The Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) of South Australia was commissioned by South Australia Police (SAPOL) to undertake a review about the nature and the extent of sex discrimination, sexual harassment and predatory behaviour in SAPOL and make recommendations to address it.

All current SAPOL staff, including sworn and non-sworn employees, volunteers and those who had left SAPOL in the last 12 months, were invited to take part in the review. They were asked to give their views on good practices as well as issues or concerns about what they had seen, heard or experienced.

The EOC received survey responses from almost 2000 people and conducted 53 face-to-face interviews.

The review found that sex discrimination and sexual harassment of women – and anyone else that doesn’t fit the white macho male stereotype - is commonplace in SAPOL, including amongst supervisors and managers.

The EOC has made 38 recommendations which, if implemented in full, will help evolve a culture in which gender equality is simply part of how SAPOL business is done and ensure that when people make a complaint about harassment or discrimination, their voice will be heard loud and clear.

The EOC will independently monitor and report on SAPOL’s progress over three years.