❓ A parliamentary question accuses the Minister of protecting corrupt police officers, which the Minister vehemently denies, highlighting actions taken against accused officers and accusing the opposition of being soft on corruption.
AnsweredQoN 2Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Sergeant Murray Shadgett
As a supplementary question, why does the minister continue to protect corrupt police officers in this State? Mr PRINCE
As a supplementary question, why does the minister continue to protect corrupt police officers in this State? Mr PRINCE
AnswerView source ↗
Far from it; at no time have I protected corrupt police officers, nor has this Government; indeed, we have tabled reports and there have been and are charges in the courts. We have taken action, under the current Commissioner of Police and the past commissioner, against officers who have been accused of corruption. It is far better that they be charged and brought to court than there being some sort of show trial by the media. There is no want of desire to have corrupt police officers out of the force immediately. The only people who are soft on corruption around here are opposition members. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Mr PRINCE replied: Far from it; at no time have I protected corrupt police officers, nor has this Government; indeed, we have tabled reports and there have been and are charges in the courts. We have taken action, under the current Commissioner of Police and the past commissioner, against officers who have been accused of corruption. It is far better that they be charged and brought to court than there being some sort of show trial by the media. There is no want of desire to have corrupt police officers out of the force immediately. The only people who are soft on corruption around here are opposition members. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Far from it; at no time have I protected corrupt police officers, nor has this Government; indeed, we have tabled reports and there have been and are charges in the courts. We have taken action, under the current Commissioner of Police and the past commissioner, against officers who have been accused of corruption. It is far better that they be charged and brought to court than there being some sort of show trial by the media. There is no want of desire to have corrupt police officers out of the force immediately. The only people who are soft on corruption around here are opposition members. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Mr PRINCE replied: Far from it; at no time have I protected corrupt police officers, nor has this Government; indeed, we have tabled reports and there have been and are charges in the courts. We have taken action, under the current Commissioner of Police and the past commissioner, against officers who have been accused of corruption. It is far better that they be charged and brought to court than there being some sort of show trial by the media. There is no want of desire to have corrupt police officers out of the force immediately. The only people who are soft on corruption around here are opposition members. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Far from it; at no time have I protected corrupt police officers, nor has this Government; indeed, we have tabled reports and there have been and are charges in the courts. We have taken action, under the current Commissioner of Police and the past commissioner, against officers who have been accused of corruption. It is far better that they be charged and brought to court than there being some sort of show trial by the media. There is no want of desire to have corrupt police officers out of the force immediately. The only people who are soft on corruption around here are opposition members. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
The SPEAKER: Many members want to answer the question. I guess it is “welcome back” time and members want to have a say, but there is a proper way to do so. They will get their turn. Question time today will proceed as normal. Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
Mr PRINCE: There is not now, nor has there ever been in the life of this Government, any want of desire to get rid of all corrupt police officers from the Police Service. The overwhelming majority of police officers in this State are honest, decent and reasonable people who do a very difficult and demanding job, and they do it very well. The people know that. There are a few bad officers. They will always be rooted out and dismissed. Out of 4 800 officers, there must be some who are not doing the right thing. They are the people we are getting at with the systems we have put in place, which include cultural change, improved professional standards and the work of the ACC.
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