Queensland Police Service (QPS) refused to take disciplinary action against an officer accused of serious domestic violence against his heavily pregnant partner. The officer was also charged with interfering to weaken her protection order. The case came to light in a Queensland tribunal judgment this month. The Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) challenged the police decision. The tribunal found QPS made a mistake and ordered them to start a delayed disciplinary investigation. The officer was stood down on full pay in 2022 and faced four criminal charges. He left the force in 2023, declared medically unfit. Last year, police said there was “no tangible benefit” in disciplining the officer since court cases were ongoing. The tribunal rejected this. It said such discipline would ensure the officer’s conduct was properly judged inside the police service. The officer's actions included multiple violent attacks on his pregnant ex-partner. The tribunal said this posed a serious risk to her and her unborn child. There were also threats to kill and continued disobedience of laws. His interference with justice was premeditated and coercive, leading to conditions of a Temporary Protection Order being weakened, putting the victim at risk. Acting Detective Superintendent Christopher Hansel had decided not to investigate. The tribunal said his reasons were “misconceived and not supported by evidence.” It also said the disciplinary process would help maintain public trust in the police. Recently, QPS scrapped its specialist domestic violence unit, claiming cultural issues found in a 2022 inquiry had been fixed.