Queensland Police has been roasted over its use of a Hitler cartoon depicting a police officer in its new domestic violence training.
Deputy Police Commissioner Tracy Linford was slammed by 4BC radio hostNeil Breen in an interview on Wednesday over the “embarrassing mistake” made in coercive control training.
“If that sort of mistake is getting through into the coercive control online training module, whaxjmtzywt else is going wrong?” Breen said.
“I think the Queensland Police Service is broken on this issue and you’re (Ms Linford) at the helm of it.”
The cartoon was used in the place of a Queensland Police officer questioning a domestic violence victim to learn if they are under coercive control.
The “error” – featured on at least two pages of the training module – was made when the creator attempted to depict a cartoon police officer talking to a member of the public.
An image can be seen of Hitler with his infamous moustache, wearing a world war two II uniform.
Mr Breen said the mistake followed a long line of mistakes on domestic violence in Queensland, including the tragic deaths of Doreen Langham, Hannah Clarke and her children.
“No one in the Queensland Police could say with a straight face you’re getting it right.” he said.
“The point I am trying to make here is that if this error can get in, what other errors can get in and why have so many things gone wrong with regards to the treatment of domestic violence issues in Queensland?
Ms Linford said no one, including herself, had noticed the offensive error.
“The training package has been through a lot – no one seemed to pick it up until yesterday.” she said.
The commissioner disagreed with Mr Breen’s comment on the system being broken and minutes later replied saying “it’s a system problem”. “But you’re in charge of the system. The system is yours.” Mr Breen said.
Last month Ms Linford defended the integrity of police domestic violence training and said officers had to undertake practical assessments and exercises before they enter the field.
Queensland Police has since taken down the image.
