• Full Story

Police Association rejects IPCA findings on teen death

Email
Print

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 7:21a.m.

The report is critical of the officer (file)

The report is critical of the officer (file)

The Police Association's refusing to accept the findings of an Independent Police Conduct Authority report into the death of a Northland teenager.

Sixteen-year-old Rawiri Wilson was struck by Constable Jamie Anderson's patrol car as he walked along State Highway One late at night in July 2009.

The report is critical of the officer, stating his lights were on low beam and he may have been using his cellphone. Police Association Head Greg O'Connor says the teenager was the only one at fault.

Rawiri Wilson's cousin Gideon Porter was also struck and seriously injured.

RadioLIVE

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

12 Jul 2011 06:07p.m.

Morgan wrote:

They spit in our faces and expect us to respect them, yes that boy was drunk and high but he was a teenage boy he didn't deserve to be hit by a police car and thrown 34m. The New Zealand police force is so corrupt and full of it. As for Greg O'Connor saying the teenage was the only one at fault, you put a civilian say an 18 year old male driving home from work and he hits someone on the side of the road the police would have charge him with anything they could. Just think about how the police would have treated you if it had been you that hit that boy.

12 Jul 2011 05:42p.m.

Paul wrote:

Typical O'Conner. This arrogant sod never accepts the Police can ever be in the wrong as in this case. As a somewhat ignorant person representing the real police he supports so blindly, O'Conner just does not know what an honest discussion looks like, or accepts facts as facts when they show how wrong he is. Clearly, a so called 'professional' police driver, supposedly driving safely to the conditions and still causes an accident, can only be in the wrong. And that's not counting him reading or texting on his phone at the time as is reported.

12 Jul 2011 04:08p.m.

Greg wrote:

Haven't read the report so I don't know all the facts. But the PA swinging in behind one if it's own is hardly a basis for anyone else to dismiss the IPCA finding of fault with the officer. I take O'Connor's statement with a large grain of salt.

12 Jul 2011 03:33p.m.

Pureti wrote:

That boy didn't deserve to get killed. He's young, so of course he's going to do some dumb things. The cop should know better - aren't police trainees required to do special driving training. Shame on you Greg O'Connor! The boy's dead and you crap on him and his whanau.

12 Jul 2011 01:32p.m.

Gary wrote:

I see the IPCA has corrected a mistake in the way it was reported. It was not a foggy night. Paragraph 34 of the report states: “...it was a clear but dark night.”

12 Jul 2011 12:20p.m.

Steps wrote:

It is my understanding they where critical of the officer with his lights on LOW in fog conditions....
So anyone who has a drivers licience who has not picked up on this need to re sit...
Refere to the Road Code, even google what ever....One NEVER drives in fog with headlights up high, the light relects back and one cant see a damn thing.

What I cant understand is how the reporter (who I assume has a drivers licience) never picked up on that or even questioned it.

I do not understand, and nor should the edtor and reporter, how the Independent Police Conduct Authority gets something so basic so blantanty wrong.....and not follow up.

12 Jul 2011 11:07a.m.

Warwick wrote:

This is typical of Greg O'Connor's responses to any situation in which the police stuff up. He wil never accept that a member of the police was in the wrong, no matter how compelling the evidence. For the information of "John", it was the Independent Police Complaints Authority, not the victim's mother, which determined that the police officer was culpable. John's description of the incident seems to come directly from Greg O'Connor.

12 Jul 2011 09:28a.m.

Richard Christie wrote:

When any question of police misconduct arises why not just use a tape-recording instead of bothering to consult Mr O'Connor in person - "Police action was completely justified blah blah blah, the police require side arms, blah blah blah, it was all the fault of the deceased blah blah blah.".

12 Jul 2011 09:03a.m.

John wrote:

The fact that the victim was 15 years old, drunk, high on pot, wearing dark clothing on an unlit road and going to another party at 2am and yet his mother thinks it's only the police officer that was culpable in his death. Just another example of crap parenting and another denial of any parental responsibility that runs right through all classes and ethnicities in NZ.

12 Jul 2011 08:59a.m.

Karmakaze wrote:

Isn't that a coincidence! I don't accept anything the Police Association says about the actions of police, either.