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| NEWS > 04 July 2008 |
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Police acted illegally suggest
In recent months South West Regional Voices have reported on two blatant examples of anti-white racism practised by South West police forces. In November we reported how the Avon and Somerset Constabulary discriminated against young white job applicants as a matter of policy. We also, a little later, reported on the Gloucestershire Constabulary doing exactly the same thing! These actions making a mockery of their claims to be even-handed, equal opportunities employers and promoting good community relations.
We have this evening received the following communication from our Bristol and... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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Stuff.co.nz - New Zealand
04 July 2008
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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New Zealand Police
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New Zealand: 'Foolish' Police
Police Commissioner Howard Broad was "foolish" to drink and drive when he was a detective inspector in 1992, but there was no evidence that he "pulled rank" and refused a breath test, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found.
Authority chairwoman Justice Lowell Goddard investigated an allegation that Mr Broad was abusive to officers manning a drink-drive checkpoint, refused to take a breath screening test and drove away, and used his position to "overbear" the will of enforcement officers.
She found that he co-operated with the enforcement officer, admitted he had been drinking and after a breath screening test showed alcohol on his breath, complied with an instruction from the officer to park his drive and walk home.
Authority investigators interviewed 16 police and traffic officers working in Christchurch in 1992.
"There was no misconduct involved," Justice Goddard told a press conference today. "We know this because we have interviewed or taken statements from everyone who was present."
The breath-test showed alcohol on Mr Broad's breath but not the level. Under the drink-driving laws of the time, it was a matter of discretion for the officer to decide against an evidential breath test or blood test and instead require Mr Broad to stop driving.
Justice Goddard said under today's laws Mr Broad would almost certainly have been asked to undergo a further test.
The enforcement officer was experienced and "an officer of integrity", she said.
Journalist Ian Wishart had alleged in his book, Absolute Power: The Helen Clark Years, that a drunk Mr Broad told a police officer "Don't you know who I am", or words to that effect, when stopped in Christchurch in 1992.
Justice Goddard said the allegation was based on hearsay and not substantiated by her inquiry.
"There was no indication of anyone behaving in a manner which would bring disrepute to the police."
Mr Broad was frank and compliant with the officer and disclosed the incident to his supervisor the next morning.
" He said he was embarrassed by the incident and no doubt he still is," said Justice Goddard, who personally interviewed him.
"Everyone at some time in their life has done something foolish. He had some beers and drove, that was clearly foolish, but there is no evidence that he attempted to overbear the will of the enforcement officer or conceal the incident in any way."
Wishart today suggested the authority might be coming under political pressure to "whitewash allegations of misconduct and corruption within the police ahead of the election".
He also suggested that authority investigator Gerry Cunneen, a former police officer, had a major conflict of interest, being a former colleague of Mr Broad and also former adviser to Labour's Minister of Police.
Justice Goddard said the political pressure claim was "nonsense" and she rejected any suggestion of conflict of interest over Mr Cunneen.
"I have absolute faith in Mr Cunneen's integrity and I would not put an investigator on to a particular job if there were any conflict of interest."
An earlier investigation by State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble also found the allegations to be false.
Mr Broad is overseas and a police spokeswoman said he was pleased but not surprised by the authority's findings, which were backed up by Dr Prebble's report and his own statement about the incident.
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