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The Press
April 24, 2002
Police defend investigations' time
by Yvonne Martin
The
police's child abuse unit, which is operating at half-strength this week, has
defended the time it takes to investigate sex abuse allegations.
The Commissioner for Children Roger McClay has criticised delays in
investigating child abuse complaints and called for scarce resources to be
ring-fenced.
The latest complaint against Peter Ellis by a 20-year-old man was laid 15
months ago and is still under investigation by the Christchurch unit.
Unit manager Detective Sergeant Chris Power said speed was important in
investigating sexual abuse complaints.
Acute referrals were mostly investigated within two days but historic
complaints, like the one against Ellis, had to be fitted in around urgent
cases. "With historic complaints, by their nature, you are not going to
lose evidence through delay, so they go on the backburner and they're done
when we can," Mr Power said.
The unit is significantly under-strength this week and next. It has six
investigators on its books, plus Mr Power as manager.
Of those, three are undergoing training and a fourth has been seconded to Lower Hutt.
"There might be a perception out there that we are understaffed, but
looking at it from where I sit, it is a normal management issue," Mr
Power said.
"The wider public knows that if something comes up, as it has done with
the likes of Lower Hutt, then we can lose
staff and that can hinder inquiries."
Staff needed to keep their training up- to-date, and their annual leave down.
"We never expect to have everyone on deck on the same day," Mr
Power said.
But Mr McClay said child abuse complaints deserved top priority and dedicated
investigators should not be diverted to other crimes.
"It is very sad that complaints of abuse against children seem to wait for
other things to be done because of resources.
"Children are not to have second best. They should be a much higher
priority in our society and that applies to health, welfare, and certainly
matters to do with the police," he said.
"Ring-fence the resources available to children, and don't flog them for
catching people not wearing seat belts."
Kathryn Johnston, co-ordinator for the Support Network for Parents and
Caregivers of Sexually Abused Children, said the Ellis complaint was a good
example of how families were having to wait for cases to be resolved.
"Twelve to 18 months would not be uncommon for cases to get before the
court. Sometimes it takes two years. It is very frustrating and far from
ideal."
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