IPCA report concerning

THERE are several worrying aspects in the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report on police’s poor response to recruits’ concerns raised about a doctor conducting police medical examinations.

The inquiry by the IPCA was not into the lawfulness of the doctor’s actions but rather the police’s response to allegations he had sexually assaulted some recruits. (The doctor concerned successfully appealed to the High Court over a finding by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal he had departed from professional standards during police recruit medicals. The court found the evidence before the tribunal was insufficient to support any of the charges to the required standard).

The doctor carried out 118 medical examinations (one of the last steps in the recruitment process for the police college) between 1999 and 2016.

But although several recruits advised police staff of concerns about the medicals at least seven times between 2002 and 201415, it took until 2017 for police to conduct a criminal investigation into the doctor. Then, a recruit laid a formal complaint with police about her 2002 examination. She first raised concern about this in a survey on the recruiting process in 2002 .

The investigation contacted 52 recruits who had examinations around the same time as the complainant. Fourteen (men and women) alleged indecent behaviour by the doctor.

Eventually, police decided not to lay any criminal charges because they considered they would be unable to prove criminal intent.

Although the IPCA found that investigation reasonable, it considered when police became aware of the extent of complaints it should have carried out a full investigation into their earlier failures to respond to recruits’ concerns.

In 2019, after a male recruit complained to the IPCA about his 2006 examination, police carried out a review rather than a full investigation. The police human resources manager conducting this was asked to find out what police staff knew or had been told about the allegations against the doctor.

This was not sufficiently indepth for police to reach conclusions about how they had dealt with recruits’ concerns, and it was hampered by poor record keeping. (Shoddy record keeping was also highlighted in the 2021 IPCA report on bullying, culture and related issues in the force.)

As the IPCA points out, it is understandable recruits were reluctant to complain about the doctor, given police had sent them to him and they were seeking employment with the police.

The apparent lack of understanding of the implications of this power imbalance by people working in recruitment and human resources, and indeed anyone else in the police hierarchy who had involvement with this matter, is worrying.

If they cannot grasp this within their own culture, can we rely on police to recognise and respond properly to such issues if they crop up when they are investigating complaints from the public?

The police accept the response to the historic allegations was not sufficiently robust or timely given their seriousness and say it was ‘‘a reflection of systemic issues at the time’’.

They say their complaints process has improved so complaints from staff are properly investigated and managed, details of what to expect at the medical assessment are available online, and applicants can choose their own general practitioner to carry it out.

We hope all is as hunky dory now as the police would have us believe. Failing to set a good example with treatment of their own staff risks undermining public confidence.

And another thing

THE designation of the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark as one of Unesco’s 195 global geoparks in 48 countries is great news.

The Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust submitted its application for the designation in 2019, but it was not until last year evaluators could visit and assess the proposal.

We hope the geopark’s new status will increase interest in the richness of the Waitaki’s geology. With more than 40 geosites identified there — places with particular geological or geomorphological significance which may also have cultural or heritage importance — there is much to be explored and celebrated.