Former cop slams police ‘racism’

Huri Dennis alleges the police team that investigated a kidnapping case and the IPCA are both racist because they ignored tikanga Ma¯ori evidence he put forward and the police’s Ma¯ori strategy.

Huri Dennis has come out swinging against the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).

He’s lodged a complaint of discrimination against the police watchdog with the Human Rights Commission, a claim which the IPCA ‘‘categorically refutes’’.

The IPCA published two damning reports yesterday, after its investigation found Dennis was guilty of serious misconduct and unlawful detention.

The police watchdog says Dennis repeatedly engaged in improper behaviour. He had a disregard for the law and police policy, process and procedures.

Dennis is accused of trying to influence justice outcomes for family members and to get off his own speeding ticket. His actions were an abuse of his influence, power and authority as an inspector, says the authority.

The former national

Ma¯ori strategic adviser said he was just trying to be a good Ma¯ ori cop.

Dennis’ job in the police force before he resigned last year was to sell the Ma¯ori strategy, Te Huringa o te Tai – the Turning of the Tide, to police leadership. The strategy was created to help curb the high rates of Ma¯ori in the criminal justice system.

In 2015, Police Commissioner Mike Bush admitted there was police bias against Ma¯ ori.

Dennis said he would use and promote the use of customary Ma¯ ori principles and a variety of alternative resolution police strategies to deal with the issue.

He claimed it’s what he used when getting involved in the criminal cases against his son, another relative and detaining the complainant.

‘‘You have three Ma¯ori boys again, made some mistakes, all of them with supportive Ma¯ ori families behind them.

‘‘We didn’t need another three young men going into the courts.’’

But the IPCA found Dennis tried to use his authority to influence criminal cases involving two of his family members.

The authority did consider his evidence around Te Huringa o te Tai but did not accept any police strategy gave Dennis the lawful authority to detain the complainant.

In October, Dennis laid a complaint against the IPCA with the Human Rights Commission for discrimination.

In his complaint, Dennis alleges the police team that investigated the kidnapping case and the IPCA are both racist because they ignored the tikanga Ma¯ori evidence he put forward and the police’s Ma¯ ori strategy.

Judge Colin Doherty from the IPCA, hadn’t heard of the complaint until it was put to him by Stuff.

‘‘As to any allegations racism of course I deny that.

‘‘He’s not happy with what our findings are and he’s entitled to that view but I categorically refute that.’’ of