POLICE STUDY O'CONNOR COMMENTS

The police are investigating evidence given by Police Association president
Greg O'Connor to a select committee on cannabis.

The furore dates back to a hearing on July 18 when Green MP Nandor Tanczos
said that in his youth, he had often been stopped and questioned by police
under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

"Because of my dreadlocks they assumed I used cannabis," he said.

The Herald reported that in reply Mr O'Connor said Mr Tanczos' appearance
could have led police to believe he was involved in criminal activities.

"When you were stopped, it wouldn't be looking for cannabis," he said.
"They might believe you had a knife."

The Herald reported: "Mr O'Connor agreed with Mr Tanczos' comment that the
Misuse of Drugs Act gave police a right to stop and search people arbitrarily."

Mr O'Connor yesterday apologised for saying in a radio interview that the
Herald report was based on Mr Tanczos' interpretation.

"I now accept I was wrong and the Herald report was written by a person who
was present and had not interviewed you for the story."

He said he had not inferred or said police abuse or use their power of
search under the act because of a person's appearance.

But Mr O'Connor's apology appears to have prompted an investigation by police.

Media outlets yesterday received requests from Wellington Detective
Inspector Stu Wildon for copies of notes or transcripts from the committee
hearing.

"I am seeking to obtain independent commentary of those proceedings," he said.

It is understood the select committee does not have a full transcript of
the hearing.

Mr Tanczos said yesterday that Mr O'Connor's apology was not sufficient
because it did not address the implication that he had misled the public in
his account of the meeting.

"But this is not about Greg O'Connor. This is about police practice."

Mr O'Connor had been surprisingly frank in front of the select committee.

"He actually related a reality - what is clear practice on the street."

Mr Tanczos said police abused their power under the Misuse of Drugs Act to
search for things other than cannabis, and based their decision on how
people look.

"It's no surprise that police do that. What was a surprise to me was that a
senior police officer was prepared to admit that."

He said it would be wrong to discipline Mr O'Connor over his comments,
which were anyway probably protected by parliamentary privilege.