Police who failed drug tests yet to face action

TWO senior NSW police suspended on full pay are still under an internal police investigation more than a year after testing positive for cocaine.

By InvestSMART · 30 Sep 2012

By InvestSMART ·
30 Sep 2012

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TWO senior NSW police suspended on full pay are still under an internal police investigation more than a year after testing positive for cocaine.

Detective Inspector Shane Diehm, who was crime manager at Tweed-Byron station, and Inspector Matthew Dennis, who was at Hunter Valley police station, were both stood down in August last year.

Australian Federal Police sky marshal Darren Kolosque resigned after positive drug tests.

The three were at a party at a Paddington pub on August 5 last year for the retirement of former detective superintendent John Alt, who is now under a separate Police Integrity Commission investigation.

But the police professional standards command, which looks into NSW police misconduct, is still investigating the two senior police more than a year after they failed the tests.

A police spokesman could not say why the investigation was taking so long. "Two officers from the northern region remain suspended on pay pending the finalisation of the matter," he said.

Mr Diehm, who recently coached a Mullumbimby Giants rugby league club, declined to comment when contacted through family by The Sun-Herald.

There was a similar police response to questions about the internal investigation into Northern Beaches Constable Ryan Godfrey.

In June, The Sun-Herald revealed Constable Godfrey inappropriately used a Taser on Michael Lindsay, who had been arrested on a bus when returning home from a golf day celebrating his 26th birthday in May last year.

Constable Godfrey lied in court about the reason for arrest and subsequent Taser use. Two other officers along with four transit officers all corroborated Constable Godfrey's version of events.

Police are still investigating the matter, six months after the magistrate, Lee Gilmour, said: "Clearly, unfortunately, this officer [Godfrey] has lied."

"A professional standards command investigation is continuing. It is inappropriate to comment further," the police spokesman said.

The Greens MP David Shoebridge said Britain had a much better complaint model through their Independent Police Complaints Commission, which reports directly to Parliament.

"These series of cases in NSW show public confidence would be improved if there was a genuine independent and adequately funded police oversight body," he said.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What happened in the NSW police drug-testing story investors might read about?

Two senior NSW police officers tested positive for cocaine and were stood down on full pay more than a year ago, and the internal police professional standards command is still investigating. The article also notes an Australian Federal Police sky marshal resigned after positive drug tests and that the events are linked to a party at a Paddington pub.

Which officers are named in the article and what are their roles?

The article names Detective Inspector Shane Diehm (former crime manager at Tweed-Byron), Inspector Matthew Dennis (Hunter Valley police station), and AFP sky marshal Darren Kolosque (who resigned). It also mentions former detective superintendent John Alt, who is the subject of a separate Police Integrity Commission investigation, and Northern Beaches Constable Ryan Godfrey in a separate misconduct matter.

Why have the internal investigations into the drug-positive tests taken so long?

The police professional standards command is still investigating, but a police spokesman could not explain why the investigation has been ongoing for more than a year; the article does not provide a specific reason for the delay.

Are the suspended NSW police officers still being paid while under investigation?

Yes. According to the police spokesman quoted in the article, the two officers from the northern region remain suspended on full pay pending finalisation of the matter.

Have any officers faced disciplinary outcomes or resigned as a result of the tests?

The article reports that Australian Federal Police sky marshal Darren Kolosque resigned after positive drug tests. For the two senior NSW officers, no final disciplinary outcomes are reported; they remain under internal investigation.

What connection did the Paddington pub party have to the incidents?

The officers and the AFP sky marshal were at a party at a Paddington pub on August 5 for the retirement of former detective superintendent John Alt; the article links that event to the timeline of the positive drug tests and related investigations.

What happened in the separate case involving Constable Ryan Godfrey?

Constable Ryan Godfrey was found to have inappropriately used a Taser on a man arrested on a bus and later lied in court about the reason for the arrest and Taser use; other officers initially corroborated his version, and the magistrate said the officer had lied. A professional standards command investigation is ongoing.

How have politicians and commentators responded, and what does that mean for public confidence in police oversight?

Greens MP David Shoebridge said the cases show public confidence would improve with a genuinely independent, adequately funded police oversight body, pointing to Britain’s Independent Police Complaints Commission as a better model that reports directly to Parliament.