[Greens-Media] Shock: Police Investigate Themselves And Find They Are Innocent

[Christopher Holley]

Shock: Police Investigate Themselves And Find They Are Innocent

The public can have no confidence in the announcement by Police
Commissioner Scipione that an internal police inquiry has cleared police
officers of any wrongdoing after dozens of officers were photographed
with their name tags removed when confronting protesters at Sydney’s
APEC meeting, according to Greens MP and police spokesperson Sylvia
Hale.

“When announcing the inquiry Commissioner Scipione is reported as
saying  "The indications that I've got is that there are times when
protesters have used these things in the past, and I would be horrified
if police didn't take the right actions to protect themselves." (SMH
10/9/07)

“Can anyone claim to be surprised at the outcome of the internal
investigation given that the Police Commissioner announced the result at
the same time he announced he was setting up the investigation,” said
Ms Hale.

“The oppressive nature of police actions and the lack of police
accountability since Commissioner Scipione was appointed is of serious
concern.”

His reported comment that “this is the way we do business in NSW
now” (SMH 10/9/07), his refusal to allow an independent
investigation into the allegations against police and his arrogant
dismissal of breaches of police procedure by the numerous officers
pictured without badges shows that the Commissioner is committed to a
highly authoritarian policing model that involves systematic
intimidation of the public and minimal accountability for police,”
said Ms Hale.

“Video, pictorial and eyewitness evidence has been made public of
police acting in an aggressive fashion, throwing protesters on the
ground, arresting people without any basis and keeping protesters
restricted in Hyde Park for no reason, yet none of this has been
investigated.”

“There should be a full independent inquiry into the actions of
police towards protesters during the APEC meeting,” she said.

“We must not accept this sort of authoritarian police behaviour. It
should not be the way police business is done in NSW.” Ms Hale said.

Ms Hale will be moving for a parliamentary inquiry into police conduct
at APEC when state parliament resumes.

Further information: Chris Holley 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546