Police angry at chief

Press, 27 July 1981, Page 1

Police angry at chief

Rank-and-file police involved in the Hamilton protest expressed anger and frustration when they met the secretary of the Police Association, Dr R. A. Moodie, yesterday.

The meeting expressed the feeling of police that not enough was done to prevent the estimated 3000 to 4000 demonstrators getting to the ground and then on to the playing field, Dr Moodie said.

“They are feeling pretty angry and frustrated because they feel they have not been tested as to whether they can handle this tour,” he said. He said the police were unhappy about the number of police deployed to the critical section of the fence, and criticised the chain of command during the operation.

There was some concern among them as to exactly when Mr Walton took over command of the operation and why.

Dr Moodie said a chain of “Operation Rugby” command had been established, but “that seems to have been frustrated both at Gisborne and Hamilton by the presence of the commissioner.”