Dalby Queensland police officer under investigation after ‘headbutting a teenage boy’

An off-duty police officer is being investigated by his own colleagues after appearing to headbutt a teen who taunted him: “You’re nothing without your badge.”

A 14-year-old Aboriginal teen was allegedly assaulted by officers outside a Dalby McDonald’s restaurant in North Queensland on Sunday evening after a group of five teens mocked and insulted him.

The officer, a cop, can be seen in a video recorded by one of the teens approaching them demanding to know who just said something offensive to him.

After tensions flared, the officer warned the teens to run away before headbutting a 14-year-old Aboriginal teen

‘Hi? Which one of you said that?,” says the officer, before adding, “What badge do I have now?”

“Slap me, hit me – you’re a pig,” replies a teenager.

Another in the group, wearing a blue jacket, repeatedly asks the cop to walk away.

The off-duty agent then tells them they have until three before things get physical.

“I’ll give you three seconds to walk away or I’ll headbutt you,” the officer says. ‘Three two one…’

Before the headbutt, an unidentified teenager can be heard repeating that the officer is a “pig” and “nothing without the badge.”

Moments later, the officer walks within inches of the 14-year-old and appears to headbutt him, causing onlookers to gasp.

The off-duty officer made the group count to three before saying he was going to headbutt them, which he then did

Police Commissioner Katrina Carroll said the officer in question has resigned while an internal investigation continues

The teen admitted to taunting the officer, but claims the adult should have known better.

“I kind of provoked it, but at the end of the day he’s a cop and should be the bigger person in situations,” the teen said. told 7News.

“When he hit me, a kind of flash happened in my eyes, and I just leaned over holding my teeth as the blood came out of my mouth because he broke my lip in three places.

“I feel like he’s after me because of my color, because of the color of my skin.”

The video is now the focus of an internal investigation by the Police Ethical Standards Command into the off-duty police officer’s actions that evening.

Ms Carroll said the internal review will decide ‘whether that officer should be retired or suspended’.

“I didn’t see what happened before that, but based on what I saw, those actions are completely inappropriate,” she said. Ms Carroll also said it was completely inappropriate for a police officer, whether off duty or not, to ever physically assault anyone.

The investigation continues.