The Dominion Post
February 17, 2004

Sex claims about police to be aired in public
by Tracy Watkins

Allegations of sexual offending by police officers are expected to be aired at public hearings when a commission of inquiry starts investigating claims of a cover-up.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has announced that High Court judge Bruce Robertson and top public servant Dame Margaret Bazley will head the inquiry. Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the Government could not have appointed anyone better. The association was confident they would be objective, fair and professional in handling the inquiry.

Yesterday Miss Clark urged people who believed they had information that might point to a "systemic" problem within police to come forward as soon as possible.

"There may well be more (cases) and they must be able to inquire into like instances because we are endeavouring to see whether there is a systemic problem here. People should come forward as quickly as possible so the commission can get on with its work."

Fresh allegations about sexual offending by police officers have surfaced since The Dominion Post and TV1 reported that Louise Nicholas was alleging she was pack-raped in 1986 by two former police officers, Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton, and Auckland commander Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards. The men have admitted having sex with her but deny rape. Mr Rickards has been stood down.

Police have reopened a criminal investigation into her allegations.

A second senior police officer, Kelvin Powell, was stood down from all duties for the duration of the investigation on Saturday. Deputy Commissioner Steve Long said Mr Powell was an "individual of interest" but would not elaborate.

Since Ms Nicholas came forward, a second woman has alleged that the senior police officer who investigated the claims, John Dewar, had earlier engaged in consensual group sex with one of the policemen he investigated.

Miss Clark said several women had made complaints about sexual assaults by police officers and the manner in which police handled those complaints.

Another woman, Judith Garrett, has complained of sexual abuse by police in Kaitaia in 1988. A former Rotorua teenager has claimed that a policeman lured her for sex at the same house where Ms Nicholas alleges she was raped.

Legislation overhauling the body responsible for investigating complaints about police, the Police Complaints Authority, has been delayed till the commission of inquiry reports back to the governor-general on November 1.