Independent review into investigations of police-related deaths and DFV deaths in Queensland
On 26 November 2021, Professor Lorraine Mazerolle was engaged as Chief Investigator alongside Professor Elena Marchetti, Professor Janet Ransley and—prior to his judicial appointment—Mr Lincoln Crowley QC as Co-Chief Investigators to undertake an independent review of the current arrangements for the investigation and oversight of police-related deaths (the review).
The review arose from recommendation 2 of the State Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Cindy Leigh Miller, which recommended the government consider commissioning an independent review of the current arrangements for the investigation of police-related deaths—on behalf of the coroner—and the oversight of those investigations.
The review was undertaken in accordance with the Terms of reference (PDF) (or DOCX).
Recognising the public interest in ensuring that prior police involvement in domestic and family violence (DFV) deaths should be subject to independent review in a transparent and timely manner, the Terms of Reference for the review were broadened beyond the State Coroner’s recommendation to additionally examine the most appropriate mechanism for undertaking and overseeing reviews of prior police involvement in DFV deaths.
Final report
On 12 July 2022, the review delivered its final report, Independent review into the investigations of police-related deaths and domestic and family violence deaths in Queensland (the report).
The report makes 12 recommendations; 7 relate to investigative mechanisms for deaths in police custody and in the course of police operations, and 5 relate to investigative mechanisms for DFV deaths with prior police contact.