NZ Herald
February 5, 2004
'Professional with a heart'
by Julie Middleton
Steve Long, aged in his early 50s, is a fifth-generation policeman. But in
investigating his own he is taking on one of the tougher jobs of his career.
Long is heading the police investigation into complaints by Louise Nicholas
that she was raped by three police officers in a Rotorua police house in 1986,
when she was 18.
He will bring together a group of senior investigators to assemble all the
files held over complaints made by Mrs Nicholas, the investigations into those
complaints and other records relating to others involved.
The Police Complaints Authority will oversee the inquiry.
Mr Long's team is separate from the Government's
commission of inquiry, yet to be appointed.
A Herald story from 1997 describes Mr Long as having been a "rural English
copper" before emigrating to
In 2000, Mr Long was up against
Commissioner Rob Robinson told Prime Minister Helen Clark that "sexual
misconduct" allegations had been made against Mr Rickards but that he had
been cleared.
The Prime Minister elected to go for the other candidate. She has since said
that the allegations were a factor in Mr Rickards not getting the post.
Mr Long holds a master of arts degree in history gained while working as an
officer. He once told the Herald it was "helpful in policing to know where
you've been, so you know where you're going".
According to one senior officer, Mr Long is "a very mild man, very nice
and proper and moral".
A former detective says Mr Long is a "great guy ... he's very astute and
has very much a people's touch. He's a Kiwi down to the bottom of his boots
nowadays".
Dean of Waikato Father Ian Hanley, a former officer who was chaplain to police
at the time Mr Long ran
"He's a professional with a heart." Any report he produces will be
"thorough, fair and detailed".
Mr Long has led police operations during international events such as the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting in
As district commander for
In more recent times Mr Long was among the police who turned up in New Plymouth's
court to support "Constable A", Keith Abbott, who was acquitted of
murdering Waitara man Steven Wallace.
In July last year, Mr Long commissioned a review of police pursuits after
concerns were raised that police chases were leading to unnecessary deaths.
When the review was released, he made comments that might seem prophetic in the
current circumstances: "I think it's time for change ... we have got to be
brutally honest with ourselves about whether things are working or whether they
aren't working.
"We have to almost shake ourselves and say, 'for goodness' sake, let's
sort this out'."
Steve
Long
Deputy Commissioner of Police
1975: Emigrates to
1991-1994: Officer in charge of planning, South Island
1994-1997: District commander, North Shore-Waitakere
Other posts include director of training at the police
college, and general manager training and professional development at police
headquarters.
March 2001: Becomes acting Deputy Commissioner in charge of operations, and two
weeks later takes the job permanently, reporting directly to Rob Robinson.