Police were wrong not to charge an off-duty cop who used his baton to bash a youth he thought had smashed his letterbox, a review has found.
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In releasing today's report, IPCA chairman Sir David Carruthers said despite the serious nature of the off-duty officer's actions, a criminal prosecution was never undertaken.
"In investigating the police decision not to prosecute, the Authority found that the decision not to interview the officer as part of a criminal investigation was a departure from the proper process," he said.
"The authority also found that the decision not to prosecute the off-duty officer because it was not in the public interest to do so was made without proper consideration of the prosecution guidelines."
How did this happen? The usual story: police looking out for each other, minimising complaints for the public to protect their mates. And it has worked: the officer won't be prosecuted, and has kept his job. And the police think this is how they restore trust. Yeah right.
This officer is a brutal thug who launched an unprovoked attack on a member of the public. There should be no place in the police for him.