Former Cairns police officer Rosario Russo, 43, who retired from the service in January, claims he suffered a mental and physical breakdown following years of job-related stress, bullying and threats from his fellow officers.

http://tools.cairns.com.au/yoursay/comment_all.php?article_id=76005

Now what disturbs me is a forum response from the Police Media of Brisbane.

Our full response: The Queensland Police Service makes no apologies for expecting the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from its officers. The community of Queensland deserves no less. Individuals who do not meet the high expectations of the Service or the community can and do face a rigorous disciplinary process. Many officers facing serious disciplinary issues will chose to resign, and a smaller number pursue medical retirement to avoid dismissal or other disciplinary processes. It is not uncommon in these instances for these individuals to express their discontent in public forums. Anyone who has concerns with the way they are treated through the disciplinary or criminal process has a number of avenues of recourse,
including their respective union, the Industrial Relations Commission and the Misconduct Tribunal. If such former officers have information about misconduct, they can report this to the Crime and Misconduct Commission, or the Ethical Standards Command.

** **

Hmmm. Seems common to try and coverup bullying culture from defence, teachers and police. Very worrying. He claims in the article he was cleared of wrongdoing yet in the response they claim he left to avoid getting the sack. I don't trust people behind such responses.

Is this not a public interest issue? Why say it should not be in the public forum? Public service isn't it?

The facebook page supporting the missing policeman Mick Isles has nearly 7,000 members. Mick Isles had returned to work for just 2 days following stress leave.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=136905519398

"The Isles family believes a Crime and Misconduct Commission investigation into false allegations of corruption against Senior Sergeant Isles was the trigger for his disappearance on September 23, two days after he returned to the police force following a long period of stress leave."

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/missing-policeman-no-longer-alive-20091106-i1iq.html

NO BULLYING CULTURE SAYS POLICE CHIEF.

Queensland's police minister and commissioner deny a culture of intimidation and bastardisation persists in the state's police service.

Their denials follow accusations raised by the families of two officers.

Whistleblower Sergeant Robbie Munn has been ordered off work for 18 months and told to see a psychiatrist after he campaigned against corruption at the Maroochydore police station on the Sunshine Coast.

Sgt Munn reported flaws in the promotion system and exposed cover-ups over the sexual assault by police of female detainees.
http://news.ninemsn.com/article.aspx?id=874673

In a bullying culture it is normal for the victims to be labelled the wrong doers and the bully to prosper. The whole bullying culture in Australia needs to be investigated. No 500 page reports, no handbooks, no more verbalising. Heads need to roll. I think we should start with the Chief of QLD police. How can they deny there is a problem?

It's always going to exist in one form or another. You can't stop it. There's a 'club' in every job, and everyone experiences it at some stage.

Unlike sexual harrassment, "bullying" can be ALOT more subtle, even unsaid. You can't prove it, or stop it.

Personally I think sometimes it can be justified if a copper's 'partner' is inadequate and detrimental to their well being through whatever reason. Sometimes the perceived victim CAN be the cause of their own problems. Not saying it's the rule and not saying it's excusable, but there's usually more than one side to a story.

The Police, the military, the fire service and various other careers have a certain in-house code of ... ethics, let's say. Keep your mouth shut and don't buck the system. The "Grey Man", I think it's called.

quote "Personally I think sometimes it can be justified"

I do not agree.

The cost to the taxpayer is massive, especialy all these allegations of misconduct that are deemed unwarranted. Plus the expense of stress leave that seems excessive.
The damage to people extraordinary.
The reward to bullies just promotes further bullying.
We run the risk of a "going postal" scenario in the workplace that will result in further expense, both human and financial.
Victims of bullies often cannot contribute to the workforce ever again meaning lifelong support on welfare and pensions.
Due to it being well known recruits to the police force could possibly be attracted to the type of culture.

It is becomig epidemic in society at large. Schools, web, private enterprise, public service. At what point do you suggest it is no longer justified? When shots are fired? When it affects your child, your spouse, your brother?

TheMissus
its all part of the conspiracy.
we ,the west, have been bullying and dominating peaceful societies for centuries and continue to do so .
and when they react the are labelled terrirists.
so at least you can say western culture is nothing be consistant in its behaviour at all levels even in the "kindergarden".

how can we raise armies without a bullying mentality,i ask.

