The texts are alleged to include repeated suggestions of sex and other graphic messages. Photo / File
The texts are alleged to include repeated suggestions of sex and other graphic messages. Photo / File
Police don't know the identity of a Whangarei officer accused of repeatedly sending "inappropriate" and explicit text messages to a young woman.
An "absence of information" regarding the content of the alleged texts have placed police in a "very difficult position", Northland District Commander Superintendent Russell Le Prou told the Herald.
Le Prou said police had not seen "any of the alleged text messages, the number that they came from, the name of the alleged officer involved, or any further information that will point to where he may work".
Le Prou said last October Northland Police proactively contacted the administrator of a webpage after a post alleged inappropriate behaviour by an officer in Whangarei.
"Police took this action in order to obtain information, act immediately on this allegation, investigate the alleged circumstances and support the complainant," he added.
The texts, sent to a woman in her early 20s, are alleged to include repeated suggestions of sex and other graphic messages, Fairfax Media reported.
Le Prou said since October follow up requests and offers of support made to the woman had been unsuccessful.
"We have offered to send an independent female investigator from out of district to investigate the allegations in an attempt to make the woman feel more comfortable about providing us with the information."
The woman told Fairfax the texts began following an incident she witnessed last June.
However, she insisted she did not lead the police officer on, or give the impression she was willing to receive his correspondence.
The officer phoned several times before texting her weeks after the incident, she said.
"He started texting me, which I thought was weird, but then the messages got creepy."
Some of the messages mentioned the woman's appearance, allegedly reading, "the only thing wrong with that dress is it's too long".
Other messages allegedly asked the woman if she had ever had sex in a police car, and said the woman gave the officer erections, while also stating that the officer stopped his car to masturbate after driving past the woman.
The woman told Fairfax she initially ignored his texts before asking him to stop.
Northland District Commander Superintendent Russell Le Prou said police were unaware of the identity of the officer. Photo / John Stone
Le Prou said police had offered the woman contact information for the Independent Police Conduct Authority if she "felt more comfortable" reporting the incident to the IPCA.
"I have also made a personal plea to the woman, via email, to provide us, or the IPCA, with information that will allow us to investigate," he said.
"I have also stated that the alleged behaviour needs to be investigated and the only way to do that is to support the woman to come forward to wherever she may feel comfortable and in whatever way, to give us this information."
He said the text allegations were "extremely serious" and police wanted to launch an investigation as soon as possible.
"The trust and confidence of the public in police is paramount, however in the absence of information that allows us to carry out an investigation we are in a very difficult position."
