Senior NSW cop committed ‘serious misconduct’ in ditching crashed car after alleged 20-drink session

A senior NSW cop committed ‘serious misconduct’ in ditching his crashed work car in an alleged high-range drink driving episode, an inquiry has found.

A NSW police inspector deliberately left the scene after crashing his work car in an alleged high-range drink driving incident which amounts to ‘serious misconduct’, the police watchdog has found.

The inspector had crashed their unmarked car into a concrete barrier in Sydney’s NorthConnex tunnel in May 2023.

Prior to the crash, he was allegedly seen on CCTV drinking at least 13 beers and eight spirit drinks and dancing drunk in a McDonald’s, a report released by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) found.

The officer holds a “prestigious” posting in the force’s leadership team, and allegedly ditched the badly damaged car in a nearby street.

The watchdog commission report says AB “deliberately left the scene” of the crash “to avoid being breath tested”.

AB was also “deliberately dishonest in his answers on the insurance claim form for the car he crashed”, the report found.

“The general public wants to know if a police officer is dealt with in the same way as the ordinary citizen,” the report, released on Thursday, said.

The LECC has recommended the senior officer should have his employment terminated.

It said AB’s actions to leave the scene and complete a ‘misleading’ insurance claim was not “a split-second decision”.

“These were deliberate acts of impropriety. The Commission recommends that the

Commissioner of Police consider taking action to terminate Officer AB’s employment,” the report said.

The officer who crashed the unmarked police car held a senior position. Photo by: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb said she had now started the process by referring the report to professional standards command and expected its findings within a “few weeks’.

“This is a dark day for us,” Commissioner Webb told reporters about the investigation that had raised concerns about a cover-up.

“It certainly is not our best day, we will learn from it and improve.”

She said the officer was currently was suspended with pay, although “not in the workplace”.

“I haven’t yet considered the employment; there is a process to follow,” Commissioner Webb said.

Commissioner Webb said she reported the incident to LECC in November as soon as she learnt about the allegations of a “cover up” following the incident.

Following the crash, local police were called to the scene by the tunnel operator.

The dog squad was called to find the driver, but they were not located.

About 45 minutes after the crash, the State Commander was told a police vehicle was involved in the crash.

While police thought it may have been stolen, the Commander deduced AB was “likely to have been driving the vehicle” based on the logs.

AB was an inspector holding a prestigious role in a Specialist Command.

The watchdog report shows calls began flying between high-ranking police, with one saying “the vehicle was undriveable and ‘the person had done a runner’”.

“At 3.48am, AB finally answered a call from his Commander, Officer HAR12. There was a call of two minutes and 37 seconds. Officer HAR12’s evidence was that Officer AB said, ‘I stuffed up’, and then explained that he had fallen asleep and crashed the car,” it says in the report.

A pervert the course of justice charge was not referred to the public prosecutor by the commission.

The watchdog found no evidence of a police cover-up. Photo: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“The Commission found that AB was treated more leniently in the way in which he was managed by his Commander and in the police review of his driving,” the commission’s report said.

“The favourable treatment led to other police officers losing confidence in the integrity of the NSW Police Force.”

He has been charged with high-range drink-driving and driving under the influence.

The LECC report found no evidence of a cover-up within police, although the police media unit did not issue a statement when the officer was charged, as is the “usual practice”.

Media began to report on the crash and allegations of interference in the investigation, at which point Commissioner Webb asked the LECC to investigate.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says she reported the matter to LECC in November. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Commissioner Webb said NSW Police had since implemented a review of its media practices and now checks each week whether any police officers have been charged across the state so a press release is sent out.

Watchdog Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson said it was important transparency was applied to every situation involving a police officer accused of a crime.

Other police officers could also be unhappy if senior officers were dealt with differently to junior officers, Mr Johnson said.

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