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Tom Lee / Waikato Times
A police officer was acquitted of any crime after a woman lodged a complaint with the police after receiving messages from him that she deemed inappropriate. [File photo.]
A Wellington police officer who had ticketed a motorist for speeding later sent her a text message hinting that he would cancel it in exchange for a favor. The officer also suggested that the woman could buy him a cup of coffee in the future.
But the Independent Police Conduct Authority this week cleared the officer of any wrongdoing in the incident in late 2019, after the woman filed a complaint, saying the texting was inappropriate.
When the officer was interviewed about the incident, which was the subject of a police investigation overseen by the IPCA, he claimed to have sent the messages in an attempt to promote road safety.
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The officer maintained that the favor he requested was for her to drive at a safe speed in the future. His name was not disclosed in the summary report of the investigation.
“The officer said he did not expect the complainant to meet him or buy him a coffee, and believed that she would understand that these comments were intended to be funny,” reads a summary of the investigation.
The investigation found that the officer did not act illegally or inappropriately in canceling the violation notice, as he had the right to provide road safety advice as an alternative to imposing a financial penalty.
It also found that there was insufficient evidence to show that the officer had committed a criminal offense or violated the Code of Conduct.
“However, the police took steps to address concerns about the officer’s judgment and communication skills during the employment process,” the summary reads.
When asked if the officer texted the woman after issuing the ticket, a police spokeswoman said there was no standard procedure or policy governing how an officer should communicate with members of the public.
“We hope that no matter how an officer decides to communicate with a member of the public, that they do so in a professional manner and uphold our values,” he said.
