TEN POLICE OFFICERS CONVICTED LAST YEAR

Twenty-six police officers appeared in court in the past year for
crimes that included selling methamphetamine, indecent assault and fraud.

Papers released to The Press under the Official Information Act show
10 officers were convicted, two were acquitted and one discharged,
and 13 cases were continuing.

It is not known what sentences the convicted officers received in the
past year.

Police say New Zealand's force is one of the least corrupt in the
world and the rate of offending low, amounting to 0.5 per cent of all officers.

A Christchurch officer is still before the courts for an alleged
assault in July last year. He is alleged to have knocked out a false
tooth and dental plate when he arrested a man.

Another officer was the subject of an internal investigation for
applying a sleeper hold to a female colleague.

Police human resources general manager Wayne Annan said the charges
against officers in the past year included several assaults, an
indecent assault, fraudulently obtaining $500 and selling P, pure
methamphetamine.

A Manukau constable had allegedly given away the methamphetamine
seized in a drugs bust.

Annan said the police took misdemeanours by staff seriously.

"The employment relationship between the Commissioner of Police and
police officers is different from, and more complex than, the
employment relationship between general members of the public and
their employers," he said.

"There is a complex process which must be followed where a police
officer is charged with a disciplinary offence."

Annan said many of the officers charged with an offence resigned
before they were subject to an internal tribunal hearing.

As well as the criminal hearings, 41 police officers had been stood
down or suspended pending misconduct investigations since January 2003.

Annan said that in the past year, one officer had been sacked for
"disgraceful conduct and neglect of duty".

By international comparisons, the New Zealand police were one of the
cleanest forces in the world.

"Based on what we know, it's not too bad. There is the isolated
incident," Annan said.

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said the fact police
misconduct still made the news showed it was not a big problem.
"Although it's a very low rate, any misconduct is still too high."

O'Connor said police did not hide anything when it came to wrongdoing
by their own.

"Whenever a police officer is investigated, it's a major inquiry,
which will be carried out by a senior officer, like a detective
inspector, from outside the area."

O'Connor said that compared with some overseas forces, where officers
were on the "graft", New Zealand had few problems.

He acknowledged any misdeeds by police reflected badly on all
officers. This was why people were so determined it should not
happen, O'Connor said.

Figures released this year showed up to $3 million in salaries had
been paid to police officers stood down on full pay.

Of these officers, 36 had been on full pay for more than two years.

A further 11 were on full pay for more than a year.

Officers are free to do what they like while stood down and are not
expected or required to undergo any training or study.