Sex claim against cop not acted on

Criminal inquiry comes months after police whistleblower ignored

A whistleblower warned police bosses about an alleged sex scandal involving a senior Northland officer — but no action was taken until the woman laid a formal complaint six months later.

The officer is now the subject of a criminal investigation and a separate inquiry by the Independent Police Conduct Authority after the woman laid an official complaint in April of historic sexual abuse and harassment.

The officer has been suspended and two senior detectives flew to Australia last week to interview the complainant, who was the victim in a domestic violence case the officer investigated 15 years ago.

However, the Weekend Herald has been leaked a letter addressed to Police Commissioner Mike Bush and Superintendent Russell Le Prou, the Northland district commander, who were warned about the potential for a sex “scandal” involving the officer. Bush's office forwarded the letter to the Northland District to follow up.

The anonymous letter, dated November 2015, was penned by a “serving senior officer” in Northland raising concerns about how Shannon Parker, who runs police watchdog website New Zealand Police Conduct Association, was being treated.

Parker i s an advocate for the woman who made the serious sexual allegations against the officer.

The whistleblower was concerned about a growing rift between Parker and the Northland police district after a string of concerns she had raised about various matters, many of which were upheld.

“We have stabbed a bear and missed its artery. Now we have an angry, injured bear that we have no control over and no community with,” said the anonymous officer.

The letter writer stated Parker planned to write a book and knew about the senior officer “having sex with a victim after being dispatched to a property”.

“A data dump of scandals will induce a media storm and hit us hard,” the whistleblower wrote. “As things stand now, police won’t know about it until a media request comes in or that book is published.

“We have underestimated Ms Parker . . . Perhaps the order of the day is a chat and handshake so we can get some perspective on this long term.”

A police spokeswoman at first refused to answer questions about the “alleged” letter.

When the Weekend Herald supplied the letter to police, she confirmed it had been received.

The sex allegation was one paragraph in a five- page letter which mostly focused on “the writer’s concern for, and admiration of, Ms Parker,” the police said.

No times or dates were given and neither was the name of any complainant, said police.

“Police considered that this single paragraph ( a vague comment via two anonymous sources) did not provide a basis upon which to launch an investigation. No further information was forthcoming which altered that view.”

The police officer was not spoken to about the sex allegation and the letter was not forwarded to the IPCA.

“Furthermore, police also had, and continue to have, doubts about the authenticity of the letter and whether it was in fact sent by any serving or past police member.”

The police source who leaked it to the Weekend Herald had no doubt about the letter’s authenticity.

“Bits and pieces about the letter just kept coming out around the station. Lots of guys were told if they had any concerns they wanted to discuss to come forward,” said the source. “We all knew that was a ploy. No action was taken, no investigation was undertaken and no one interviewed or asked Shannon Parker because she is known for telling us what we don’t want to hear.”

Parker said she was unaware of the letter until contacted by the Weekend Herald and confirmed several details, including the book mentioned. She confirmed police had not contacted her about the allegations against the officer until she went public.

“It’s disappointing to hear that police were notified of a potential issue involving a senior Northland officer and failed to take any steps to check the validity of the claim.”

Warren Young, general manager of the IPCA, confirmed police had not forwarded the letter, even after multiple investigations into the sex allegations were launched in April.

Asked if police should have done so, he said: “I cannot answer that without knowing exactly who received the letter and when. We are making further inquiries about it.”

The Weekend Herald has obtained the woman’s written statement to the IPCA, which said the alleged harassment began after the officer arrested her partner on domestic violence charges in 2002.

She received a few “kind and thoughtful” text messages but said the officer became a “bit too friendly”, buying her flowers and giving her a nickname.

“He asked me out for dinner and wanted me to wear a red or black dress. I declined and felt a bit weird about it. He then arrived at the house with wine and pizza.”

In her IPCA complaint, the woman described several alleged sexual encounters.

“I didn’t know what to say or do so just lay there scared and in shock . . . He was so much older than me, was meant to be helping me.”

A data dump of scandals will induce a media storm and hit us hard. Anonymous letter