Police actions in disputes
Sir, — Our police at the cen'-e of another “arrests”
controversy with the spectacles during past days of men being taken into custody while expressing their “rights” at Dunedin and Auckland: it will be dangerous to express any political opinion or dissent next. The “discretionary” application of police powers has reached an absurd and threatening state. The powers of arrest and the individuals entrusted with deciding who shall be arrested in a given situation are issues which should concern every thinking New Zealander. Should not the police be accountable to someone other than the Government? The police are not accountable to the judiciary. The Ombudsman shies away from assuming such responsibility. So we have allegations of bias, as during the World Veteran Games, and accusations and counter-accusations, as soured the Thomas Commission, and have had “donations rolling in” from citizens to help the police, according to their spokesman R. A. Moodie. God help us. — Yours, etc., K. G. TAIT. February 25, 1981.
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Press, 27 February 1981, Page 12
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165Police actions in disputes Press, 27 February 1981, Page 12
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