LOCAL CONNECTION FOR POLICEMAN WHO ADMITTED SMOKING CANNABIS

A former policeman who last night admitted on national television that he
had smoked cannabis during the time he was an undercover cop was a
Wairarapa detective.

Greg O'Connor, who is now head of the Police Association, was stationed in
Masterton as a Detective Sergeant in the late 1980s and 1990s. He came here
on promotion from Wellington when his undercover work had finished, and was
involved in high-profile cases like the Martinborough murder of Ian Silby
and subsequent arrest of Michael Busch and the arson of police houses and
property.

On television Mr O'Connor was named by other former policemen seeking
compensation for what they had to endure while part of the New Zealand
undercover drugs programme. They allege illegal drug use and supply,
institutionalised perjury, unfair dismissal and denial of health, welfare
and employment opportunities.

On Holmes on TV1 last night the men and women involved named Mr O'Connor as
a high-profile officer who had smoked cannabis. Holmes broadcast
photographs that allegedly showed Mr O'Connor rolling and smoking a
marijuana joint for recreational use. The other former officers claimed Mr
O'Connor had declined to co-operate with an internal police investigation
into his actions.

On screen Mr O'Connor said he has admitted in court that he used drugs
while working undercover and hadn't taken part in the internal
investigation on legal advice. He said the release of the photographs
showing him smoking marijuana had endangered his safety, as a lot of people
were arrested as a result of his work. He said the police association
continued to support the officers in their fight for recognition and had
spent $1 million supporting their case.

Luther Toloa, Mr O'Connor's former boss in Masterton, came to the former
detective sergeant's defence today. Mr Toloa said "admissions, or whatever"
by Mr O'Connor had to be seen in context. He said it was not a matter of Mr
O'Connor's credibility but a recognition that he had to protect himself
while on undercover work. "There's no way he could have sat in a room
amongst a group of dealers and users and said I don't smoke the stuff. "You
would be taken out the back and interrogated in all sorts of ways."

Mr Toloa said Greg O'Connor had been a good policeman who did excellent
work in Wairarapa. He had been popular in the community "and the only
pakeha member of the Pioneer rugby team." "He fitted in well . we still
keep in touch."