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Home / Publications and Media / 2017 Media Releases

Investigations into policing on Great Barrier Island

22 August 2017

The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found no significant misconduct or neglect of duty in the policing of Great Barrier Island.

The Authority has been investigating complaints by three residents on the island. It did not proceed with an investigation into complaints by two other current and former residents, because they decided that they did not wish to cooperate with the Authority’s processes.

The complaints comprised a variety of allegations, including bias and discrimination in policing practice, failures by the officers to recognise conflicts of interest, and failures to properly perform their duty.

Although the Authority identified a small number of failings of a relatively minor nature, there was no evidence of any systemic malpractice or of any significant misconduct or neglect of duty by the officers involved”, said Authority Chair, Judge Sir David Carruthers.

However, the Authority has concluded that there are a number of issues relating to the policing of small communities that require further investigation.

“Officers policing small and isolated communities face particular challenges that are quite different from those faced by officers in an urban environment”, said Sir David. . “There are variations in the way in which these challenges are managed. These include differences in understanding of the nature and scope of their duties, in the way in which they can best manage conflicts of interest, and in the nature of the supervision and support they receive”.

The Authority has embarked on a wider review of these issues in a number of small communities around New Zealand, and will report on its findings at the conclusion of that review.

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