23 Oct 2019

Police whistleblower warned for talking to media

From Morning Report, 8:20 am on 23 October 2019

Within hours of Police Commissioner Mike Bush announcing a review into bullying within the force, a whistleblower who helped spark the inquiry was put on notice by police headquarters for speaking to RNZ. John Woodward quit the police in 2017, saying he'd been bullied while a sole charge officer on the West Coast, and again when he transferred to Wairarapa. His lawyer received a complaint yesterday, advising Mr Woodward had breached the terms of his confidential settlement by talking about being bullied. We speak to RNZ's police reporter Ben Strang who broke the story of bullying complaints by sworn and non-sworn staff.