‘NZ risky if you’re black’
New Zealand police are refuting a former West Indies cricketer’s claims officers racially stereotyped him and failed to investigate his complaint properly.
Former international fast bowler and player-coach at Auckland University Cricket Club Franklyn Rose has slammed judicial officials for locking him in an Auckland prison for seven weeks earlier this year while investigating a rape complaint.
“I felt so terrified and nervous when I realised I was living among serial killers, rapists and drug dealers,” he said.
The Herald revealed in April the 44-year-old was the subject of a rape complaint being investigated by New Zealand police.
The batsman and right-arm bowler denies the allegation.
At the time, police confirmed they were investigating a complaint of sexual assault but no charges were laid and police had helped deport him to Jamaica as his visa had expired.
Rose has written a letter to the International Cricket Council stating: “New Zealand is not a safe place for international cricketers, especially if they are black.”
He said he was the subject of a “thuggish” racial attack by a group of youths in Takapuna early on a Saturday morning in November 2012 that left him hospitalised.
He was disappointed the case went unsolved and believed the officer racially stereotyped him.
“He wanted to know if I was involved in gangs or drugs. I asked him if it is only black people who are involved with drugs and gangs and why is he stereotyping me?”
But Waitemata police area commander Superintendent Bill Searle “strongly refuted” Rose’s allegations yesterday.
“A thorough investigation was carried out into Mr Rose’s reported assault.”
Rose was advised of the outcome and thanked the investigating officer, he said. “At no point did he express any dissatisfaction with the way he was treated or the way his case was investigated.”