Editorial: Setting highest police standards

OPINION: We hear a lot about police officers behaving badly.

Quite rightly, the public has high expectations of our boys and girls in blue, and they come in for close scrutiny when they fail to meet them. However, there's a risk that the negative attention some individual officers receive can foment a public perception of the police force that has little basis in reality.

So it was with great pleasure that the Manawatu Standard dedicated much of yesterday's front page to an outstanding police officer who has served this region with distinction.

Detective Sergeant Dave Clifford led the seven-year investigation that eventually saw Stephen Hudson convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering 22-year-old Palmerston North man Nicholas Pike.

His efforts were formally recognised this month when he was awarded the Silver Merit Award – the highest Police Commissioner's award an investigator can receive.

Typically, Mr Clifford was quick to share the award with all the investigators who worked the case. However, it's not an overstatement to say that, without his extraordinary efforts, Hudson would still be prowling the streets.

Mr Clifford embodies the ideals every police officer should aspire to – tenacity, integrity, humility, and an unwavering dedication to seeking justice for the victims of crime. There's a certain poetic symmetry in Hudson's apprehension by a man from the complete opposite end of the moral spectrum.

Much has been written about Stephen Hudson, but the public doesn't fully appreciate the depths of his evil. He is a rare criminal specimen – entirely without conscience, empathy, or the most basic human decency. He is, in the truest sense of the word, a psychopath.

Mr Clifford and his team knew early in their investigation that Hudson was responsible for Mr Pike's death – they just couldn't prove it. As the years dragged on without a breakthrough, it would have been easy to walk away from the case.

But Mr Clifford's patience and determination endured. He understood the human dynamics of the case, maintained relationships with those central to finding the answer, and persuaded them to cooperate despite the risks.

There was no body, no murder weapon, no forensic evidence, but Mr Clifford – after seven years – got his man. Hudson was incredibly unfortunate the Nicholas Pike case file landed on Dave Clifford's desk; the people of Manawatu were incredibly fortunate that it did.

It was a shame to see the Turbos lose their pre-season match against Hawke's Bay yesterday, but great to see our All Black Aaron Cruden back wearing green and white.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Lyn   #1   09:44 am Jul 28 2010

I agree there is too much focus on the Police as failing and hence half our problems with the younger generation having no or little respect for them. Just the number of youngsters dying in pursuits is a prime example, why would you even consider escaping when you are in the wrong or are under scrutiny. The flashing lights mean stop ! face the music ! From what I see our Police force do an excellent job in a pretty thankless world and most of them seem to put their hearts and souls into their roles.

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