Silence over suspended officers sets off rumours

Police are defending their decision not to reveal accusations against two West Coast police officers stood down on full pay while under internal investigation.

Constable Peter McCutcheon, of Ross, and Constable Lynda Hine, of Greymouth, have been suspended and are to be investigated by Nelson detectives.

Their boss, Tasman police district commander Grant O'Fee, has refused to say what they are under investigation for, and the rumour mill has been churning.

The affair has captured attention due to the West Coast's troubled history of police officers coming under investigation.

In 2004, coal miner Johnny Menzies was awarded $35,000 by a High Court jury who found Mr Menzies was the victim of unjustified force by Greymouth police constable Terrence Hunt.

National Party law and order spokesman Simon Power said everyone deserved to be considered innocent until found guilty.

"When the job is being funded by the taxpayer, the public has a right to know that police are protecting them and they are not above the law themselves," Mr Power said.

"If the circumstances of the case [are] such that police believe they shouldn't release details, then they need to assure the public that the constables are being held to the same standard as anyone else employed by the taxpayer."

Mr O'Fee said it was police policy not to reveal details of an internal investigation unless it was already in the public domain or of pressing interest.

If a police officer faced criminal charges in court, he or she had the right to seek suppression orders.

"The public, in the fullness of time, will know what is going on," Mr O'Fee said.

"There are all manner of rumours flying around about this case. A few possibilities have been put to me and they are not anywhere near the mark."

Asked if the matter was serious, he said: "They are suspended and we don't do that for fun".

A lot of effort had been put into improving West Coast policing in recent years and this had "turned things around in a major way".

"We are having some excellent results on the West Coast," Mr O'Fee said.