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Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
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Wellington: Police
activities described by a judge as “sick” would not be tolerated,
high-ranking police officers said yesterday. Senior Sergeant Anthony
Laime Solomona was found guilty yesterday of assaulting a 17-year-old youth
on the forecourt of a Manurewa service station in February last year. During the trial, the
court heard it was common police practice to photograph prisoners being
humiliated by officers, prompting a scathing comment on police culture from a
district court judge. Police Assistant
Commissioner for crime and crash reduction Peter Marshall said yesterday such
“appalling behaviour” would not be tolerated. Police would
investigate how widespread such activities were and who was involved, he
said. Counties-Manukau police
had asked for officers from outside the district to lead the investigation. “The initial
indications are that this involves only a small group of officers in the
Counties-Manukau district,” Mr Marshall said in a statement. Police were also
discussing with the Police Complaints Authority how an independent component
could be included in the investigation. “I want to assure the public
that police will do everything to identify any other culprits and put an end
to this abhorrent kind of behaviour as quickly as possible.” Practices revealed
during Solomona’s trial included the photographing of a 15-year-old boy
wearing a sign that read “I am the property of Senior Sergeant Solomona” and
the coercing of apology letters from suspects. Another photograph
depicted a man in a police uniform and Balaclava, swinging a machete and axe,
with a sign saying “RIP to section IV”. Solomona, who headed
section 4 at the Manukau-Wiri police station, told the court last week he
found the picture “quite amusing”. Another officer,
Sergeant John Nelson, told the court taking pictures such as that of the
15-year-old was common in police stations across New Zealand. The practice was part
of a police “culture” that was unlikely to be understood by the average
citizen, he said. Judge Bruce Davidson
said he found the practices disturbing. “The practices may be
reasonably widespread, especially in the South Auckland area. In my view, the
culture is as sick as the joke,” he said. Police Association
president Greg O’Connor earlier yesterday rejected the idea that the
behaviour was widespread. “I have spoken to
senior South Auckland officers who are very upset by Judge Davidson’s
comments,” Mr O’Connor said. “Some of New Zealand’s
best police have and currently do work as sergeants and senior sergeants in
Manukau and these police officers would never tolerate this sort of
behaviour.” Individuals and small
groups in any large organisation could develop a culture of their own, Mr
O’Connor said. “New Zealand can have
absolute confidence that the comments of Judge Davidson are not reflective of
NZ Police across the board,” he said in a statement. Counties-Manukau
district commander Superintendent Steve Shortland said unfortunately, a
police officer in a supervisory position “who does not have the same values
as the rest of us”, had influenced junior staff. “In my 30 years of
policing, I had never heard of this practice and it is not the culture of the
South Auckland police, but apparently the practice of a very small number.” In court on Wednesday,
Judge Davidson ruled Solomona had gone overboard in arresting Angelo Turner
for repeatedly using “a common swear word” after Solomona had driven into his
car. “I can see nothing that
Mr Turner had done to justify his arrest for breach of the peace,” he said. Judge Davidson did not
enter a conviction against Solomona, after agreeing to allow his counsel,
John Haigh QC, the opportunity to file submissions for a discharge without
conviction. The matter will return
to Manukau District Court next week. Solomona was acquitted
on three further assault charges, and one charge of assault with a weapon. Solomona, the husband
of a Youth Court judge, has been suspended from his job since April last
year. Mr Shortland said the
police investigation would focus on the activities of Solomona’s section 4,
which was disbanded during restructuring in March last year. Everyone who served on
section 4 was potentially a target, and investigators would follow up claims
from “anyone who approaches with a story to tell”, he said. The investigation is
expected to be completed in a few weeks. A senior officer,
Detective Senior Sergeant Richard Middleton, who has worked in Counties
Manukau since 1992, said staff were “gutted” by comments that the police
culture was sick. It was “not police
culture to do things that were complained about”, he said. Isolated incidents
occurred, but, as the charges against Solomona had shown, they were dealt
with. “It’s not endemic. It’s
not part of our culture to do these things and we take our job really
seriously.” Police Minister George
Hawkins would not comment on the case. Southern Police District
commander Superintendent George Fraser, who moved to Dunedin from west
Auckland this year, told the Otago Daily Times the accusations were unlike
anything he had heard in his 29-year career. “To the best of my
knowledge, this sort of appalling incident has not happened here [in the
south], or anywhere I’ve been aware of,” Supt Fraser said. “I know I speak not
just for myself, but for all my colleagues in the southern region, when I say
this sort of appalling behaviour is unacceptable and is not tolerated.” |
