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| NEWS > 04 April 2007 |
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Former cop files suit against
CARLSBAD A former Loving police officer who was fired in 2004 with little explanation is suing the Village of Loving, claiming her termination was an act of retaliation for her honesty.
Rachael A. Lassiter filed a civil lawsuit in District Court in November seeking an injunction against the Village of Loving, the Loving Village Council, former mayor Miranda Darcy, former councilor Richard A. Campos, current mayor Pedro H. Estrada who was a former councilman, councilor Arturo L. Munoz Sr. and councilor James H. Rodriguez.
The suit also seeks an unspecificied amount of money fo... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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Stuff.co.nz - Wellington,New Z
04 April 2007
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Nicholas doubts sex offences a
Former Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas, who sparked the commission of inquiry into police conduct with her allegations of sexual assault, says there are still police officers indulging in sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Dame Margaret Bazley yesterday released her report on police behaviour, containing stinging criticism of officers over a long period.
That prompted Police Commissioner Howard Broad to speedily promise to implement all Dame Margaret's recommendations and issue an unreserved apology for past police behaviour.
Mrs Nicholas was one of the women whose allegations sparked the inquiry and in March last year assistant police commissioner Clint Rickards and former policemen Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum were all acquitted of raping the then-teenager in Rotorua in the 1980s.
But her allegations, along with those of Kaitaia's Judith Garrett, convinced the Government to launch the inquiry.
Mrs Nicholas today doubted all allegations of police sexual misbehaviour were "historic" and she was "sick of hearing" there was no longer such misbehaviour among police.
"I'm sorry that's bollocks. It does still go on."
Mrs Nicholas said she was "very happy" with Dame Margaret's recommendations and the report had been some vindication for bringing her own rape allegations forward.
She was not happy that she, along with Judith Garrett, were not allowed to tell their stories to the commission – as their cases were before the courts.
"Nobody got to hear me, nobody got to hear Judith. They don't know what we went through over a period of 20 years.
"My story never got told and I find that really difficult," she told Radio New Zealand.
She hoped the report would allow people to come forward with their allegations.
"Don't be afraid to come forward and if you don't get the satisfaction that you feel is required, you go higher, you go further, you go public."
Immediately after yesterday's report release, Mr Broad issued a statement "unreservedly and unequivocally" apologising to women caught up in the sexual misconduct of police officers.
The behaviour of a few men was "wrong and contrary to their oath of office".
"I find it difficult to express in words my feelings about these people for they have caused immeasurable damage to a number of New Zealanders that they had sworn to protect.
Mr Broad said he accepted the commission's findings in full.
As well as his statement, he was swift to appear with Police Minister Annette King and announce that a key recommendation by Dame Margaret – a code of conduct for sworn officers – was already under way.
Such a code was being drawn up now and he hoped it would be in place by year's end.
The code would specify the boundaries for sexual conduct by police officers and prohibit them from entering into any sexual contact with others over whom they held a position of authority or where there was a power differential.
Dame Margaret said in her report police needed to be vigilant to stop officers using their positions of authority to obtain sexual favours.
"Some types of sexual behaviour, although they may not constitute sexual assault, are nevertheless inappropriate for police officers," she said.
"Yes," said Mr Broad.
Dame Margaret's 449-page report underlined what most New Zealanders seemed to already feel about the sexual behaviour of some officers starting in the early 1980s.
"Disgraceful" was the word Dame Margaret used.
She found colleagues and officers often turned a blind eye to inappropriate sexual activity by officers.
But she uncovered no evidence of a concerted attempt across the police organisation to cover up unacceptable behaviour.
However, she found police lacked the "policies, procedures and practices necessary for effectively dealing with police misconduct and for removing the officers involved".
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