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The Press
August 2, 2002
Crèche case
Letter to
the Editor
by Richard Christie, Addington (July 23)
Lynley Hood's seminal work A City Possessed has deservedly been given a prize in the Montana
Book Awards.
Immediately before publication and again on the eve of the book taking first
prize, allegations against Peter Ellis and crèche workers reappeared
in the media.
The timing of these reports raises speculation as to whether this is a
coincidence or is indicative of a strategy to divert attention away from the
issues the book raises.
If the latter, it raises concern over the role of the police in this process.
The police should not be involved in public-relations struggles.
Bearing in mind prior behaviour by the police (documented by Hood), the
following questions should be considered: Who within the police investigative
team determined the timing of approaches to Ellis on each occasion? Why were
approaches timed to closely coincide with episodes of publicity of Hood's
research?
The police district
commander for Canterbury,
Superintendent S. J. Manderson, replies:
When the police receive a complaint, it is not police practice to publicly
comment or identify people alleged to be involved in any criminal
investigation. If any person elects to make public comment about their
possible involvement in criminal issues, that is their choice.
Police work is generated by members of the public who lay complaints of one
sort or another. These require the police to take action and speak to other
members of the community.
There are some categories of complaint which we are obliged to investigate.
Not to do so would inevitably result in complaints regarding the inaction of
police staff. Police investigations must be impartial and independent of
external factors if they are to be and seen to be fair and honest. It is sometimes
a difficult path we tread.
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