PROBATION OFFICERS SACKED OVER DRUGS

Two probation officers at the centre of drugs-for-favours allegations
were sacked yesterday after an internal investigation.

However, the women's union, the Public Service Association, labelled
the investigation by two managers from the Department of Corrections
flawed and unfair.

The officers, both from the South Auckland branch, plan to lodge
personal grievance claims.

In March, the Herald revealed that the women, from the Otahuhu and
Panmure offices, had been suspended after allegations that they were
involved in a drugs-for-favours racket.

They are two of 12 officers being investigated this year by the
department for breaches of its code of conduct. In a separate
incident, a former South Auckland manager, a male, was sacked after
having sex with a male offender.

The Herald yesterday obtained the confidential report on one of the
women that includes claims of soft reports for offenders and the
possession and use of cannabis.

The allegations include:

* Fabricating a pre-sentence report for an offender and writing it in
a favourable way in return for drugs, in particular cannabis and speed.

* Inappropriate association with offenders: this included both women
taking part in a "huge session" of cannabis-smoking with an offender
and his partner in their home. The next morning, the other female
officer "extolled the virtues" of the offender before his sentencing
judge.

In a separate incident, three unnamed offenders reported to a
department official that the woman required "the exchange of drugs for
favourable pre-sentence reports."

* That the woman smoked cannabis both during and outside work hours,
with offenders and in a departmental vehicle. The woman stated that a
"muddy dog" jumping through the car, hair spray, perfume and tobacco
could have caused a smell of cannabis in the vehicle.

The investigation ruled out the use of speed and failed to make a
finding that one offender's pre-sentence report was fabricated in
exchange for drugs.

The report upheld the rest of the claims and stated that the woman
should be "dismissed for serious misconduct."

Gordon Attwood, northern regional manager of the Community Probation
Service, said: "Probation officers are positive role models for
offenders and need to display extremely high standards of behaviour at
all times. Any involvement with criminal activity is not acceptable.
We have to practise what we preach."

But PSA organiser Sean Rahui said the investigation was
flawed.

"The process they have used has not been a fair one in that we haven't
been able to respond to all the allegations in a fair manner."

Because of the serious nature of the charges, the union, which is
representing one of the women (the other has employed private
counsel), had asked for the police to be involved in the
investigation. That did not happen, he said.

The investigating team had not interviewed all the relevant parties.
However, it had conducted a "fishing expedition" by talking to staff
who did not work for the department at the time of the allegations, Mr
Rahui said.

Corrections Minister Matt Robson said he was satisfied that the
investigation was thorough.

It was important to provide adequate resources to prevent the
Probation Service from becoming the Cinderella of the justice system,
he said.