Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service
Encyclopedia
The Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service (Wood Royal Commission) was held in the State of New South Wales
, Australia
between 1995 and 1997. The Royal Commissioner was Justice James Roland Wood
. The terms of reference were to look into systemic and entrenched corruption
within the New South Wales Police
; towards the end of the Royal Commission it also investigated alleged paedophile activities within the police service.
Then Police Commissioner
Tony Lauer
stated that corruption in the New South Wales Police was not systemic or entrenched, however the Royal Commission uncovered hundreds of instances of bribery, money laundering, drug trafficking, and falsifying of evidence by police. Of particular note was the detective division of the Kings Cross patrol, of which almost all the senior ranks, including the chief detective, were involved in serious and organised corrupt activities, including taking regular bribes from major drug traffickers.
Commissioner Lauer resigned as the level of corruption within the service became clear, and his own position became untenable. Peter James Ryan
was recruited from the United Kingdom
, as it was felt that the senior ranks of the NSW Police Service were far too compromised by previous corruption or personal ties to corrupt officers. Far and wide ranging reforms
were engaged in as a result of the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission, including the establishment of a permanent Police Integrity Commission
.
The Commission has been criticized as "puritanical" for overreacting to minor cases of alleged misconduct like the Kareela Cat Burglar case, where senior detectives who were tangentially involved in a case where mace was used on an uncooperative baby raper were dismissed from the force 12 years after the event.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
between 1995 and 1997. The Royal Commissioner was Justice James Roland Wood
James Roland Wood
The Honourable James Roland Tomson Wood AO, QC is the chairman of Law Reform Commission of New South Wales, the chairman of the New South Wales Sentencing Council, the Inspector of the Police Integrity Commission and a former judge in Australia.-Early years:...
. The terms of reference were to look into systemic and entrenched corruption
Police corruption
Police corruption is a specific form of police misconduct designed to obtain financial benefits, other personal gain, or career advancement for a police officer or officers in exchange for not pursuing, or selectively pursuing, an investigation or arrest....
within the New South Wales Police
New South Wales Police
The New South Wales Police Force is the primary law enforcement agency in the State of New South Wales, Australia. It is an agency of the Government of New South Wales within the New South Wales Ministry for Police...
; towards the end of the Royal Commission it also investigated alleged paedophile activities within the police service.
Then Police Commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
Tony Lauer
Tony Lauer
Anthony Raymond 'Tony' Lauer, APM, JP was the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police from 1991 until 1996.-Education:...
stated that corruption in the New South Wales Police was not systemic or entrenched, however the Royal Commission uncovered hundreds of instances of bribery, money laundering, drug trafficking, and falsifying of evidence by police. Of particular note was the detective division of the Kings Cross patrol, of which almost all the senior ranks, including the chief detective, were involved in serious and organised corrupt activities, including taking regular bribes from major drug traffickers.
Commissioner Lauer resigned as the level of corruption within the service became clear, and his own position became untenable. Peter James Ryan
Peter Ryan (police commissioner)
Peter James Ryan, QPM is a former British police officer, who was the Commissioner of New South Wales Police in Australia from 1996 to 2002.-Early life and education:Ryan was born in 1944 in Lancaster to Laurence and Maureen Ryan....
was recruited from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as it was felt that the senior ranks of the NSW Police Service were far too compromised by previous corruption or personal ties to corrupt officers. Far and wide ranging reforms
Reform movement
A reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes...
were engaged in as a result of the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission, including the establishment of a permanent Police Integrity Commission
Police Integrity Commission
The Police Integrity Commission was established in 1996 upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission in to the New South Wales Police Service. The commission is a corporation established by the New South Wales Government to prevent, detect and investigate alleged serious misconduct in the New...
.
The Commission has been criticized as "puritanical" for overreacting to minor cases of alleged misconduct like the Kareela Cat Burglar case, where senior detectives who were tangentially involved in a case where mace was used on an uncooperative baby raper were dismissed from the force 12 years after the event.