Officers who question Qld police bikies crackdown told to 'reconsider their future'

Updated

Queensland police who disagree with the crackdown on bikie gangs have been told to reconsider their future with the service.

The Queensland Police Union (QPU) says internal emails sent to rank and file officers warn them to carry out the mission or be shown the door.

One email says: "Government considers that we - the QPS Senior Executive - have failed to adequately and professionally respond to this matter - consider this in all your communication and thinking".

"This is a crisis - has been compared to a terrorist act - we should be developing our strategies locally based on this type of thinking.

"The mission is clear - to rid Queensland of criminal motorcycle gangs (CMG) - it is to be achieved in conjunction with normal business, priorities and the current change process - if this is not personally acceptable to you, consider your future with the QPS.

"This is a long-term operation - its importance is to be reinforced at every opportunity - momentum is to be continued and grown in our response capability. You are to act lawfully at all times - however discretion in the application of the law to CMG members is not to be considered - the law is to be enforced to the letter.

"You are required to develop meaningful longer-term strategies to irradiate [sic] all CMG activity and membership in your District - we will incorporate this into our weekly management process and the performance management process."

Another email describes instructions to police monitoring tattoo parlours.

"The bottom line is - if the media takes a photo of a group of CMGs at a tattoo parlour over the weekend [and] we have done nothing about actively [patrolling] these places, we are looking for new jobs," the email said.

"Please record the time you or your crews do the drive-bys and which tattoo parlour.

"If we don't do it 20 times a shift I don't think we will have a defence if a CMG is photographed on the premises."

Some police 'living in fear of retribution'

QPU president Ian Leavers says police have every right to question the crackdown because many are being forced to carry out search warrants at tattoo parlours and clubhouses without legal grounds.

"Police were told to go and get some search warrants and go and search all the residences we know that are owned by bikies," he said.

"When the question was asked what are the grounds, they said 'just do your job if you want to have a job'."

Mr Leavers says some police have also been told to intercept bikies at the border with New South Wales and block their entry to Queensland.

He says some officers are living in fear of retribution.

Mr Leavers says he is worried officers staking out tattoo parlours and clubhouses in marked cars and full uniform will be targetted.

"I've also asked that police be protected from public databases where them and their families can be tracked down," he said.

"The Commissioner has said 'well they can remove their name from the electoral roll'.

"Quite frankly Commissioner, that doesn't go far enough."

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart says officers are being asked to take reasonable and lawful actions.

Mr Stewart says officers should not act unlawfully as part of the crackdown on bikie gangs.

"If any officer is being asked to do something that they believe is wrong or unlawful, then we have internal systems that they can report that and we can deal with it," he said.

"I am very, very clear about this - I want our people to do everything lawfully, fairly, professionally."

Premier Campbell Newman says he expects police will follow the "letter of the law" in dealing with bikie gangs.

Mr Newman says new anti-bikie laws must be properly administered.

"Similarly if there are laws to do with legal processes, to do with warrants, and that I've got every expectation that the sworn police officers of the QPS will properly follow the processes of the law," he said.

Lawyer plans High Court challenge

Meanwhile, Brisbane criminal lawyer Peter Shields says he will move as quickly as he can to challenge Queensland's anti-bikie laws in the High Court.

Mr Shields represents clients belonging to numerous motorcycle clubs, though he will not reveal which ones.

He believes the Lawless Association Disestablishment Act will not stack up under High Court scrutiny because of the excessive jail terms it imposes on individuals linked to bikie gangs.

Mr Shields also says police and the State Government have not explained what constitutes proof of membership.

"It means one of two things - one, they don't want to help people comply with the law or two, no-one really knows what people must do," he said.

The Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act (VLAD) includes mandatory sentences for bikie gang members of up to 25 years on top of normal penalties for crime.

Mr Shields has told the ABC the law discriminates and believes it will not stack up in the High Court.

"If the High Court rules it invalid, then costs will be awarded to the state of Queensland," he said.

Mr Shields says he intends on taking it to the High Court to challenge it "as soon as we can".

He says everyone should be treated equally under the law.

Pink prison uniform to 'embarrass' bikies

Meanwhile, a plan to force bikies in Queensland jails to wear fluorescent jumpsuits has been slammed by prisoner support groups.

Mr Newman says forcing bikie gang members to wear pink prison uniforms would embarrass them.

The State Government has asked Corrective Services to look at replacing the current khaki uniforms with something much brighter.

Qld anti-bikie laws include: Extra powers for Qld's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC)

Bikie-only prison at Woodford, north of Brisbane

Mandatory sentences of 15 years for serious crimes committed as part of gang activity, on top of the normal penalty

Club office bearers will be sentenced to another 10 years in jail, and parole will only be granted if the offender cooperates with police

Convicted bikies subjected to strict drug tests and searches in prison

Bikie criminals in other state prisons to be transferred to Woodford

Introducing a licensing regime for tattoo parlours and artists, banning bikie gang members

Motorcycles to be crushed as punishment for certain crimes

The idea has been borrowed from the US state of Arizona where some male prisoners have to wear pink.

Mr Newman says inmates in a new bikies-only section of Woodford Prison north of Brisbane will be required to wear pink.

"They are bullies and they like to wear scary-looking gear - leather jackets, they have the tattoos, they have their colours," he said.

"We know that asking them - well, not asking them telling them - to wear pink is going to be embarrassing for them.

"Make no apologies for that - thugs and bullies need to be brought into line."

Opposition spokesman Curtis Pitt says prison staffing is a bigger concern, given the current crackdown.

"The threat of wearing a pink uniform in prison is not going to be something that's going to deter people from undertaking criminal activity," he said.

"I'd rather talk about how many people are going to be in correctional services uniforms, how staffing is going to go and how well resourced those staff are going to be."

Sisters Inside spokeswoman Debbie Kilroy says it is a ridiculous suggestion.

"It's actually foolish and an absolute waste of our taxpayers' money again and again and again, considering they're talking about going down US lines," she said.

"We know the US prison system is an absolute fundamental failure.

"It hasn't reduced imprisonment, it hasn't reduced costs."

Ms Kilroy says she does not think the new jumpsuits will have the desired effect.

"What makes no sense at all to me is that why would we be spending taxpayers' money on making new prison uniforms for men who are deemed associates under the VLAD Act," she said.

"Considering they're supposed to be spending 23 hours a day in isolation and not mix with anyone?"

Topics: police, crime, unions, crime-prevention, public-sector, laws, qld

First posted