Police admit failure to help woman in distress

By BRIDGET CARTER

The family of missing Auckland model Iraena Asher have been played a tape of the emergency call in which she asked police for help.

The tape has not been made public, but a police report on the affair accepts she said she was in danger, under pressure to have sex and possibly drugged during calls with the police communications centre.

Her family learned that while she was in distress, police staff were talking to each other on the telephone, using "inappropriate and disrespectful language" towards her.

She wanted a police car, they called her a taxi which went to a suburb 35km away. Now she is missing - and up to five police staff face disciplinary action.

Last night Ms Asher's family were too distressed to speak publicly about the police apology.

Northern communications manager Superintendent John Lyall and North Shore/Waitakere district commander Superintendent Roger Carson said mistakes police made when Ms Asher called 111 were serious and embarrassing.

"We should have attended," Mr Carson said.

"We should have gone and helped Iraena.

"I am very sorry to have to tell you that the police on this occasion got it wrong. We got it wrong in a number of respects."

His comments came after police gave the results of an inquiry into the handling of Ms Asher's 111 call on Sunday, October 10, at 9pm, five hours before she disappeared.

The 25-year-old part-time model and Auckland University student has been missing for 10 days.

She might not have been taking medication for her bipolar condition before she disappeared.

Mr Carson said police spoke yesterday to Ms Asher's family, who were grateful for the apology but were very upset.

The family heard the taped conversation between police and Ms Asher at the weekend, but police met them yesterday and apologised in person.

Police said that in the first telephone conversation with Ms Asher, the experienced call taker, who was a former police officer, was professional.

Ms Asher's voice was calm, and there was no background noise when she expressed her concerns.

The Waitakere field supervising sergeant, who was dealing with an armed offenders squad callout, told the call-taker to send her a taxi, although police staff were available.

Ms Asher was asked what taxi company she wanted and was later called back and told the Discount Taxi she had requested was on its way.

The call-taker did not pick up on her concerns of being drugged.

The Discount Taxi went to the wrong address, Paihia Rd in Onehunga, more than 35km away.

When Ms Asher expressed concern that a police car was not sent, the call-taker told her a sergeant would ring her back.

But Ms Asher abandoned her cellphone and left the Piha flat.

She was picked up by residents and taken to their home.

Police say they kept calling her cellphone until around 11pm, but did not check with the taxi company to see if the car had arrived.

Mr Carson said the swear words and disrespectful language the call- taker used when discussing Ms Asher's situation with the Waitakere sergeant were "absolutely unacceptable".

He said up to five staff faced disciplinary action, and the report into the case would be reviewed by the Police Complaints Authority.

Mr Lyall asked for police not to be judged on the one event.

Mr Carson also asked for people to stay focused on what was important - finding Ms Asher.

He said police were still conducting aerial searches for her, and were planning to talk to about 60 bach owners in Piha.

In a question in Parliament yesterday, National Party police spokesman Tony Ryall asked Police Minister George Hawkins:

"Do women in distress need to be screaming before police will come to protect them rather than send a taxi?"

Mr Hawkins replied that police acted on information they had. "They make judgment calls. This time they made a very poor judgment call."

Mr Ryall said later that the police 111 system was under pressure in Auckland and response rates were variable.

His concern was that a low-ranking officer would take the blame when police were working with inadequate resources and situations where understaffing could delay the response to 111 calls.

Five hours from 111 to last sight

SUNDAY OCTOBER 10

9pm - Iraena calls police. Police call back. Nominates either Cheap Cabs or Discount Taxis. Says she might have been drugged.

9.10pm - Police say taxi is on the way. Iraena expresses concern that a taxi, not a police car, is being sent.

9.30pm - Iraena picked up by residents on Piha Rd, 200m away from the house where she dialled 111, and taken back to their home.

MONDAY OCTOBER 11

1.10am - Iraena leaves the Piha home.

1.19am - Residents call police.

1.25am - Police dispatched.

1.55am - Police arrive.

2am - Last sighting of Iraena, possibly naked and beneath a light at Piha.