Queensland Police Receive Safety Notices Over Watch House Conditions

The Queensland Police Service is facing scrutiny over conditions inside the state’s watch houses after Workplace Health and Safety Queensland issued multiple regulatory notices. The issue was reported by ABC Brisbane...

The Queensland Police Service is facing scrutiny over conditions inside the state’s watch houses after Workplace Health and Safety Queensland issued multiple regulatory notices. The issue was reported by ABC Brisbane on September 2 and remains a current Queensland public-safety story. Watch houses are facilities used by police to temporarily hold people who have been arrested or are otherwise in custody. Conditions within these facilities can affect both detainees and police and other staff working inside them. The regulatory notices indicate that workplace safety authorities have identified concerns serious enough to require formal attention. Such notices can require an organisation to address identified workplace hazards and take steps to improve safety. The development comes amid continuing discussion about the pressure placed on Queensland’s police custody system. Police facilities must manage people in custody while also ensuring staff have a safe environment in which to perform their duties. The latest report does not indicate that the notices themselves relate to a particular criminal offence. Instead, they concern workplace health and safety conditions within police watch houses. The Queensland Police Service is responsible for operating and managing its custody facilities, while Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has a regulatory role in workplace safety. The involvement of the safety regulator means the concerns are being considered through a formal workplace-safety process. Issues involving custody facilities can be particularly sensitive because people held there may have complex needs, while police and other workers can also face challenging conditions. Appropriate facilities, procedures and staff protections are therefore important for maintaining safety. The notices are part of an ongoing regulatory process, and further information may become available as Queensland authorities respond to the identified concerns. This report should not be interpreted as evidence that every Queensland watch house has the same conditions. The regulatory action concerns specific safety matters identified by the workplace safety authority.