A night of drinking prompted a senior police officer to flee the scene of a car crash he caused to avoid a breathalyzer test, a watchdog has found.
This week, the Police Conduct Commission found no evidence that other senior NSW Police officers attempted to cover up the May 2023 incident by failing to speak out publicly.
But it did find that the 46-year-old inspector from a “prestigious unit” known as “Officer AB” was “deliberately dishonest” in his answers on an insurance claim form about the car he crashed.
The vehicle provided for the job was damaged in Sydney’s NorthConnex tunnel after the officer spent several hours drinking with other officers in the city.
However, he was not charged with driving under the influence until six months later.
Current local court suppression orders prohibit disclosure of Officer AB’s identity for 40 years.
He was found guilty of gross misconduct for leaving the scene of the accident to avoid a blood alcohol reading.
Internal police documents previously released to state parliament revealed the senior officer later lodged an insurance claim saying the crash happened when he “fell asleep” at the wheel.
The 46-year-old inspector from a “prestigious unit” known as Officer AB was “deliberately dishonest” in his answers on an insurance claim form about the car he crashed, a police watchdog has found (file image)
He was later charged with driving with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.15, a charge he denies.
The officer was also treated more leniently by his commander and in a police review of his driving, which the watchdog said led to other officers losing confidence in the integrity of the force.
Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson acknowledged that the general public had a right to know that police officers were treated in the same way as other citizens when suspected criminal incidents occurred.
“But there is a second important audience… other officers in the NSW Police Force are watching to see whether senior officers are treated in the same way as junior officers,” he said.
“If there is not equal treatment among all police officers, it can lead to dissatisfaction within the ranks of the police force in general.”
Police did not issue a public statement on the allegations until media reported details of the incident, prompting suggestions that their leaders wanted to cover up the incident.
But the commission found no evidence that the lack of public disclosure involved anything inappropriate, although it noted that it had damaged the force’s reputation.
The “equitable and transparent treatment of all police officers” in handling the allegations against the officers was highlighted.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has previously denied any cover-up, saying the disclosure had “gone unnoticed” rather than being deliberately avoided.
Ms Webb denied the officer was “protected” during the six-month delay in laying charges, saying it was not unusual for there to be a lengthy investigation.
The officer is due back in court on September 27.
Driving under the influence of alcohol in large quantities carries a maximum prison sentence of 18 months.
