Yep, you are spot on again. Just because I have worked for one other government department I know that there is NOT constant training. I mean there is lots of courses and things pertaining to their area of work but in reality the new CSO that looks after your case would probably be very much in the dark and that is why they go and report everything back to their supervisor.
The inexperinced CSO is just taking on the characteristics of their mentors. So they think the judgemental, bullying way is ok and correct. They probably got no idea and if they did would be a tad confused about the whole thing.