Ombudsman report into ACT Policing engagement with Aboriginal community

ACT Ombudsman Michael Manthorpe published a report into ACT Policing's engagement with Indigenous Canberrans on Tuesday, following a year-long investigation.

He said the investigation had been undertaken following a series of complaints and was set against a backdrop of an overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the justice system.

The report was critical that two years into a new $33.9 million policing model, ACT Policing had not adopted an overarching strategy for supporting and engaging with Indigenous Canberrans.

It found the territory's police officers were not trained on how to overcome unconscious bias in cultural training programs.

Cultural training programs were also not delivered regularly and there were no records of officers who had completed the training.

ACT Policing said the training had been developed in consultation with Indigenous elders but there were no records of this consultation.

The report said there were a number of gaps in policy framework, where either no policy or procedure existed or was incomplete.

An example was police officers had no written policies or procedures they could reference when making an arrest or conducting a field contact.

It pointed to the fact officers did not have to ask whether a person identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander prior to conducting a formal interview.

In the report, Mr Manthorpe said he had heard examples of "poor practice" through complaints and interactions his office had with the ACT's Indigenous community.

However, he preceded the comment by stating there were also examples of "excellent and respectful engagement".

Mr Manthorpe recommended a series of overhauls to ACT Policing's governance, policies and procedures.

Nine recommendations were made, including developing an overarching strategy, better consultation with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and better standard operating procedures.

ACT Policing has accepted five of the recommendations and has partially accepted another two.

ACT chief police officer Neil Gaughan said police would work closely with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to address the issues.

"I acknowledge that ACT Policing engagement with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community can always be improved," he said.

"That's why I have been working closely with the [chief police officer] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisory board and regularly meet with key community groups and stakeholders."

Mr Gaughan said he believed the ACT was able to better address high Indigenous incarceration rates as the territory is a smaller jurisdiction.

"Our geographically small jurisdiction means that we can work with our partners to tailor programs and initiatives to deliver the best outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples," he said.

ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said the report would inform an independent review into over-representation of Indigenous Australians in the territory's justice system.

"Trust is something that takes a long time to build and can be very easily undermined," she said.

"We know that there is going to be more work to do to continue to build that positive relationship between ACT Policing, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community at all levels of policing service."

Police Minister Mick Gentleman was unavailable for an interview on Tuesday afternoon but issued a written statement saying he welcomed the ACT Ombudsman's report.

"We remain committed to ensuring close consultation between ACT Policing and the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community," he said.

"This includes a working partnership with the ACT government, ACT Policing and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community groups to develop and deliver programs that better support people who come to the attention of police."

Canberra Liberals corrections spokeswoman Elizabeth Kikkert also welcomed the report but said the ACT government had to do its part in supporting the implementation of the report's recommendations.

"Taken seriously, these recommendations will go far in building trust whilst also addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous Canberrans in our justice system," she said.