The Nelson Mail
November 19 2004

Police credibility damaged yet again
Editorial

The image of the New Zealand police has copped a pounding so far this year. The 111 emergency phone system failed miserably - probably fatally - in the case of missing Auckland model Iraena Asher whose increasingly desperate cries for help last month went unheeded. Other cases, such as that of the Bentley family of Te Puke who tried unsuccessfully to get help during a Labour Weekend armed invasion of their home placed further doubt on the phone network's centralised call centre system's efficiency. Rape allegations against three police officers earlier this year - albeit stemming from an incident said to have happened in 1986 - represented another stain that must have been most unwelcome to the often insular police community.

Such incidents come on top of outcries in the past year or so about ticketing quotas and tough tactics against various forms of inappropriate driving such as speeding. Meanwhile, the speeding prime ministerial cavalcade from Waimate to Christchurch, from which five police officers face charges, has helped neither the force's image nor that of Helen Clark. Although in this case the buck was adjudged to stop below her, in hindsight a simple apology from Miss Clark would have surely helped lay to rest an embarrassing incident, if one in which, fortunately, little real harm was done.

Now, sadly, police credibility is back in the often testing court of public opinion. A High Court jury has found that the police used inappropriate force in arresting a West Coast man and awarded him a record $35,000 in aggravated damages. The civil case was lodged by miner Johnny Menzies, who claimed he was assaulted by the police who later fabricated evidence in order to prosecute him. The incident happened while Mr Menzies was walking home from a pub near Greymouth four years ago. He says he was grabbed and assaulted by a policeman now based in Nelson, Constable Terrence Hunt, and that the incident grew into a systematic beating once reinforcements arrived.

The case has been full of ``he said - they said''. However, while the the full extent of Mr Menzies' claims appear not to have been accepted, the fact that both a criminal and now a civil jury have largely found the miner's word to be the more credible cannot sit well either with the police force or those who support it. It is surely ironic that a special commendation for bravery was awarded to Constable Hunt specifically for his part in the arrest. In saying he has no intention of revoking it, Tasman District police commander Superintendent Grant O'Fee is showing a real commitment to backing his man. Whether this is commendable support for his staff or simply a refusal to accept the jury's damaging findings against Constable Hunt is difficult to say.

The most convincing, if disturbing, evidence came from former West Coast detective Rob Nicholl, who was engaged as a private investigator by Mr Menzies. Mr Nicholl established that Constable Hunt's account was at odds with the forensic evidence and the police scene examination was seriously flawed - findings that, after 26 years with the police, left the former detective disappointed and downhearted. Only two men will ever know the full details of what happened throughout the full incident four years ago, though it is likely there were faults on both sides. Whatever the truth, the main outcome is further damage to police credibility. That is truly unfortunate.