ID :
9439
Thu, 06/05/2008 - 19:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/9439
The shortlink copeid
PIC TO OVERSEE NSW CRIME COMMISSION
Canberra, June 5 (AAP) - The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) will oversee the NSW Crime Commission as the state government moves to restore public faith in the law enforcement agency.
The change, announced by Police Minister David Campbell on Thursday, was made after one of the commission's top investigators was charged over a multi-million dollar international drug syndicate.
Commission assistant director of investigations Mark Standen has been charged with conspiracy to import 600kg of pseudoephedrine - used to make the drug ice.
The new arrangement means all NSW crime fighting agencies are now overseen by the PIC, which was established by the state government in 1996 following a royal commission into police corruption.
"There is no doubt that the investigation into the activities of one individual have focused attention on this issue," Mr Campbell told reporters.
"Future oversight arrangements have been something that have been under consideration for some months, but it was inappropriate to make any announcement about that ... pending the conclusion of the covert operation which was underway."The NSW Law Society welcomed the PIC's newest task, but the state opposition said it was completely inappropriate.
Opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher said the PIC was nothing but a "secret police boys club".
"The PIC and the crime commission have worked together on a number of investigations in the past few years, blurring the lines between the two agencies," Mr Gallacher said.
"The inextricable links between these agencies make it laughable to suggest one could investigate the other and retain public confidence."Mr Campbell also revealed the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was first made aware of allegations against Standen in September last year.
At that time, Standen's lover had been working at ICAC, on secondment from the crime commission.
Mr Campbell said he had "no knowledge" that the woman involved with Standen would have stumbled across any of the allegations in her work at ICAC.
"I don't have any advice to the contrary," he said.
Mr Campbell said he also did not believe a judicial inquiry was needed into the crime commission because there was no evidence of criminal involvement from "any other NSW law enforcement official".
Meanwhile, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty has again rejected claims of a friendship with Standen, amid reports they worked closely at the AFP's Redfern office in the early 1990s and jogged together.
"I've never worked with the AFP at Redfern. I wasn't in Sydney in those days," Mr Keelty told reporters.
"I've never seen Mark Standen in shorts, let alone gone jogging with him. I think everyone knows I'm a jogger."Mr Keelty said he and Standen had both worked out of the current AFP headquarters in Sydney's Goulburn Street, and might have been involved in some of the same operations.
The change, announced by Police Minister David Campbell on Thursday, was made after one of the commission's top investigators was charged over a multi-million dollar international drug syndicate.
Commission assistant director of investigations Mark Standen has been charged with conspiracy to import 600kg of pseudoephedrine - used to make the drug ice.
The new arrangement means all NSW crime fighting agencies are now overseen by the PIC, which was established by the state government in 1996 following a royal commission into police corruption.
"There is no doubt that the investigation into the activities of one individual have focused attention on this issue," Mr Campbell told reporters.
"Future oversight arrangements have been something that have been under consideration for some months, but it was inappropriate to make any announcement about that ... pending the conclusion of the covert operation which was underway."The NSW Law Society welcomed the PIC's newest task, but the state opposition said it was completely inappropriate.
Opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher said the PIC was nothing but a "secret police boys club".
"The PIC and the crime commission have worked together on a number of investigations in the past few years, blurring the lines between the two agencies," Mr Gallacher said.
"The inextricable links between these agencies make it laughable to suggest one could investigate the other and retain public confidence."Mr Campbell also revealed the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was first made aware of allegations against Standen in September last year.
At that time, Standen's lover had been working at ICAC, on secondment from the crime commission.
Mr Campbell said he had "no knowledge" that the woman involved with Standen would have stumbled across any of the allegations in her work at ICAC.
"I don't have any advice to the contrary," he said.
Mr Campbell said he also did not believe a judicial inquiry was needed into the crime commission because there was no evidence of criminal involvement from "any other NSW law enforcement official".
Meanwhile, Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Mick Keelty has again rejected claims of a friendship with Standen, amid reports they worked closely at the AFP's Redfern office in the early 1990s and jogged together.
"I've never worked with the AFP at Redfern. I wasn't in Sydney in those days," Mr Keelty told reporters.
"I've never seen Mark Standen in shorts, let alone gone jogging with him. I think everyone knows I'm a jogger."Mr Keelty said he and Standen had both worked out of the current AFP headquarters in Sydney's Goulburn Street, and might have been involved in some of the same operations.
