XN000022-1978-08-16 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1978

REPORT OF THE UMELCO POLICE GROUP: MOST COMPLAINTS

MADE AGAINST POLICE NOT SUBSTANTIATED

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STATISTICS ON COMPLAINTS MADE AGAINST POLICE DURING AN EIGHT-MONTH PERIOD BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1 LAST YEAR SHOW THAT OF 456 CASES IN WHICH INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED 67.1 PER CENT OF ALLEGATIONS WERE NOT SUBSTANTIATED, A FURTHER 11.2 PER CENT WERE NOT PROVED, 1.8 PER CENT MALICIOUS AND 0.9 PER CENT UNRESOLVED. THE REMAINDER AMOUNTING TO 19 PER CENT WERE SUBSTANTIATED OR PARTIALLY SUBSTANTIATED.

THESE FIGURES ARE CONTAINED IN THE FIRST REPORT OF THE UMELCO POLICE GROUP TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY. IT COVERS THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 1, 1977 TO APRIL 30, 1978.

IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES, THE REPORT STATES, IT HAD NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO SUBSTANTIATE ALLEGATIONS WHERE ONE POLICE OFFICER AND ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WERE INVOLVED. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, TO ESTABLISH THE TRUE FACTS.+

THE REPORT REVEALS THAT A TOTAL OF 1,201 COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE POLICE WERE RECEIVED BY THE GROUP DURING THE PERIOD AND THAT ACTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED IN 649 OF THEM. THE REMAINING 552 CASES WERE OUTSTANDING AT THE TIME THE REPORT WAS COMPILED.

OF THE 649 CASES IN WHICH ACTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, 306 WERE UNSUBTANTIATED, 51 WERE NOT PROVED, EIGHT WERE MALICIOUS AND FOUR UNRESOLVED. A TOTAL OF 110 CASES WERE WITHDRAWN AND 83 NOT PURSUED.

CASES SUBSTANTIATED TOTALLED 47, 38 WERE PARTIALLY SUBSTANTIATED AND TWO CASES SUBSTANTIATED MISCONDUCT OTHER THAN THAT REPORTED.

MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE, 311 CASES, ALLEGED ASSAULT, WHILE 302 ALLEGED OVERBEARING OR IMPOLITE CONDUCT. UNNECESSARY USE OF AUTHORITY RESULTED IN 211 COMPLAINTS, NEGLECT OF DUTY OR FAILING TO TAKE ACTION 161, USE OF BAD LANGUAGE 53, POLICE PROCEDURE 38, THREAT OF ASSAULT 20, CRIME 16 AND THERE WERE 89 OTHER COMPLAINTS.

OF THE 87 SUBSTANTIATED OR PARTIALLY SUBSTANTIATED CASES, CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS WERE INSTITUTED IN THREE, TWO RESULTED IN DISMISSAL AND FOUR IN DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS. IN 10 CASES WARNINGS WERE GIVEN WITH A DOSSIER ENTRY BEING MADE IN RECORDS OF SERVICE, IN 10 OTHERS WARNINGS WERE GIVEN WITHOUT A DOSSIER ENTRY BEING MADE, IN 37 INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN TO THE OFFICERS CONCERNED ON PROPER HANDLING OF SUCH INCIDENTS IN FUTURE, AND IN 21 NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BECAUSE NO MISCONDUCT BY POLICE OFFICERS WAS REVEALED, ALTHOUGH IN SOME CASES POLICE PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CHANGED.

/THE GROUP,