PANSW Media Release: Police Association condemns reporting on officers’ involvement in racing as ‘idle gossip’
The Police Association of NSW says reporting over the past days implying that several serving officers involved in the racing industry are guilty of misconduct, despite multiple investigations finding no impropriety, is incredibly disappointing.
PANSW President, Tony King said that while the Association welcomes investigation into any potential misconduct, these recent conspicuously timed reports amount to nothing but idle gossip.
“It’s shameful to see this kind of gossip column reporting, based purely on inference and supposition, singling out police officers and implying they’re guilty of wrongdoing, despite multiple investigations finding no wrongdoing at all,” says Tony King, of Police Association of NSW.
“These reports fail to note that these matters have already been investigated, twice: by the notoriously dogged Police Integrity Commission, and more recently reviewed by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Neither found any evidence of impropriety.
“Of course we welcome any investigation into potential misconduct, but in this case those investigations have already taken place and no wrongdoing has been found.
“Let’s be clear: officers in NSW do have a secondary employment policy. It’s a complete distortion to suggest owning 2.5% of a racehorse would put anyone at high risk of breaching that policy.
“This isn’t public interest reporting – it’s idle gossip, and it’s simply not good enough.
“Police officers spent the last several years carrying our communities through crisis after crisis. To see officers and their families dragged through the mud like this is disappointing at best.”
The Police Association of NSW says reporting over the past days implying that several serving officers involved in the racing industry are guilty of misconduct, despite multiple investigations finding no impropriety, is incredibly disappointing.
PANSW President, Tony King said that while the Association welcomes investigation into any potential misconduct, these recent conspicuously timed reports amount to nothing but idle gossip.
“It’s shameful to see this kind of gossip column reporting, based purely on inference and supposition, singling out police officers and implying they’re guilty of wrongdoing, despite multiple investigations finding no wrongdoing at all,” says Tony King, of Police Association of NSW.
“These reports fail to note that these matters have already been investigated, twice: by the notoriously dogged Police Integrity Commission, and more recently reviewed by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Neither found any evidence of impropriety.
“Of course we welcome any investigation into potential misconduct, but in this case those investigations have already taken place and no wrongdoing has been found.
“Let’s be clear: officers in NSW do have a secondary employment policy. It’s a complete distortion to suggest owning 2.5% of a racehorse would put anyone at high risk of breaching that policy.
“This isn’t public interest reporting – it’s idle gossip, and it’s simply not good enough.
“Police officers spent the last several years carrying our communities through crisis after crisis. To see officers and their families dragged through the mud like this is disappointing at best.”