Political pressure criticised by police

Press, 31 May 1982, Page 6

Political pressure criticised by police

■ Political pressure on the police administration was to blame for the prosecution of the Duntroon police constable after a shooting accident in which a youth was injured, said the secretary of the Folice Association, Dr R. A. Moodie, last evening. The pressure had come, specifically from Mr F. D. O’Flynn, Labour’s spokesman on Justice, Dr Moodie said from Wellington. “It is hard, for the policeman and for the Police Association to accept that he was brought to trial on the evidence alone. We feel he was prosecuted because of pressure put bn the administration to do so,” he said. Constable M. J. Buckman, of Duntroon, was charged with causing bodily injury by careless use of a police revolver. The charge was dismissed in the District Court at Oamaru last week pn the

■ ground that the evidence did > not support a prima facie i case. ■ “It is most unsatisfactory ■ for people to be prosecuted ; because of political pressure, • and I hope that it does not . happen again,” Dr Moodie . said. " ■ . Mr O’Flynn had tried to panic the police into making a prosecution, he said. “First of all, Mr O’Flynn complained that the public had not been informed, and then he said he wanted the policeman charged. He must have known that if the case was to come before a court, the details could not be released until then,” Dr Moodie said. Later, Mr O’Flynn had complained that the police were delaying the matter. “At that stage, the case was before the Solicitor-Gen-eral. Wherever there is a serious incident such as a

shooting involving the police, the police have to submit it to- the. Solicitor-General,”. Dr . Moodie said. ■ 7 . ' ■.'' ■ “Mr' O’Flynn must have known that procedure, and must have realised that that was the situation at the time.” he said. Whenever there was a serious matter such as a shooting, it was in the interests of justice that the police be able to investigate fully without pressure from any quarter of society — from the Labour Party or anyone. The district community of Kurow knew the circumstances of the shooting accident and was behind the ■'policeman, Dr Moodie said. “The carriage of a firearm by that constable was entirely proper in that situation. Accidents do occur,” he said.- .