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.