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Allegations
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Counties Manukau police
are still being encouraged to dob in their colleagues who pass information to
the media - but they must first decide if the leak was "malicious and
mischievous". District Commander
Superintendent Steve Shortland has labelled staff who speak anonymously to
media as "traitors" and suggested they did it for money, a free
lunch, sex or out of stupidity. Mr Shortland made the
comments in an internal newsletter and highlighted a Herald story about
problems with the chain of command during a night of "mayhem" in
South Auckland and Meremere. It was published on
February 11, around a time there had been several media reports about police
priorities surrounding crime and traffic duties. The information was
passed to the newspaper by someone who said they felt it was
"necessary" to speak up because there was "a common criticism
from the public and from within the police about Highway Patrol and Strategic
Traffic Units". Mr Shortland yesterday
said his comments were aimed at "a small number of officers who
maliciously and scurrilously leak information ... " He said an inquiry into
the incident reported by the Herald had found the matter had been blown out
of proportion. Mr Shortland said he
had no problems with staff who were authorised to make releases or wrote
letters outlining genuine concerns within the police. The issue of
"whistle blowing" was an entirely separate matter, he said. New Zealand First MP
Ron Mark criticised Mr Shortland and the "intemperate language" used
in the newsletter. "What gives the
commander the right to bully and abuse someone for alerting the public to
something they did not think was right?" said Mr Mark. |
