IPCA again decline to investigate badge-hiding police

The IPCA have responded to our letter asking them to investigate the officers who deliberately hid their badge numbers while evicting the Occupy Auckland protesters in 2012.

They have refused our request, claiming that "the Authority has limited resources and can only direct its attention towards the most serious cases." 

We believe that this is a serious case as it demonstrates a conspiracy of multiple members of the police to subvert their own policy, assumedly with the intention of breaking the law. Whether the IPCA doesn't take it seriously or doesn't have the resources to investigate, it demonstrates  that the IPCA is failing to do its job.

The IPCA also claims that "Following a review of the Police inquiry, the authority believes that the sanctions applied do fall within the parameters of what would be considered appropriate under the circumstances." This kind of "don't you worry about it, we've looked into it and it's ok" is surely the exact opposite of what we should expect from an independent complaints authority. It fails on openness, it fails on transparency, and it fails to reassure that either the IPCA or the Police are doing their job in controlling rogue cops.

We deserve better from both the IPCA and the Police.