Police Sergeant Reprimanded for Sending Sex Offender Reference From Work Email

A police sergeant received a reprimand for using his official police email to send a character reference for someone who was convicted of sexual offenses.

The Independent Police Conduct Authority stated that the officer was assisting with the sex offender's request for permission to leave the country for an international sporting event as part of their bail conditions. However, this information turned out to be superfluous and did not reach the court level.

A probe determined that the sergeant offered the reference in his personal capacity; however, he used his workplace email for sending it.

The authorities stated that he had mistakenly and improperly suggested his opinions were representative of the broader New Zealand Police force.

The police discovered that he had violated the code of conduct and initiated an "employment process." The IPCA expressed satisfaction with this procedure.