NSW Police target gay officers with drug strike force Andro

NSW Police target gay officers with drug strike force Andro
Image: (PHOTO: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)

NSW GREENS MP Jenny Leong has called for an immediate response from Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione after it was revealed four openly gay police officers were allegedly discriminated against because of their sexuality.

Four police officers from the Newtown Local Area Command (LAC) were the target of an eight-man strike force to investigate alleged illicit drug use.

 Reports in Fairfax Media revealed strike force Andro was assembled to undertake random workplace drug tests, compile behavioural intelligence on the officer, intercept their communications and carry out surveillance in bars they were known to attend.

Christopher Sheehy, Shane Housego, Steven Rapisarda, and Christian McDonald – who has since left the force – were the officers at the centre of the investigation and have since been cleared of any wrongdoing.

The Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW accepted individual complaints from all four men based on “homosexuality discrimination against the NSW Police Force”. The men also lodged an application with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to overturn a police decision to deny them access to the investigation file.

According to reports, McDonald was also on the receiving end of homophobic comments from his superior officers. When he fell and hit his head while working he was allegedly told, “you should be used to having your head down, arse up in the concrete”.

When McDonald requested leave to celebrate his wedding anniversary, a different superior officer said, “same sex marriage is not OK with me. It disgusts me”.

Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong, who was the target of online trolling by members of Newtown’s LAC, said she was disturbed by the reports of these incidents and the blatantly homophobic and discriminatory language being used.

“The Newtown community is one that is known to celebrate difference and diversity – having this type of incident occur at our local area command is unacceptable,” she said.

“This is not the first time members of the NSW police have been accused of engaging in the type of offensive discriminatory behaviour that they should be protecting communities from. There is clearly an urgent need for cultural change.

“I commend the officers who have made the decision to speak out and take action against those who have targeted them. Exposing homophobia and discrimination in a workplace is an incredibly difficult thing to do and by doing so they have done our Newtown community and the LGBTI community a service.

“We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Police Minister and Commissioner to find out what the police leadership will be doing to attempt to rebuild the trust of the Newtown and LGBTI communities across NSW.”

Honour Award nominated law firm Dowson Turco is representing the four men.

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3 responses to “NSW Police target gay officers with drug strike force Andro”

  1. oh what a surprise!?
    coming from one of the most corrupt and brutal (shoot first , think later) police forces in the federation.
    SBS program “Deep Water” has been a long time in coming to really expose what these criminals with badges are actually like.
    It’s just the tip of the ice-berg.

  2. I am a supporter of our police but in this case senior police officials involved in this should hang their head in shame

  3. All of the discriminating officers should be summarily dismissed for their conduct. As the people responsible for enforcement of the law, there can be no excuse for their blatant disregard for and offfences in relation to it.

    The police not only can be held to the same standards of behaviour as members of any other workforce; they must be held to the same standards of behaviour as the members of any other workforce (if not to an even higher standard). Homophobic behaviour is a legal ground for instant dismissal in any other industry; it must also be so in the police force.