Motorcade constable speaks out

Senior Constable Clint Vallender

A police officer involved in the speeding motorcade case says he is "very disappointed" by the way Prime Minister Helen Clark and the police handled the matter.

Senior Constable Clint Vallender's comments came as the Police Association considers appealing the convictions of two police drivers on dangerous driving charges. Three other police officers, including Mr Vallender, were acquitted

Prime Minister Helen Clark's civilian driver was also convicted after the motorcade's dash from Waimate to Christchurch in July last year but the verdict against him was yesterday overturned.

Mr Vallender today told Radio Live: "We did what we had to do, but still haven't had a phone call or a letter or anything of appreciation of what we did, from anyone in hierarchy which is a bit disappointing.

"You could call us scapegoats, but we were put before a legal system...I don't feel we needed to be put there.

"None of us deserved to be there. It could have been dealt with in house by someone making a statement on what we were there to do."

Mr Vallender said he was delighted the civilian driver's conviction was quashed.

"We are there, paid to take a bullet for the PM, and obviously we basically did, one way or another. But he was just doing a job, so that's good."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said today lawyers were considering the situation, and although the time to lodge an appeal had passed, special leave might be sought.

"We're considering whether it is worth appealing," he said on National Radio.

Mr Vallender praised the Police Association for its "fantastic" support.

He also spoke of the toll the case took on his life.

"It was quite an embarrassing and emotional two weeks, let alone the lead up to it from last November when we were charged."

It was stressful and hard on family and friends as well, he said.

However he had not heard a negative word from the public over the case.

Mr Vallender said that at the time he did not know where Helen Clark was going.

"We had no idea where she was going. We were just told there was a breakdown in the plane and there was another plane, there were options given, an option chosen by her party.

"We weren't in the position to question her. It's her job, she's the Prime Minister."

Mr Vallender said they were given a timeframe and had to work within it. Not everyone in the motorcade had been familiar with Helen Clark's itinerary.

"We didn't really know how much total time we had to deal with so we just went at a comfortable speed."

He felt the speed had not been excessive.

Helen Clark would have received "more kudos if she had stood up and taken the rap", he said.

- NZPA