A South Australian police officer who threatened to tie a noose around an Aboriginal man’s neck, set him on fire and drag him through the streets was sent to cultural sensitivity training, the state’s police ombudsman has revealed.
Then this year the officer was ordered to attend cultural sensitivity training by the SA police commissioner.
The “drunken and maudlin” Aboriginal man was detained under the Mental Health Act and had asked the officer if he was going to kill him, according to a case study published in the Office of the Police Ombudsman’s annual report.
“You think I’m a dog, don’t you,” the man said.
“I actually think you’re a black c***”, the officer responded.
“You’re going to kill me aren’t you ...,” the man continued.
“I’d like to tie the hose around your neck, set you on fire and drag you around the streets attached to our car with lights and sirens on,” the officer said.
Acting Police Ombudsman Michael Grant questioned the officer’s punishment, saying he could have been fired, suspended, demoted, fined or transferred.
Mr Grant said he agreed with his predecessor Sarah Bolt’s view the officer was “unsuitable” for the force and felt “compelled” to make the exchange public.
The ombudsman also revealed he was now dealing with a second complaint about the same officer from another Aboriginal person.
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