WARNING: This article discusses themes that may be distressing to some readers.
A far-reaching probe into the police response to domestic violence in Queensland will continue its regional focus during two days of hearings in Townsville.
Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor is among the witnesses expected to give evidence on Thursday, when officer training and cultural awareness will be investigated.
The experiences of a constable after a year of policing and a prosecutor involved in domestic and family violence matters will also be examined.
Earlier this week the inquiry spent two days in Cairns, where evidence pointed to a risk of Indigenous domestic violence victims being turned away or misidentified by police.
The ways misidentification can unfold, and its consequences for Indigenous women and families, were detailed by Thelma Schwartz of the Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service.
"There will be a woman there, she will otherwise be covered in blood, she might be holding an instrument," she said on Tuesday.
"They will see a man sitting there very quiet and calm, they will go to him and speak with him. She will become probably irate. They will then treat her as the aggressor."
A lack of training and "unconscious bias" amongst officers may be to blame, Queensland Police's First Nations and Multicultural Affairs Unit Superintendent Kerry Johnson said on Monday.
Judge Deborah Richards is heading the independent commission created in response to Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce recommendations.
The commission is due to report by October 4.
If this story has raised issues for you, or if you are currently experiencing domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or your local Aboriginal Medical Service.
