NCJ Number
180510
Date Published
1997
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Amnesty International believes that the force used by police in cited arrests of Aborigines in Queensland, Australia, in 1997 was excessive and that other similar events occur in Australia with some frequency.
Abstract
In March 1997, an altercation between Aborigines was broken up by other Aborigines when police and private security guards at the scene. Seven Aborigines were arrested; some were kicked and punched by police officers. Eyewitnesses and victims claimed that police officers used excessive force during at least three of the arrests. The police officers involved in the arrests appeared to be indifferent to the fact that they were being watched by a crowd of 20 to 30 bystanders and that the incident was being recorded. Following media publication of excerpts and photographs taken from the video, the Queensland Police Commissioner issued a media release explaining that it would be inappropriate for him to make further comments in relation to the incident because numerous charges arising from it had come before the courts and because the Queensland Criminal Justice Commission was expected to conduct an investigation. The 1997 incidents and reports and studies of other cases involving Australian police officers have led Amnesty International to conclude that some police officers continue to disregard policies aimed at preventing unnecessary arrest, and that the escalation of police intervention in cases in which the alleged original offense is petty in nature. 11 footnotes