Top officer quits police inquiry

A senior policeman appointed to help inquire into a "sick" police culture has quit the role after revelations he was once the subject of a complaint about inappropriate behaviour.

Inspector Pieter Roozendaal had been seconded from his complaints investigation role in the North Shore/Waitakere/Rodney District to help the South Auckland inquiry, sparked by the recent trial of Senior Sergeant Anthony Solomona.

Trial judge Bruce Davidson condemned Solomona's conduct, which included photographing a 15-year-old boy wearing a sign that read "I am the property of Senior Sergeant Solomona".

The court was also shown a picture of a machete and axe-wielding policeman posing with a number of other weapons and a sign saying "RIP to Section 4" (the emergency response unit headed by Solomona).

Judge Davidson also talked of a "sick" culture within the police.

Police Commissioner Rob Robinson said an inquiry would determine whether there was evidence of a culture "that condones or encourages acts of violence or other inappropriate treatment toward prisoners, suspects or other persons in the Counties Manukau Police District".

The Office of the Commissioner last night issued a statement which said Mr Roozendaal was involved in an incident where alleged inappropriate language was used.

Mr Roozendaal reportedly said to a man who had been in custody for some hours and been strip searched: "Have you had your beating yet?"

Last night TV3 reported that the comment was made in 1988. Mr Roozendaal was a detective sergeant working in the Counties Manukau district at the time.

Acting Commissioner Steve Long said Mr Roozendaal had indicated to police that he was exonerated from the complaint, but accepted he used words which were construed as "inappropriate humour".

Mr Roozendaal asked to stand down from the inquiry led by a retired High Court judge, Sir David Tompkins.

Mr Long said Mr Roozendaal, who joined police in 1977, had worked hard on the inquiry in the short time it had been set up.

"We will now be looking to quickly fill the role with a new investigator to support Sir David," Mr Long said.

The inquiry team this week called for public submissions and Mr Roozendaal was quoted as saying: "An investigation such as this is reliant on people coming forward and telling their stories."

North Shore/Waitakere/Rodney District Commander Superintendent Roger Carson said last night that he wanted Mr Roozendaal to remain in his job as manager of police professional standards.

"Inspector Roozendaal has told me he was totally exonerated for his actions at the time in the late 1980s and I have absolute confidence in his current role."