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Otago Daily Times
Monday, 26-June 2000
Abuse 'low priority'
Wellington: A scathing police report states that
the sexual and physical abuse of children is given "extremely low
priority" by police bosses - and in some areas "the investigation
of child abuse, no matter how serious, did not happen".
The leaked document, Police Child Abuse Teams , written on June 15 by
specialist course co-ordinator Detective Sergeant Brent Tomlinson, says staff
are untrained, investigation procedures are not followed and delays are
common.
"Due to homicides and other crime commitments, Lower Hutt has not had a
fully-staffed child abuse team for at least a year, if not longer. The child
abuse work simply does not get done." The Lower Hutt abuse team was an
example of a national problem, Mr Tomlinson says.
The report was requested by the Crown Law Office, which is conducting an
inquiry into the controversial conviction of Peter Ellis for sex offences
against children.
Police Minister George Hawkins would not comment because it "was an
internal police issue".
Leading criminal lawyers say the report is a serious concern with
implications as far reaching as the jailing of innocent people and the
acquittal of serious child sex offenders.
Mr Tomlinson says police policy states that only specially-trained staff
should undertake child abuse investigations.
"This point is totally ignored by the New Zealand Police administration
and at the moment there are at least 30 police officers investigating child
abuse with no training.
"All the managers have clearly stated, and I totally agree, that the
sexual and physical abuse of children in given extremely low priority by the
New Zealand Police." - NZPA
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