Editorial: Police left to undo bad cop's harm

Adam Dunnett leaves the Napier Court. Photo / Duncan Brown

Adam Dunnett will have plenty of time to reflect on the damage he has caused the New Zealand Police and the vulnerable teenage girls he preyed on.

Dunnett, a former police officer, was sentenced at the Napier District Court to 22 months in jail yesterday on six counts of indecent assault against five complainants, all older than 16 at the time.

The assaults occurred during alcohol-fuelled parties which Dunnett, who was also a surf lifesaving coach, attended.

We all know that most police officers are law-abiding, honest people just trying to do their jobs but, unfortunately, Dunnett's actions will probably cause some, especially the victims, to mistrust police officers.

One of the victims bravely read out her victim impact statement in front of Dunnett yesterday and questioned how she would ever be able to trust another police officer again after losing all hope.

Judge Les Atkins also accepted the victims' testimonies and said Dunnett had in fact said: "No one's going to believe you. You are drunk, I'm a cop. No one's going to believe you."

If I was a hard-working frontline police officer, I would be very upset with Dunnett, because he has opened the police up to mistrust.

It was pleasing, however, to see how police management responded to the case yesterday. Eastern district commander Superintendent Sandra Venables said the sentencing sent a clear message that police would not tolerate such behaviour among its staff.

She also praised the police officers who carried out a professional investigation into one of their own.

And that is the whole point of the matter, it is officers like these who represent the values of the police, not scumbags like Dunnett.