NCJ Number
49605
Date Published
1976
Length
35 pages
Annotation
POLICE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES FOR NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA, ARE DETAILED, ALONG WITH STATISTICS SHOWING THAT THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION UNIT FILES MORE CHARGES THAN ANY OTHER IN AUSTRALIA.
Abstract
FOLLOWING REPRINTS OF THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO POLICE BEHAVIOR, THE FILING OF COMPLAINTS BY BOTH CITIZENS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FORCE, AND COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES, A REVIEW IS PROVIDED OF ACTUAL WORKING OF THE SYSTEM AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS BRANCH INVESTIGATES AND MAINTAINS FILES ON BOTH SIGNED AND ANONYMOUS COMPLAINTS. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE CAN, AND OFTEN DOES, UTILIZE INVESTIGATORS FROM OUTLYING DISTRICTS TO INVESTIGATE A DEPARTMENT, THUS INSURING A NEUTRALITY IMPOSSIBLE WHEN AN INVESTIGATION IS CONDUCTED WITHIN A DEPARTMENT. STATISTICS ON POLICE DISCIPLINARY CHARGES DURING 1975, THE NATURE OF THE CHARGES AND PUNISHMENT, AND THE NUMBER OF POLICE INVOLVED ARE PRESENTED AND COMPARED WITH THOSE FOR AUSTRALIA AS A WHOLE. CASE HISTORIES RECOUNT EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATIONS OF CORRUPTION THAT RESULTED FROM BOTH ANONYMOUS TIPS AND TIPS FROM OFFENDERS AND EXOFFENDERS. NEW SOUTH WALES PLACES MORE CHARGES AGAINST MEMBERS AND INVESTIGATES MORE COMPLAINTS THAN ANY OTHER POLICE FORCE IN AUSTRALIA. A CITIZEN REVIEW TRIBUNAL IS CALLED A POSSIBLE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WOULD PROLONG THE RESOLUTION OF A COMPLAINT, MIGHT INVOLVE PROBLEMS OF DOUBLE JEAPORDY, AND WOULD COMPEL WITNESSES TO TESTIFY TWICE -- ONCE TO THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INQUIRY AND AGAIN BEFORE THE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD. GOOD INTERNAL INVESTIGATION PROCEDURES ARE CONSIDERED AN ADEQUATE SAFEGUARD AGAINST POLICE MISDEEDS. (GLR)