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Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct
Related information and links: Police under investigation
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[PDF]
Commissions of Inquiry Act 1988
Background
Prime Minister Helen Clark announced on February 3, 2004 that the government would establish a Commission of Inquiry in response to allegations about historical Police investigations.
"These allegations suggest that police officers may have deliberately undermined investigations into complaints against other officers. Such allegations are extremely serious," Helen Clark said.
"News of these allegations became public on Saturday. The Police Commissioner, as is appropriate, has already announced that he has investigations underway into the alleged criminal offending.
"For its part, the government is concerned to ensure that there is a full, independent investigation into the way in which the Police, at the time, dealt with these allegations.
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"The government considers that the Police Complaints Authority is not well placed to conduct such an inquiry in this instance and, accordingly, the Cabinet has decided today to establish an independent Commission of Inquiry.
"The Inquiry will focus primarily on issues of process. It will have a comprehensive brief, including the ability to make recommendations to avoid such circumstances arising in the future.
"The terms of reference will be designed to ensure the Inquiry not only examines the process followed in the specific case leading to the current allegations, but that it also looks at the broader question of whether any general systemic issues have arisen.
"It will take at least a couple of weeks to draft terms of reference, to identify an appropriate person to head the Inquiry and to formally constitute the Commission of Inquiry."
