Drunk, unruly police punished

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Police officers have turned up to work drunk, sped unnecessarily in police cars, and while off duty have unlawfully used their police ID, and been charged with assault.

Information released to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act reveals that 51 officers have been disciplined so far this year.

Twenty were stood down while being investigated and 17 faced criminal charges.

But police say they are cracking down harder on their own and the figures are an improvement on recent years.

This year, officers were disciplined for speeding, using excessive force, misusing the police database and disclosing police information, inappropriate behaviour on duty and assaults and offensive language off-duty.

Most of those disciplined were constables, except for four sergeants, a senior sergeant who misused the police database and a detective warned for disgraceful behaviour.

Four constables turned up to work drunk – receiving their first warning – and another was reprimanded after drink-driving charges were dismissed on a technicality.

None of those disciplined were dismissed but 17 officers resigned before they could be sacked. The numbers are down on the 87 disciplined last year – the highest number since 2003.

Police would not release specific details of the 17 officers facing criminal charges this year, other than to say some of the charges were for "assault, attempting to pervert the course of justice and perjury".

All 17 officers are still before the courts.

In the last six years 428 officers have been disciplined and more than 130 have faced criminal charges.

Police human resources manager Wayne Annan said those numbers were small when compared to more than 8600 sworn and 3100 unsworn staff working in the police.

"Unfortunately, contrary to what people like to believe, police officers are human. Sometimes they may react in a way they wouldn't normally. They can stuff up or make a mistake. We take great care analysing if it is a mistake or a wilful act. A wilful act is treated much more seriously."

Mr Annan said the rise in officers disciplined in 2008 stemmed from a change in the disciplinary process, which was now based on normal workplace practices such as written warnings.

One reason for the increase was that officers' performance problems were included for the first time, he said.

Since a commission of inquiry into police conduct was completed in 2007, sparked by Louise Nicholas' rape allegations against three officers, police have been more proactive in holding officers accountable.

"Employees of police have started to realise that we are taking action and we've probably been effective in changing behaviours." The conviction rate remained fairly low, he said.

OFFICERS STOOD DOWN OR CHARGED

* Auckland Constable Matt Hooper was charged with perverting the course of justice after he escaped being blood tested for drink-driving last December. He allegedly exploited a legal loophole by injuring himself in a police station toilet.

* In June, a Counties Manukau police officer was stood down after being accused of giving information from the police computer to a criminal. A second officer was stood down in August.

* Police College trainer Detective Sergeant John Gualter was charged with drink-driving and dangerous driving after weaving across the highway while driving home from the police bar. He was convicted in September.

* In 2006, then Christchurch traffic officer Nathan Connolly used his position to extort sex from a prostitute. He resigned in December and this week was found guilty on one charge of sex with consent induced by a threat. He was acquitted of two other charges.

- © Fairfax NZ News