Stuff
February 10, 2004
Restoring public's faith in Police
by Phil Campbell, Rotorua Review Editor
An investigation
into the conduct of the handling of a case involving three policemen in Rotorua
nearly 20 years ago has riveted the nation.
A Ngakuru woman, Louise
Nicholas, has claimed three policemen raped her.
Further, Mrs Nicholas claims she was violated by a police baton.
The three police officers Clint Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum - the
last two have now left the force - say their names were cleared through an
internal inquiry. Their reason to relax over the matter was that sex was consensual,
which does not ameliorate the issue.
But doubts exist over the internal inquiry, which has led to Prime Minister
Helen Clark ordering a commission of inquiry, to the visible relief of Mrs
Nicholas, possibly the three accused and the nation.
Further revelations that Mrs Nicholas had sex with Mr Rickards and Mr Shipton
against her will, along with a deathbed confession by former Rotorua policeman
Trevor Clayton who believe criminal investigation was
possible but who claimed he was gagged, have accentuated the nation's intrigue.
The confession quoted him as saying, "There's definitely been a cover
up".
A key player was another former Rotorua policeman John Dewar, now out of the
force, who is clinging to a report complimenting his investigation of the case
against Rickards, Shipton and Schollum. It has subsequently been revealed,
however, that the compliments may have been for another but not dissimilar case
in which Mr Dewar had been involved, and not the one in question. This sordid
episode has brought under scrutiny the integrity of the police and questions
the country?s lawful
process. But New Zealanders in their increasingly world-weary way have come to
accept that rotten apples occur in almost every profession - legal, education,
finance, marketing and even in politics. But nothing as serious as the case(s) before the public.
The case under question ought not, therefore, be
confined to just one sector of the community, but should make us reflect on a
society of increasing greed and arrogance, leading to decay.
We should not collectively lose faith in the police, and hopefully the
commission of inquiry will restore that faith.