A former Victoria Police officer with 36 years of service is pleading for reinstatement after being dismissed due to his online anti-LGBTQI comments.
63-year-old Sergeant Bruno Staffieri attended a Police Registration and Services Board dismissal hearing on Friday, where he sought to regain his position, insisting that his intention was not to offend anyone but to express his Christian beliefs before pledging not to repeat his actions.
According to The Herald Sun, Staffieri has a history of making homophobic comments on social media platforms. In May 2021, he criticised the Victorian government for cancelling Australia Day and Anzac Day celebrations due to COVID-19 restrictions while allowing the Midsumma Pride march in St Kilda to take place after restrictions were eased.
Staffieri suggested that the 8,000 march participants could be sent to fight in a war using feathers and brightly coloured boas as their defence.
Later that year, Staffieri posted on a Victoria Police Linkedin post about Wear in Purple Day, stating that he disagreed with the LGBTQ+ community and was repulsed by their actions while urging his colleagues not to wear purple clothes in support of the event.
Staffieri is also reported to have had a heated exchange with then (2021) Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson regarding Victoria Police’s participation in the Australian LGBTQ+ inclusion awards.
Staffieri persisted in sharing anti-LGBTQI content on social media. In March 2022, he shared an ABC report about a Sydney school teacher who established an LGBTQ+ student support group, calling it a “disgraceful crime.” In November 2022, he mocked a colleague studying gender equality and inclusion, insisting that only two genders exist.
As Staffieri fights for his job, the outcome of his dismissal hearing remains uncertain.
