Otago Daily Times
May 25 2004
More delays likely in police Commission of Inquiry
Women's evidence unlikely to be heard until July
NZPA
Wellington:
Evidence relating to women who have claimed they were raped by police officers
is unlikely to be heard by a commission of inquiry into police conduct until at
least July, commission head Justice Bruce Robertson said yesterday.
The commission was established after Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas alleged in
January she was pack-raped and violated with a police baton by three police
officers in 1986, when she was 18.
After Ms Nicholas went public, Kataia woman Judith
Garrett reiterated claims she was handcuffed and raped by a police officer at Kaitaia police station in 1988.
The commission is to look at evidence relating to both cases and has indicated
both women will get a chance to tell their stories if they wish.
However, at a hearing yesterday, Justice Robertson said it was extremely
unlikely evidence relating to those specific complaints would be heard next month.
The evidential hearings were originally planned for this month, but were
rescheduled for June after delays.
Justice Robertson said he and fellow commissioner, Dame Margaret Bazley, wanted to hear evidence from all the parties
involved in specific incidents together.
"There would be a real injustice if we heard one aspect or account and
then there was a lengthy delay before hearing other parts of it."
He said he and Dame Margaret would meet today with lawyers for the various
parties taking part in the inquiry to try to establish a schedule.
The commission has already indicated it might struggle to meet its November 1
deadline. A commission spokesman said staff were still
collecting evidence from complainants.
Earlier in yesterday's hearing, police national planning and policy manager
Dave Trappitt outlined police policy and procedures
relating to the handling of sex offence complaints and internal investigations
against other police officers.
While rape inquiry and internal investigation procedures had been streamlined
over the 25 years the commission covered, instructions relating to internal
investigations had only changed slightly since 1985, he said.
Instructions from the commissioner of police in the early 1980s specifically
told police to treat criminal complaints against police as they would other
cases.
Officers were instructed not to warn complainants of the possible consequences
of making a false complaint against a police officer, and district commanders
were instructed to notify police headquarters of all serious criminal
complaints against police in their districts, Mr Trappitt
said.
Yesterday's hearing was also behind schedule.
Of the three officers alleged to have raped Ms Nicholas, two
- Bob Schollum and Brad Shipton - have since left the police.
The third,
All three men strongly deny the allegations.
Former Rotorua CIB chief John Dewar is accused of having failed to properly
investigate Mrs Nicholas' original complaint.
Following the allegations, another senior police officer, Kelvin Powell, has
also been stood down on full pay while police investigate complaints of sexual
offences.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
The officer alleged to have raped Ms Garrett has left the police and is
understood to be living in