If they had not been discriminated against,the CCC estimated about 200 more men would have been successful in their attempt to join the police service.
The CCC said it obtained significant evidence to show some staff members in the recruiting section consistently used misleading and vague statements,and deficient,inaccurate,misleading and false reporting to a range of people.
CCC chair Alan MacSporran said the intention of the policy was admirable but the strategy was challenging for the police service within the “realities of their recruiting environment”.
A letter from former Commissioner Ian Stewart in 2015,revealed in the CCC’s report,asked a senior official to “immediately put in place strategies to select not less than 50 per cent of females per intake”. But he recently said it was an “aspirational” goal,not a direction.
“There was ambiguity about whether the then-commissioner had directed staff to ensure 50 per cent of recruits were female,or whether this was an ‘aspirational’ target with a recognition that it may not be met,” Mr MacSporran said.
Mr MacSporran said staff and management in recruitment knew discriminatory practices were used to achieve the 50 per cent target.
“Among the executive,no one appears to have given any serious thought to - or asked any critical questions about – a strategy that would affect the whole organisation for years to come,” he said.
The commission concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal action against any person as a result of its investigation,which began in January 2020.
But there was sufficient evidence to support taking disciplinary action against some “persons of interest”,and the CCC would take action,seeking a finding of corrupt conduct.
Two police employees and a Public Safety Business Agency employee have been suspended as part of an internal disciplinary process.
Another person identified in the report has since left the police service.
Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the police service would implement all recommendations as a priority.
“The conduct alleged in this report is completely disappointing and can I reassure the public that this alleged behaviour does not meet the standards or expectations of our Queensland police officers and dedicated staff,” she said.
“When I was sworn in as Commissioner,I said that while it is important to be inclusive and diverse,we should always take the best possible applicants regardless of their gender or ethnicity.”
Ms Carroll said the report identified six women who did not meet the initial minimum standards to enter the academy but each recruit met all the requirements to become a police officer.
Assistant Commissioner Charysse Pond has been asked to conduct a complete review of the police service’s recruitment practices.
The police service adopted the policy to achieve gender equity as part of a whole-of-government strategy announced in 2015.
In 2016,Mr Stewart officiallylaunched the drive to lift female recruitment to 50 per cent,arguing both the service and state would benefit from more women on the frontline.
At the time,women made up about 26 per cent of officers and recruits,and 30 per cent of applicants.
Last month,Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed the target of 50 per cent of women on government boards had been met,hitting 54 per cent.