T-shirts to boost team spirit—police

Press, 2 May 1988, Page 2

T-shirts to boost team spirit—police

PA Wellington T-shirts produced by a Masterton police constable marking the recent spate of arson attacks were part of a “team spirit” action and not designed to provoke, a police commander says. Most police officers would have thrown them in their bottom drawer and forgotten about them, said the commander of ■the police district, Superintendent Gerry Cunneen. The shirts were produced by a Masterton constable to mark the recent spate of arson attacks. They feature a ,

burnt-out house and the word, “Masterton 88, Home of the Ashes.” Mr Cunneen said it was not uncommon for the police to mark an inquiry where out-of-town police were brought in. “It is just a team spirit thing. It is something that remembers the occasion when a number of police were brought in to assist with a local inquiry,” With the' Rainbow Warrior investigation, a tie was produced. Mr Cunneen said the Tshirts were not designed to be provocative. They . were produced after the

arson attacks and it was pure coincidence that two of the men charged had the name Ashley. But he did not think now was a good time to display the T-shirts publicly. He advised the constables who had them to throw them in their bottom drawer and forget about them. Mr Cunneen said he had no intention of disciplining the constable who produced them. If the T-shirts offended anyone Mr Cunneen said he apologised, “although I am not quite sure what I am apologising for.”