Please read the whole comment and try to take in what I'm saying before replying this time.

Sometimes people are 'encouraged' - (as opposed to bullied for no other reason than psycho's in the work place) - to leave for everyone's best interests. For example: the military. I think it's better for a sub-standard officer to be 'bullied' out of a combat position if they are a hazard to everyone. Sometimes that is better than being 'fragged' upon contact with the enemy, don't you?.

Same as if someone who does crowd control might picks fights with patrons and be a hazard for others in the crew.

If a Police Officer is inept then the better option might be for them to be forced out by those sort of means than be left on their own in a hazardous situation. Don't you think?.

I'm NOT SAYING THIS IS ACCEPTABLE OR SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED, but I understand why it happens sometimes.

As for those SPECIFIC CASES YOUR ARTICLE MENTIONS then of course, let justice be done. All I'm suggesting FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION is that the 'victim' SOMETIMES has themselves to blame.

Stg

Yes, like rape. Sometimes a malicous claim can be made. Hard to prove. But when there is so many rape cases then that argument ceases to have merit. Serial rapist headlines start to appear.

There is an urgent need for investigation. I am not involved in any police officer case or even know a police officer btw. However Far north Queensland, Ayr, Rockhamptom, Sunshine Coast all have media stories of bullying within police force. 4,000 supporters on facebook. Seems many allegations of misconduct proven wrong. There is simply too much to ignore. Yet the Chief says, ah nothing. The police media response I feel is a form of bullying and intimidation in itself.

Plus the overwhelming evidence bullying in the workplace and schools is rampant there needs to be intervention.

Otherwise we just have an apology in 40 years from the PM of the day to The Forgotten Victims of Workplace and School Bullying. Why do we keep doing this in history, wait till later to say ooops..we were bad? Why not now. Why not?

kumajah

True.

Too true. So true.

Now we are black widows and devour our own as well, as has often been the case in history.

Money is only for the evil as usual.

The meek shall inherit the earth said God's Publisher. I don't think so!

STG, I am with you on this one.

Niether the police force, nor the armed forces is any place for weaklings.

There are plenty of office jobs in both if they really want to wear the uniform, but, leave the 'tough stuff' to the 'tough people'.

Remember, lives are put at risk every time a 'whimp' is sent out to do a tough task. Horses for courses.

Well no, not like rape. Malicious false claims of rape are about selfishness and vindictiveness. In the context I was talking about false allegations are more about about self preservation.

I get what you're saying though, and straight out bullies need to be dealt too by the full extent of the law. But bullies are easily dealt with. All you need is a bat and a dark carpark.

Whistle blowers are not protected in Australia.
They are often very brave, even more often very right but they can not win.
For every true honest person ten False ones ones exist.
They may truly think they are right.
May not truly understand they are not, but still not understand the facts.
However STG told us two side of a story exist, that is more often than not the first defense of guilt.
Followed by counter claims and even lies, the public service have it down pat, police even better.
Defend you self and your mates first, blacken the informant too.
I am a refugee from a NSW government department, my union activism helped drive me out.
I saw cars in care of that department striped and stolen, by lessor men, but men in the arms and protection of those who whitewashed them and blackened me.
But time and again these storys come up, one who painted that white wash was sacked, others exist, no one will ever inform on them again.
STG, police , a honest one is worth much more than we can pay, but others exist that are as low as you can go, whistle blowers suffer like this one because good men will not listen.

I don't disagree at all.

rectub
"There are plenty of office jobs in both if they really want to wear the uniform, but, leave the 'tough stuff' to the 'tough people'"

No bullies can be even worse in the office. It it not about toughness, in fact one was bullied for being too assertive in laying down the law.

It is about power. Power in the wrong hands with modern workplace conditions. Cave man had a better balance in life and there were tough. Nothing to do with toughness, though nice to see someone ignorant of it means one person has not been a victim yet.

I agree with Missus.

StG and rehctub: There are ways that competent organizations and managers can get troublesome people up to speed or out the door. Such ways include performance appraisal; personal development plans and the like.

There is a difference between the use of management strategies and bullying.

Bullies are often the least competent people and the victim is often someone who is, even unintentionally, a threat to existing dominance because of their competence.

