The Press
January 31, 2004

Necessary exposure
Editorial

Allegations against the police are easily made and can be difficult to disentangle. The public, the media, the courts and the police themselves tend to view such attacks with scepticism, but the scepticism at times needs to be challenged.

This is one of those occasions.

Today's front-page story detailing rape allegations against three police officers, and an alleged failure to properly follow up the claims by a superior officer, raise significant questions about law enforcement in New Zealand.

Few people question that the police are a vital and honourable foundation of New Zealand society. Their prestige is well deserved and hard won, and therefore should not be carelessly challenged.

They are also powerful – powerful to the extent that no healthy democracy can give their police force a full or easy rein. Scrutiny of their activities is essential.

That is the motivation for today's front page.

It gives an appalling account of allegations of a rape and continuing sexual abuse carried out by police officers, and the alleged lack of follow-up of the incident by another officer.

The affair would warrant exposure even if all the alleged rapists had left the police. The passage of time does not lessen the seriousness of the charges against them.

But one of those involved, Clint Rickards, today is an assistant commissioner in charge of Auckland policing and in line for the top job in the force. He cannot be allowed to remain immune from scrutiny.

The unresolved charges must have hung over him like an executioner's axe as he climbed the career ladder to near the top of his profession. For everyone's sake, they must be cleared up.

That they have not been is, it seems, the responsibility of a superior. At best he mishandled the inquiry into the alleged rape and at worst he obstructed it.

Doubts about the quality of the inquiry are as troubling as the allegations themselves. The impact of any crime committed by the police is compounded if their fellows mishandle the follow-up inquiries. That lends credence to the common concern that the police find it difficult to investigate themselves.

In these troubling circumstances, the Government should order an independent investigation of the allegations. Everyone stands to benefit.