Another probe in ‘Survivor’ cop case
An investigation into an alleged vexatious prosecution by Survivor NZ contestant Nathan Davis will be handled by a separate police district after a second complaint was laid – this time against his district commander, Sue Schwalger, for her handling of the inquiry.
Davis, a police senior sergeant, is under an internal investigation after being accused of misusing police powers by charging a former colleague with illegal hunting.
The case was thrown out before it went to trial, and the former cop believes he was targeted with a vexatious prosecution because he was awarded an undisclosed payout after being bullied by a senior police officer.
Davis was listed as the police officer in charge of the case, and his name appeared in police job sheets associated with the case.
However, in a statement last week Central Police District superintendent Sue Schwalger said Davis was not involved with the prosecution and the paperwork had been filled out incorrectly.
Schwalger said: ‘‘While the circumstances of the complaint are still under investigation, inquiries to date show that references to Senior Sergeant Davis as being the officer in charge of the illegal hunting complaint appear to be an administrative error on the prosecution file.’’
The former officer who brought the charges laid a fresh complaint with the Independent Police Conduct Authority against Schwalger, alleging she had spread misleading information and pre-empted the outcome of the investigation.
Police documents clearly showed Davis’ involvement, he said.
The IPCA has agreed the two complaints should be looked at separately. Both will initially be investigated by officers from outside the Central Police District to avoid a conflict of interest, and overseen by the IPCA.
The live final of Survivor NZ this Wednesday, July 5. is