Confidence in police eroded —Dr Moodie

Press, 2 September 1980, Page 1

Confidence in police eroded —Dr Moodie

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Thomas case has eroded public confidence in the police, says Dr R. A. Moodie, secretary of the Police Association.

But the Commissioner of Police (Mr R. J. Walton) says he does not think there has been any. erosion of confidence. Dr Moodie said yesterday that the police would respond quickly with legal means to . any further “smears” by the commission, the Press Association reports. . . , . The police could not allow this one case to destroy public confidence in the police, Dr Moodie said. He linked the commission with the Alicia May O’Reilly murder case, in that a big number of prowlers in the Avondale area before the murder had not been reported to the police. / “I have not the slightest doubt that people’s atti- : tudes towards the police have been affected by the Thomas commission, not because of the revelations made, but because of. the way they have been made, and the arrogant antagonism towards the police that members of the commission, apart from Allen Johnston, have demonstrated in that public forum,” Dr Moodie said. The police had always had a high level of public support, but the Thomas inquiry.had got “completely out of hand,” he said. “The smearing of • the , police that is going on is completely out of context. Sure there is evidence-of negligence, misjudgment and that sort- of thing in the Thomas investigation. “Those things occur, and

I have not seen a major investigation where, they do not” • , ~ . , . The police would not; attempt to smear the, character : of Mr Thomas,. Dr Moodie said. “The police are interested in only one thing, and -that is making sure their actions are fairly represented, bearing in mind it,, is, actions that, are ;10 years old that we.are' tailk.ing about, and exhibits-that no longer exist.” -;./ . ; ' “Neither (Mr Justice) Taylor , (the commission’s 5 chairman), nor;.any I ‘court is going J to remove from’ people’s minds the uncertainty surrounding- > this . case, not because of any weaknesses in the evidence, but because in every circumstantial evidence case there are weaknessesand strengths,; and depending on how you . approach . it, you make up your mind ■ one way or the other.” ; ■ Dr’ Moodie said;he' in- . tended to defend;the police • “fully” throughout, the reSt of - the hearing.?- j . “We have already,.seen a serious error -- by the chairman of the; commission that goes right to the • heart of . the commission of inquiry. ' . “Quite -frankly,. I have little confidence in him now,” T)r Moodie said. ? • Mr Walton arrived in Auckland yesterday after-. noon for talks with police, ■ counsel about the latest developments in '.'the ; Thomas inquiry.. He /called ini briefly to.

the Thomas commission rooms' before. visiting detectives involved in three separate homicide investigations around Auckland. Asked- to comment on Dr Moodie’s assertions, Mr Walton said he did not think there had been any erosion’in. confidence. The. co-operation received in alk three homicide investigations had been “as i good as it has'ever been,” / and “both morale and confidence in the police is as ’ high as it has ever been.” 'T don’t think the rightthinking public would allow any one incident of 10 years ago affect their opinion of the police in 1980. “As far asl ani ‘concerned, we have a very dedicated organisation of men and women who are doing a. very good joband striving ,to be as efficient as possible;” 'Mr Walton said; Referring to Dr Moodie’s ’ comment that it took, the killing of a little girl in “ Avondale before the police were mhde'awafe.of prowlers'and potential molesters ' in- the area, • Mi* ' Walton said: “One can never be /sure why people don’t report prowlers,, but this is ... .often, because ‘the. average citizen .does/not know the significance and possibly considers it too, trivial to ■report.” 1 1

. An Auckland : scientist,■■ Dr T. J.: Spratt, who has spent, some years investi-. gating the Thomas case, hit ■ back at : Dr. Moodie‘s. comments.

“What is eroding public confidence is the continued zeal of the police to try to prove Mr Thomas guilty when everybody knows he is not,” Dr Sprott said. “They are flogging 'a dead horse. They should give up, admit their error with regard to Mr Thomas and we could then all heave •a-' sigh of : relief and •we could go on being proud of the police force.”. The Attorney - General (Mr McLay) will , discuss possible modifications bf the terms of reference of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Thomas case with the , three-man commission and’ its. counsel. ’ \ .

Mr McLay announced his decision to go to Auckland after the matter was discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. - \ The discussions stem from a High Court judgment on Friday that the commission, had wrongly interpreted the effect arid meaning of the pardon to Arthur Allan Thomas.

Mr McLay said that the commission had asked for the meeting. “The commission has indicated that in order to comply with the recent judgment of the High Court its terms of reference might require some modification, - and it has sought discussions with me on the matter,” he said. No decision could be made on the commission’s, request for modified terms of reference until there hadbeen “a proper consultation,” but he hoped this could be completed within ' the next couple of days. :■' ■ “In the 'meantime, the work of the commission will not be delayed as it has already arranged to hear other items of evidence during this week,” Mr McLay- said. .- ‘. Mr Justice Taylor said when the hearing resumed yesterday after a week’s - break that the commission had received the judgment of the High Court and would take time to consider it. ' ", .’■/ His Honour said that any' counsel wishing to make • submissions about its consequences should make 1 them in writing and deliver them to the commission as soon as possible.