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Forty-seven police
staff were disciplined last year for misconduct ranging from firearms
offences to an improper relationship with a criminal. Four were sacked for
their offences, raising questions about the force's supposed hard line. In a year when public
faith in police took a severe battering after rape allegations involving
Auckland's top officer, Police Commissioner Rob Robinson promised a tough
approach to misconduct. "The public
expects zero tolerance of any criminal behaviour of the police," he said
in March. But figures out of the
commissioner's office, issued to The Dominion Post under the Official
Information Act, show that some officers disciplined for serious offences
such as assault received only a fine or a black mark on their report card. Police were unable to
give details yesterday of individual cases. Thirty officers and 17
civilian staff were disciplined last year. The figures exclude staff who
resigned before being disciplined. Three constables were
sacked -- for assault on duty, an improper relationship with a criminal and
theft. Other offences included inappropriate computer use, disgraceful
conduct and firearms offences. Most officers involved were fined or received
an adverse report -- a written warning. The civilian staff were
mostly warned, for poor performance or misuse of computers. One was dismissed
for accessing police information without authority. Police headquarters'
professional standards boss, Superintendent Graham Emery, said misconduct cases
remained static, at about 0.5 per cent of the total staff of 9500. "It is a very
small minority. The public should have a lot of confidence in their
police." Cases of assault on
duty were usually minor and provoked, he said. Penalties could differ for the
same offence, depending on the circumstances. But he questioned the accuracy
of the figures, as an officer charged with assault would not be given an
adverse report: serious criminal offences were usually prosecuted through the
courts and internally, and the officer would be dismissed. Police Association
president Greg O'Connor said the figures did not show the full picture, as
most officers charged in court resigned before being disciplined. But he defended the
force's record in investigating its own. "Anyone who believes that the
police somehow cover up is very mistaken. They go after their own with a
vengeance." |
