Allegations of Abuse by NZ Police
	peterellis Home / police allegations / Rickards, Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 7 - Further Reaction to Not Guilty Verdict
	The Dominion Post March 7 2007; 05:00 Posters mock sex case cops by Lane Nichols and Kim Ruscoe Police bosses and the Government have condemned a parodying poster that heralds a policing career as a way to "get some great rape stories". A play on the force's own "better work stories" recruitment slogan, the posters appeared around Wellington yesterday as the city's police revealed that officers had been the targets of insults, including a community constable being called a rapist. The posters, adorned with the police emblem, also say, "...Then we dealt to her with a bottle", and urge interested candidates looking for an exciting job in the police to call 0800 BAD COPS or visit www.greatrapestories.co.nz. The posters follow last week's acquittals of Assistant Commissioner Clint Rickards and former policemen Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum on charges of kidnapping and indecently assaulting a teenage girl more than 20 years ago. They were also acquitted last year of sex charges against Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas. Shipton and Schollum are already in prison for raping a Mt Maunganui woman 18 years ago. Police Minister Annette King said the "ugly and vicious" posters were a slur on the integrity of honest police officers. "I'm asking the people who put up this poster to think about the huge majority of decent police staff whom they are damaging and hurting by their ill-considered actions." Wellington area commander Inspector Peter Cowan said about 20 posters around central Wellington were being removed by contractors. "Derogatory comments" had been directed at his staff, including a rape accusation aimed at a respected community constable. "It's pretty disappointing." Police Association president Greg O'Connor urged people to separate the actions of a small group of officers two decades ago from those of today's officers, many of whom were women. Street marches demanding justice for rape victims will be held tomorrow in Wellington and Auckland to mark International Women's Day. Wellington organiser Lenka Rochford said women wanted to show support for those brave enough to lay rape complaints