KEY POINTS:
Constable Sarah McLauchlan epitomises all that is good about the New Zealand police. Her mid-air, heroic dive from a police craft on to a Greenpeace protest boat was superbly captured by photographers for the front pages this week - just the filip the police public relations hacks required in an otherwise hellish week. They milked the occasion for all its worth: McLauchlan, quite rightly, will be recommended for a commendation. She played a crucial role in subduing the pesky Greenpeace protesters blockading a coal export ship's departure from Christchurch's Lyttelton Port.
We are lucky, generally, to be served by a dedicated team of men and women in blue. No one can envy their task, particularly when they are confronted - with bare minimum protection - by so many volatile, P-addled criminals and nightmarish scenarios.
Yet those on the frontline are so often let down by an incompetent, abrasive and defensive administration. There is no better example of this than the latest twist in the Olivia Hope-Ben Smart murder case, for which this newspaper has, unashamedly, been pushing for a retrial for the convicted killer Scott Watson. Last week, we revealed that the murder inquiry head, Rob Pope, has been facing internal police inquiries over his work in the lead-up, and subsequent to, Watson's arrest. Essentially, Watson's father, Chris, accuses Pope, who is now the Deputy Commissioner, of writing misleading affidavits to obtain warrants to bug Watson's boat, home and telephone. One affidavit claimed Watson matched witnesses' descriptions - those witnesses denied that.
Last week, this newspaper obtained a letter written by Assistant Commissioner Gavin Jones confirming police were conducting internal inquiries into Pope. These inquiries were in addition to an investigation already under way by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (previously the Police Complaints Authority). Yet, on Sunday morning, when the revelations were published, the first reaction of police public relations hierarchy was to deny any knowledge of the existence of an inquiry. The only one they were aware of, they said, was the authority's. Later that day, they were forced into an embarrassing backdown.
Even more unbelievably, these police inquiries have been going on for four years. In that time, Pope has become Deputy Commissioner. Now questions are being asked about whether Police Minister Annette King and Cabinet were aware of the inquiries when Pope was appointed. King simply fobbed off questions to former State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble, who maintained Pope was appointed after an "independent and thorough process" and that he had seen nothing "since Mr Pope has been in that role that would suggest it was anything other than a good appointment".
The length of time taken to investigate Pope's actions is simply unfathomable, and it can only be assumed police bosses have been ignoring the complaint, hoping the matter would disappear quietly. It beggars belief that their spokesman, Jon Neilson, then turned around a few days later and said police would have their report completed later in the week, but that this had nothing to do with the media coverage.
Has the police hierarchy completely lost the plot? Has it learned nothing from the Rickards, Shipton and Schollum saga? At a time when the police force needs to rebuild its reputation, and when its administration should be reflecting the values and principles of officers such as Sarah McLauchlan, it instead scores another embarrassing own goal.
We say it again: we are not convinced that Scott Watson is innocent, although plenty of other people are, including at least one senior police officer who worked on the case. However, on the evidence presented to the jury - and other details which have subsequently emerged - Watson should not have been found guilty. The case must be sent back to the courts. And Mr Pope, that offer of an interview with the Herald on Sunday remains open.