Here is one of my favourite sites - Tim Field's work in compiling this site and information is remarkable.

http://www.bullyonline.org/

Apologies for voicing a parallel argument. You're mistaking me for someone who disagrees.

Pynchme makes a good point about competency. Bullies are bullies purely because they do not possess the tools and skills necessary to manage.

Whistleblowing cases bring out the bully in the worst offenders because it threatens to expose incompetence at best, corruption at worst.

If anyone is interested, tonight on SBS at 8.30pm there is the first of a three part series on whistleblowers starting I believe with Andrew Wilkie, the only intelligence officer to speak out against the invasion of Iraq.

Good I will watch that.

I noticed the increase in bullying occured when companies started to hire managers from outside based on high quality resumes, qualifications and self confidence at interview. Rarely on proven management ability and people skills. A response to one of the articles I linked so referred to it as "parachuting into jobs". Although at face value these attributes are very good, without the addition of good management experience they are quite dangerous skills reflecting pure ego and possibly power freak personality traits.

I worked for a manager once, he did not seem to like anyone. Old grouch. However he recognised the skills each staff member had and exploited those skills for the benefit of the company. He would yell at you for taking 3 days for work he thought should take 1 day. Wanted to know why. You told him why and next thing he comes back and says IT are working on a solution he thought of. Within a month the task only took one day. Some called him a bully but all he lacked was bedside manner, he was a brilliant manager.

He left and was replaced by designer suit clad ego on a road to financial success story. Looked good, sounded good, great resume. Too complex to describe so will use an analogy.

con't

A manager of head office bank goes into branch where he is on holidays and ask teller for $2,000 and will fill paperwork out later. Teller refuses as against company policy so supervisor calls and says teller should give him the money. Next day designer suit calls from head office gives a warning to teller for not following procedure. Even though two senior employees instructed her to.

Next day the manager walks in and demands another $2,000. Teller refuses. Supervisor comes over and teller still refuses. Supervisor and manager complain to designer suit and he calls teller and abuses them for not following instructions from managers. That is bullying.

The teller could do nothing to please manager as he only was out to make himself look good to two senior managers, one who wanted the rules followed and one that wanted the rules broken. He had no need to impress the bank teller. That is workplace bullying. He pleases the ones that matter but not through good management, just from sucking up. He exposes the company to risk by placing it at financial loss and by allowing procedures to be bypassed, he also risks losing employees as nobody can work in this condition, he puts the company at risk for stress leave claims and also for lawsuits.

It is incompentance because the best outcome for the company is not his ambition, it is a belief all he has to do it look compliant and agreeable to those that matter for his next promotion. It is also why many bullies are described as being so nice, except toward the victim.

In my case was far more complicated, I left as my head hurt from banging against a wall. I wrote to the manager senior to designer suit and labelled the email "how I could have stolen 1/2 million dollars without detection". Never mentioned the bully's name, but he was gone pretty soon after I heard. Didn't help me keep my job but some satisfaction was had.:)

Sorry to waffle on but subject close to my heart.

I just read of One Tel judgement.

The interesting fact here is that I was not an insider at all. I was a customer. It was clear charges did not reflect actual revenue. So many people disputed claims, so many forums like this with people claiming they were not going to pay. So many people, so much said. Too much noise. Too many errors. I wrote to the stock exchange and asked them why a company with obvious flaws in billing and income reporting was allowed exchange listing, or why auditing had not disclosed to the market possible errors in valuations due to billing errors? Why was doubtful debts not reflecting the reality? I provided so many links it should have been questioned.

The evidence of poor accounting was blindingly obvious. Of course I was ignored and of course the Packer or the Rich had no knowledge 2 years later of any issues with the company, yet I did? A little old customer knew that this company stunk, yet high flyer owners had no knowledge?

Hmm. Now ASIC lose their case? If ASIC cannot win against such obvious poor accounting well before collapse of company then this country has a personal problem. What is the point in whistle blowing, if you cannot win? Customers were bullied and shareholder ripped off. Bad. Very bad.

Agreed missus. Muck ups like One.Tel and Enron really make a mockery of accounting standards, governance and accountability.

Watched the Wilkie story - what a brave man. Actually made me cry (yes...I am a sook) when reminded of the accusations and attempts to discredit Wilkie post the Laurie Oakes interview and subsequent media interest