Griffith hits critics: Wealthy cops may not be corrupt

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says while the police would continue to investigate allegations of corruption and fraud the public must not have the perception that all wealthy police officers were corrupt.

He was responding on Thursday to criticisms from the public and social activists after the closure of a police investigation surrounding acting DCP Irwin Hackshaw. The findings of the enquiry into allegations of suspicious financial transactions did not yield any evidence to suggest Hackshaw had broken the law, investigators said.

At a media briefing at the Police Administration Building, Griffith said the investigation was a thorough one.

"There was immense research conducted," he said referring to a collection of notebooks with statements and records from the investigation, "unless some information or evidence can come forward, we are not here to appease people. We are here to work with evidence.

"I find it very interesting that people automatically try to label a police officer because that person (officer) may have $2 million in their account. I'm not here to judge, we are here to work on the evidence.

''Does it mean that police officers should be poor in the eyes of some people?

“So if I’m a police officer and I join the service when I’m 18 years old and I take a loan, $500,000, and I put it towards buying some land, and 25 years I let it run and decide to sell my land at $5 million...

“Well God knows about me. Because as an only child, my mother and father did and left me with a heck of a lot so I guess I’m corrupt as well.”

Griffith said the police is an independent body and would not be pressured by the public or politicians to continue investigations.

He also defended the impartial nature of the police when investigating fellow officers, citing 171 officers who have been arrested and charged for various offences.

"Never before in the history of this country has so many police officers been charged for offences. Right now I also have a secret document here with over 75 police officers that we are monitoring closely based on our intelligence from various branches. We do not have enough evidence, but we have enough intelligence."

He also said while the police investigation has been concluded on the Hackshaw matter, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) was continuing its own enquiry. He said the authority will be given the findings of the police investigation to assist with their work.

In a media release on Thursday, the PCA said if Hackshaw was found to have broken the law, the information would be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions and other relevant stakeholders.

The PCA said it may also make recommendations to Griffith “on the conduct of officers in private work related business...and also make recommendations on how police collect donations from the public for alleged police events.”