Editorial: Now who watches the watchers?

As news broke yesterday of a high- profile police officer being charged with supplying methamphetamine and selling cannabis, another police officer was being hailed as a hero.

He stripped to his underwear, and jumped into the water from the Maungatapu Causeway Bridge to save a man thrown from a van after an horrific three-car pile up.

How brave is that. The pair were swept away, but they both made it to the bank, thanks thanks to the bravery of the police officer who held onto the man. They were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.

I'm sure there are plenty of police officers out there who help people on a daily basis. Unfortunately we don't get to hear about that. What we do hear about is when good cops go bad.

The latest, former Police Sergeant Mike Blowers, was charged in March but his name was suppressed until now. Blowers is denying all charges.

Last week Waitakere Constable Lou Perese, 42, was arrested charged with knowingly supplying cannabis and 34 counts of supplying contraband, including cannabis, to prisoners. In May, Peter Pakau, 36, was accused of making methamphetamine and collecting debt on behalf of gang members.

This really is not good enough.

What I would like to know is who monitors the monitors? Who makes sure police are doing what they should be? I have always stuck up for police and I think they do a wonderful job.

But what sort of message does this send to our children? If the police can't behave, why should they?

The public deserve to know there are procedures in place to ensure we don't see more police officers appearing before the court.