Police Association backing officer in drink-drive case [audio report]

The Police Association is paying legal fees for an officer charged with drink driving and hopes he will retain his job.

Association president Greg O'Connor said today it was supporting Jonathan Erwood, a sole charge policeman at the remote settlement of Mokau, northeast of New Plymouth, through the court process. He is also being backed by the Mokau's deputy fire chief.

Erwood failed a breath-test when he attended a double fatality car accident in Taranaki on July 9.

He entered no plea to the charge when he appeared at the New Plymouth District Court yesterday, and was remanded to August 17.

Mr O'Connor said the association was supporting Erwood with the aim of helping him keep his job.

"We're in no way condoning drink driving but we believe there were sufficient extenuating circumstances in this case and think the police blanket policy of dismissal of officers convicted of drink driving should be overturned in this case," he told National Radio.

The association also fully supported the officer who charged Erwood.

It was paying for Erwood's lawyer and would make submissions to the police commissioner as to why he should not lose his position.

The sister of the officer who breath-tested Erwood said her brother was going through hell with no support from his colleagues for his actions.

She said her brother was first on the scene and there was no need for Erwood to attend. But Mokau deputy fire chief Graham Putt disputed that.

He said fire officers were first on the job and minutes later Erwood arrived and supplied one of the victims with oxygen. Mr Putt said claims he should not have attended the accident as he was not needed were false.

He described what had happened to Erwood as "disgusting" and that he did the right thing in attending the accident.

Mr O'Connor said it was a "myth" that police were easy on their own, in fact they were harder on each other than the public.

He said there were unique circumstances for off-duty police officers, particularly in remote areas, and said these issues would be raised with the police commissioner.

- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB