KEY POINTS:
Suspended assistant police commissioner Clint Rickards has a new $50,000-plus Holden Commodore courtesy of the police.
This despite being suspended for the last three years.
Sunday News reported the vehicle was registered just two months ago to the Manawatu Wanganui police district and was part of Rickards' estimated $250,000 police remuneration package, which he has retained since being suspended in 2004.
The suspension followed the opening of an investigation into allegations by Rotorua woman Louise Nicholas that Mr Rickards and ex-police officers Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum raped her in the early 1980s.
All three were acquitted but Mr Rickards admitted he had group sex with Mrs Nicholas.
The newspaper said Mr Rickards, a police officer for 27 years, was likely to face an internal police disciplinary process over the sexual liaisons with Mrs Nicholas, a woman's allegation he had sex with her on the bonnet of a police car in 1983, and his public criticism of the competence of Operation Austin an investigation into sexual allegations against police by Mrs Nicholas and other women.
Police spokesman Jon Neilson said Mr Rickards' employment issues were still under review.
"There is no indication when this process will be completed," Mr Neilson told Sunday News.
"He is still on suspension and has use of his police vehicle."
Mr Neilson said police chiefs like Rickards were entitled to a new vehicle every three years.
- NZPA
