Identity of ‘lenient’ boss of drunk car crash cop will not be revealed

A high-ranking NSW police officer is allowed to keep his identity secret despite being criticised in a report for treating leniently an inspector who allegedly fled the scene after he crashed a work car while drunk.

A high-ranking NSW police officer is allowed to keep his identity secret and has not faced discipline after being criticised in a report for falling “short of the standards of impartiality expected”.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the commander was named under a pseudonym in a report into the handling of a drunk police inspector who crashed an unmarked cop car but was ultimately given favourable treatment.

We asked the commander — whose identity is obscured as HAR12 — whether they would publicly explain themselves, but received no response.

Police officers have complained to The Sunday Telegraph that HAR12 has not had to publicly address their involvement.

The police watchdog found HAR12 treated the police inspector — who held a prestigious position — “more leniently in the way in which he was managed” and in the police review of the driving.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has emphasised the importance of the equitable and transparent treatment of all police, no matter their rank. Picture: Tom Parrish

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission made findings of serious misconduct against the police officer known as AB over the crash in Sydney’s NorthConnex in May 2023.

AB was found to have engaged in “serious misconduct” for deliberately leaving the scene of a car crash he caused to avoid being breath tested.

He was also found to have been deliberately dishonest in his answers on the insurance claim form for the car he crashed.

The findings come after the Commission received complaints that senior police were attempting to interfere with the police investigation of the car crash, as well as allegations of irregularities in the police response to the insurance claim.

Officer AB offered HAR12 his resignation on May 15, but HAR12 gave the impression he could stay and decided no interim risk management steps needed to be put in place, the commission found.

The Commission found HAR12 failed to “properly and impartially consider appropriate interim risk management action for Officer AB”.

It also found HAR12 failed to document any decisions that he made about interim risk management action for Officer AB and that actions of Officer HAR12 fell short of the standards of impartiality expected of a senior officer.

However, the conduct could not result in prosecution for a serious offence or amount to serious misconduct.

The Sunday Telegraph put a series of questions to HAR12 about the public’s right to know his identity and his involvement in the matter.

While Commissioner Karen Webb was the only officer to speak publicly in defence of allegations of a cover-up, the commander was asked whether he considered speaking publicly to defend his actions.

The Commander did not respond to questions from the Sunday Telegraph.

A senior Media Unit spokeswoman, sent the same list of questions, said “there are a number of investigations and court proceedings underway and it is inappropriate to provide anything further at this stage”.

AB is currently facing charges in relation to this incident.

The commission heard evidence from 17 witnesses and decided that the police officers involved should not be identified by name in their report.

Police sources say many are “scratching their heads” over why AB was not sidelined from his position while the investigation went on.

“It’s just not a good look when someone in that position is in a police car, apparently way over the limit, crashes the police car, leaves the scene, then it’s business as usual and his boss is seen to protect him,” one officer said.

“It doesn’t look good to the general public or cops who do the right thing,” he said.

Neither AB or HAR12 have been publicly identified. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson SC said there were two audiences watching to see how allegations of criminal conduct by a police officer are dealt with.

“The general public wants to know if a police officer is dealt with in the same way as the ordinary citizen. But there is a second important audience.

“Other NSW Police Force officers watch to see if senior officers are dealt with in the same way as junior officers.

“If there is not equitable treatment of all police, it can lead to dissatisfaction in the ranks of the police generally,” he said.

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