworn officers will continue to be tracked as part of the Report on Government Services."