Ethical Standards Command

Our purpose

The Ethical Standards Command (ESC) promotes and upholds professional standards, ethical practice and organisational integrity to foster community trust and confidence in Queensland policing.

We do this in partnership with our stakeholders delivering activities in a timely, consistent, and fair manner to prevent and respond to matters that impact the ethical health of the organisation.  Our approach is underpinned by principles of guidance, correction, rehabilitation, and when necessary, discipline, to support a culture of integrity and professional standards.

What we do

ESC contributes to the integrity, accountability and professionalism of the Queensland Police Service by:

• Assessing, coordinating and overseeing complaints, conduct matters and police-related incidents to ensure they are managed fairly, consistently and in accordance with legislative and policy requirements;  
• Investigating serious misconduct, corrupt conduct and other matters requiring investigation under relevant legislation and policy\
• Administering and supporting the QPS discipline framework, including complaint assessment, disciplinary processes and professional standards governance;
• Maintaining liaison with external oversight and integrity agencies, including the Crime and Corruption Commission, and supporting the effective management of Public Interest Disclosures across the Service;
• Promoting ethical leadership, professional standards and ethical decision-making across the organisation;
• Delivering education, training and development programs relating to ethics, integrity, discipline, investigations and professional practice;
• Undertaking inspections, compliance reviews and assurance activities to strengthen governance, accountability and legislative compliance;
• Conducting operational reviews, critical incident reviews and organisational assessments to support learning and continuous improvement;  
• Implementing integrity and corruption prevention strategies, policies, resources and initiatives that strengthen ethical practice and reduce misconduct risk;
• Providing intelligence, research, data analytics and reporting to identify emerging integrity risks and support evidence-based decision-making;
• Monitoring organisational integrity risks, complaint trends and ethical health indicators to support proactive risk management; and  
• Supporting ethical infrastructure, organisational reform and continuous improvement initiatives that enhance the integrity, capability and performance of the Service.

Our Groups

Internal Investigation Group (IIG)

The Internal Investigation Group investigates allegations of serious misconduct, corruption and other matters requiring investigation under relevant legislation and policy. The group also investigates deaths in custody and selected police-related incidents, and works with oversight agencies to ensure matters are managed appropriately and consistently. The Group contributes to organisational learning by identifying issues and opportunities for improvement arising from investigations.

Integrity and Performance Group (IPG)

The Integrity and Performance Group promotes ethical practice, integrity and professionalism across the Queensland Police Service through prevention, education, assurance, complaint management, intelligence, review and organisational improvement activities. The Group supports the Ethical Standards Command by helping to identify and manage integrity risks, strengthen professional standards, improve complaint and conduct management, and support continuous improvement across the Service.

The Group performs a broad range of functions aimed at informing, advising, assisting and supporting QPS members and leaders on matters that impact the professionalism and integrity of the organisation. These functions include compliance reviews, ethics education, corruption prevention, complaint assessment and coordination, operational reviews, specialist advice, data-informed intelligence, and support for ethical infrastructure and organisational reform.

Through this work, the Integrity and Performance Group contributes to public confidence in Queensland policing by supporting fair, timely and consistent processes; promoting ethical decision-making; identifying opportunities to reduce misconduct risk; and assisting the Service to maintain high standards of integrity, accountability and professional practice.

Complaints Management Unit (CMU)

The Complaints Management Unit provides centralised oversight, coordination and assessment of complaints and reportable conduct matters across the Queensland Police Service. The Unit receives, triages and assesses allegations concerning the conduct of QPS members, determines the most appropriate management pathway and supports the timely, fair and consistent application of complaint and disciplinary processes. Through governance, monitoring, advice and quality assurance activities, CMU promotes accountability, procedural fairness and organisational learning while supporting public confidence in the integrity of Queensland policing.

State Coordinator (SCO)

The State Coordinator provides strategic oversight of complaint and conduct management within the Queensland Police Service, ensuring matters are assessed and managed consistently, fairly and in accordance with legislative and policy requirements. The role supports organisational accountability, risk-based decision making and continuous improvement through governance, quality assurance and stakeholder engagement activities. The State Coordinator also maintains liaison with external oversight and integrity agencies, including the Crime and Corruption Commission, to support the effective management of complaints, misconduct and corruption-related matters and to promote public confidence in the integrity of Queensland policing.

State Case Management Unit (SCMU)

T The State Case Management Unit provides specialist investigative capacity and oversight in response to complaints concerning allegations of sexism, racism, misogyny, homophobia and member involved Domestic and Family Violence across the Service.  These themes were central to the evidence at the Queensland Government’s Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence that identified significant and concerning negative impacts within the organisation. The unit was established to provide an independent, consistent and restorative approach, ensuring the culture within the QPS meets community expectations.

The Unit provides state-wide leadership and support via the Professional Practice Manager (PPM) network, who play a key role in assisting regions, districts and commands to manage complaint and disciplinary matters. PPMs provide specialist advice and guidance on complaint management, disciplinary processes, policy application, recording and reporting requirements, and support local managers to resolve matters effectively, consistently and in accordance with legislative and procedural requirements.  

The Unit also incorporates Internal Witness Support, which operates as a dedicated service to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and procedural fairness of members engaged in internal reporting processes. This includes providing support and guidance to those members who make ‘public interest disclosures’ (PID) in accordance with the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2010.

Staff Member Investigation Group (SMIG)

The Staff Member Investigation Group (SMIG) conducts workplace investigations involving allegations of serious misconduct and corrupt conduct relating to staff members. In addition to conducting investigations, SMIG also provides public sector advice relevant to Queensland’s integrity framework.

Suspension and Stand Down Unit (SSDU)

The Suspension and Stand Down Unit provides specialist management support to the Commissioners Delegate (the Assistant Commissioner Ethical Standards Command) in managing risk within the Service by overseeing stand down or suspension actions for members under investigation. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the reputation of the Service and address specific risks posed by the member while a complaint is resolved.