Police defend officer's London appointment

Gary Smith. File photo / Daily Post

Police have defended their appointment of a senior officer, the alleged subject of claims of sexual harassment, to a plum job in London.

Superintendent Gary Smith, the former Bay of Plenty district commander, was the subject of a claim of sexual harassment by a woman employed by the police who has since resigned, the Dominion Post reported.

The newspaper said police reached a confidential settlement with Sarah Lindsay of Whakatane, whose allegations were investigated by Howard Broad, who is now the country's top-ranked police officer.

Today Deputy Commissioner of Police Rob Pope said there had been a comprehensive and thorough review of the management practices of Mr Smith and that review clearly supported his suitability to carry out senior roles.

He said the review by employment law specialist, Peter Cullen, concluded Mr Smith "did not engage in any managerial behaviour considered belittling".

He said the report "gave me every confidence to make the appointment of Mr Smith to the London liaison officer job."

Mr Pope said there had been no settlement relating to alleged sexual harassment and there were "no unresolved matters relating to him involving New Zealand Police."

He said it was unfair of the newspaper to "pillory a hard working member of New Zealand police whose actions have been subject to due process at each step of the way."

The newspaper said the settlement was understood to have related to several employment issues.

Ms Lindsay's harassment allegations arose during an employment dispute between her and Mr Smith.

Last week it was reported Mr Smith had been appointed to the two year London post, despite a secret report saying he acted unlawfully and totally mismanaged a complaint about the unlawful arrest of a justice of the peace.

Mr Smith was one of several officers criticised by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).

The wrongly arrested Tokoroa JP, Mii Teokotai, lost her job as a result of the botched police investigation. She was charged with conspiracy to commit arson but the charge was later dismissed for lack of evidence.

The IPCA conducted the investigation following a string of complaints laid by former policeman Dave White about the 2005 arrest of Mrs Teokotai, his mother-in-law.

It did not make public its findings because it deemed them not of sufficient public interest.

The IPCA did not recommend any disciplinary action against the officers.

Mr Smith was one of six candidates for the London post and the appointment was made by a panel of senior police.

- NZPA