Queensland watch house whistleblower labelled ‘dog’ in Facebook group for police

A Queensland police whistleblower who leaked audio recordings of officers using racist and violent language has been called a "rat" and a "dog" in a private Facebook group for police officers.

The QPS has apologised for the "sickening and disturbing" Brisbane city watch house recordings - which included comments that black people should be beaten and buried - and said the incidents are being investigated.

The police commissioner, Katarina Carroll, said on Tuesday that the actions of the whistleblower, Steven Marshall, were "excellent" and encouraged officers to come forwards with complaints.

Marshall says he made the decision to release the recordings to the Guardian, which were published Sunday, after previous attempts to raise separate matters of concern via internal QPS processes resulted in little formal action, while he says he suffered alleged reprisals from colleagues.

He says he did complain internally about one of the recordings, as well as submitting all of them to the state commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence.

The inquiry heard several alleged instances where whistleblowers suffered adverse consequences for making a complaint, including officers who said they had been labelled a "dog" by colleagues.

Guardian Australia has seen screenshots of a discussion about the watch house recordings in a private Facebook group for law enforcement officers. Current and former Queensland police officers appear to be involved in the conversation, which includes attacks on Marshall and comments that the recordings are not problematic.