THE ACT Human Rights Commission (HRC) has joined calls to ban the use of spit hoods after Canberra’s Chief Police Officer revealed one had recently been used on a 16-year-old girl.

The Commission says use of the controversial equipment could constitute “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment” and is calling on the ACT government to take urgent action in banning the device.

The bags constructed out of mesh are placed over the head of a detainee to stop them from spitting or biting.

ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan told estimates hearings on Monday (August 29) that one of the hoods had recently been used on a 16-year-old in Canberra. The girl allegedly refused to surrender alcohol, before biting the inside of her mouth and spitting blood at the arresting officers.

The incident has raised concerns from the ACT Greens, as well as indigenous advocacy group Change The Record, who said it “beggars belief why spit hoods would still be in use in a so-called human rights jurisdiction like the ACT.”

The HRC says they are “seriously concerned” about the lack of data on the use of the devices.

“We know from other jurisdictions that spit hoods are used disproportionately on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including children,” said the Commission.

“The use of spit hoods can pose a serious risk of suffocation. This was tragically identified as a potential factor in the death in custody of Aboriginal man Wayne Fella Morrison in South Australia.”

The comments have attracted the ire of the Australian Federal Police Association, with President Alex Caruana saying the Commission is being used for political purposes.

“It is easy for them to criticise from the safety and comfort of their air conditioned offices,” said Caruana

“I would encourage the HRC executives to spend an entire week in a police car going from job to job with members of ACTP to see how professional they are when they are dealing with their own safety and human rights being infringed on, whilst at the same time putting their bodies and lives on the line to keep the rest of the ACT community safe.”

Caruana said the HRC is “blatantly politicising” the issue and ignoring the long history of the safe use of spit hoods in policing.

“It is time to start thinking of the safety and human rights of AFPA members and the community as much as criminals,” said Caruana

“Putting the safety of violent offenders above that of police and the public does not meet community expectations. My members are citizens and taxpayers as well.”

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.