One News
February 20, 2004

Police rape inquiry terms

Prime Minister has announced the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into the police handling of rape complaints against its officers.

The inquiry has been sparked by a complaint from a Rotorua woman, Louise Nicholas, who alleges three police officers raped her in the 1980s. Other women have since come forward with further allegations.

The Commissioners, Justice Bruce Robertson and Dame Margaret Bazley, will inquire into police conduct, standards and procedures when receiving and investigating allegations of sexual assault and abuse made against the police.

They will also investigate police standards and codes relating to the personal behaviour of the police including sexual conduct.

The Commission will not determine the guilt or innocence of police officers involved in the alleged sexual assault or other alleged offences. And it will not review the Police Complaints Authority's investigations because of secrecy provisions in the authority's governing statute.

But the commission will be able to review investigations carried out by the police that formed the basis of the reports made by the authority.

One of the women whose complaint against the police will be considered in the Government's Commission of Inquiry, says she's glad the police's personal behaviour will also be investigated.

Judith Garrett says she's glad her complaint over her 1988 alleged rape by a police officer will be included. She says an investigation into police conduct is long overdue.

Garrett says she plans to appear before the Commission and is urging other complainants to do the same.