Bay of Plenty Officer charged and acquitted of attempting to defeat the course of justice
The Authority oversaw a Police investigation into a notification where it was alleged a Police Officer in the Bay of Plenty attempted to influence a breath-testing procedure on a Police colleague, following a motor accident on 6 April 2021.
The officer’s supervisor believed the officer was untruthful in that a breath-test had been completed, with a pass result, when in fact no test had been administered. The supervisor subsequently completed his own test and established the Police colleague had been driving with an alcohol reading four times above the legal limit. That Police colleague resigned from Police and was convicted and sentenced for drink driving.
Police charged the other officer with attempting to defeat the course of justice and they were acquitted of the charge in the Tauranga District Court on 5 April 2023.
A suitable employment process was undertaken.
IPCA: 21-7033