Sergeant Peter Parslow quits NSW Police after sexual harassment allegations

A policeman who worked in Sydney and three regional centres has quit after the Commissioner warned she was going to boot him from the force over sexual harassment allegations by multiple female cops. This is the inside story of his downfall.

A senior policeman who worked in Sydney and three regional centres has quit after the Commissioner warned she was going to boot him from the force over sexual harassment allegations by multiple female cops.

Despite deciding against fighting the sensational claims, former sergeant Peter Parslow said he did no more than tell lewd jokes to fit into a “toxic culture”.

He also expressly denied harassing or sexually harassing anyone.

“I misread the room,” Mr Parslow said when confronted by The Daily Telegraph. “I’m not a monster.”

A NSW Police spokeswoman said reports were received “late last year of allegations against an officer at Albury … in relation to harassment and sexual harassment.”

Former NSW Police sergeant Peter Parslow. Picture: Daily Telegraph’s Monique Harmer

He was suspended in January and “processed under the sanction of section 181D” of the Police Act.

After an investigation, Commissioner Karen Webb wrote to Mr Parslow to notify him she had lost confidence in him due to his alleged conduct and intended to sack him using her section 181D powers.

It is believed to be one of the first times Ms Webb had sought to exercise this authority.

As required, she set out the grounds and gave three weeks for a response. But the spokeswoman said “during the course of the process, the sergeant tendered his resignation”. It was accepted in May.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: Adam Yip

“NSW Police treat all allegations within the force seriously and investigate all matters swiftly,” she said.

Mr Parslow said he chose not to fight the accusations to protect his family.

And while the police spokeswoman said there were multiple reports against him, Mr Parslow said “the information I have is that one complaint was made.”

He said the complainant alleged “I handed out my phone and asked everyone to put their phone number in so that when they were out at jobs I could … see what was happening … or give advice.

Mr Parslow chose not to fight the allegations against him. Picture: Monique Harmer

“I’m handing it around and I don’t recall saying it but the allegation is that I’ve said something along the lines of ‘don’t worry, I won’t send d--k pics.’ I don’t recall saying it but other people have said I said it, so there’s every chance I’ve said it.

“There’s never been an indication that I was trying to have sex or do anything inappropriate … it was that I had made sexualised jokes,” he said.

Two sources alleged to the Telegraph that last year Mr Parslow invited a junior female officer to go swimming in his pool with his stepdaughter, who was a similar age.

When the officer came to Mr Parslow’s home, the stepdaughter was not there, the sources claimed.

However Mr Parslow adamantly denied the accusations, saying the officer was never invited to go swimming.

Mr Parslow has denied harassing or sexually harassing anyone. Picture: Monique Harmer

Mr Parslow also said there had never been sexual harassment allegations against him when he worked at Wagga Wagga, Griffith or Waverley.

He described the Murray River Police District culture as “toxic” and requiring investigation, although he conceded he had not made a formal report to anyone.

“I’m not a monster out there preying on staff,” he said. “I was trying to support them.”

Mr Parslow said “what I’ve done wrong is I misread the room. I’m extremely remorseful.”

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