Former inspector in relationship with teenage male
A DUNEDIN police inspector who quit after signing a secret settlement deal had recently begun a relationship with a teenager.
Southern district roading policing manager Inspector Tania Baron (43) left her role last Thursday, as part of a mediated exit arranged by lawyers and police.
Her resignation followed the end of her marriage, and the beginning of a new relationship with a teenager, who is now 18.
It is understood he is staying at Mrs Baron’s home where she lives with her teenage children.
The pair are believed to have bonded over a shared interest in cycling.
Mrs Baron’s colleagues were apparently unhappy with the situation. How ever, it is unclear if an investigation was completed.
It is also unknown if the relationship was the direct cause of the resignation.
When The New Zealand Herald visited Mrs Baron at her home yesterday, she would not answer questions, other than to confirm there was a relationship and the other person involved was ‘‘not a schoolboy’’.
She confirmed her marriage had ended.
A confidentiality agreement meant she could say little else, she said.
Her lawyer Rob Davidson later called to say Mrs Baron would be providing no further comment.
In a statement, Southern district commander Superintendent Paul Basham also refused to comment.
‘‘The individual you have named is a former member of NZ Police,’’ he said.
‘‘We do not discuss employment matters relating to current or former staff and have no comment to make.’’
An earlier information request from a member of the public was also refused, for privacy reasons, and because making the information available would ‘‘prejudice the law’’.
Mrs Baron’s 2015 appointment was a muchlauded event, with a press release at the time labelling it a ‘‘milestone’’ for the district, because she was the first woman to hold the job.
A Dunedin local, Mrs Baron had previously held a range of roles within police, including frontline policing, youth, prosecutions and leading case management across the district. — The New Zealand Herald