Eight current Tasmania Police officers have been subject to allegations of child sexual abuse, new data made public following the Commission of Inquiry shows.
In total, 22 officers have had such allegations made against them from 2000 to 2022.
Of the eight still serving, three were investigated internally and not forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), four were dismissed by the DPP and one was misidentified.
Four officers were found guilty within the 22 years, but none are currently serving.
The allegations included sexual intercourse with a young person, aggravated sexual assault and production of child exploitation material.
“The Tasmanian community has high expectations of its policing service and we are entrusted with significant powers to perform our duties to keep people safe,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Jonathan Higgins said.
“When a member of the community has a complaint, it is important that the process is clear and the community is kept informed about the outcome.”
As a result, police have made public for the first time Professional Standards Complaints and Outcomes from 2023 and Commission of Inquiry complaints.
“When a complaint is made, either by a member of the community or raised internally by another police officer, the community must have confidence that these matters are investigated appropriately and outcomes are publicly available,” Higgins said.
Commissioner Donna Adams said 29% of matters raised in 2023 were done so internally by police officers.
“Tasmania Police strives for excellence in serving the community,” she said.
“We will continue to build this culture amongst all officers, just as we will continue to welcome feedback from the community we serve.”
