Total recorded assaults on Police - New Zealand Police Association

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceSenior British police officer gets four years for corruptionThe most senior British police officerever convicted of corruption offenceshas started a four-year prison sentenceafter a jury decided he had tried toframe an innocent man and told liesin an attempt to cover up his abuseof office, according to a report in TheTelegraph and Guardian newspapers.Ali Dizaei, 47, a commander withLondon’s Metropolitan Police, who willend his 25-year police career drummedout of the force in disgrace, remaineddefiant, telling The Guardian the casewas ‘’completely outrageous and afit-up’’. He said the authorities had avendetta against him.Dizaei was an outspoken critic of thePolice on race, leader of the NationalBlack Police Association and a keyfigure in a race row that erupted at thetop of Scotland Yard, in the summer of2008.Cleared of earlier chargesHe had been cleared of criminal chargesin 2003 and returned to duty despiteScotland Yard having suspected himof serious offences. That inquiry wasintensified after MI5 had suspicions thatthe Iranian-born officer was a danger tonational security.In the case that ended recently atSouthwark Crown Court in centralLondon, the Crown alleged that on18 July 2008, Dizaei had clashed withWaad al-Baghdadi, who claimed thePolice commander owed him £600 fora website he had designed for him.Dizaei arrested the 24-year-old then,using the special call sign given to himas a commander - Metro 35 - calledfor back-up to take his prisoner away.He claimed to have been assaultedand poked in the stomach with themouthpiece of a shisha pipe.Call overruledMr Baghdadi had called emergencyservices just before being detained, butthe call was overruled seconds laterwhen Dizaei took his phone and toldthe operator that he was arresting thevictim for a public order offence andneeded ‘’urgent assistance’’.The officer’s story began to unravelwhen doctors said his injuries appearedto be self-inflicted. Mr Baghdadi latercompared Dizaei to a gangster becausehe used his influence in the Iraniancommunity to intimidate people, thenewspaper reports said.The jury was unanimous in findingDizaei guilty of misconduct in publicoffice and attempting to pervert thecourse of justice after deliberating fortwo hours and 31 minutes. The triallasted four weeks.Glowing performance reviewsThe trial judge, Mr Justice Simon,accepted that Dizaei was ‘’an exceptionalofficer,’’ who had received glowingperformance reviews but said he hadarrested Mr Baghdadi for “an assaultthat never occurred’’ and had abusedhis office for a private dispute.The man once tipped as a possible headof British policing was sullen, merelypicking up his overcoat as he was takendown to start a four-year sentence.Scotland Yard Commissioner SirPaul Stephenson accepted the casehad damaged Britain’s Police servicereputation.‘’Bearing in mind his rank and disgracefulbehaviour, he should not be surprisedat the severity of his sentence,’’ he said.Nick Hardwick, Chairman of theIndependent Police ComplaintsCommission, said: ‘’Dizaei behavedlike a bully…The greatest threat tothe reputation of the Police service iscriminals in uniform like Dizaei.’’Sources: The Guardian and The Telegraph.1 2 3 4 5 6 78Please note: All you crossword exponents out there will, from this issue, be able to checkyour answers immediately by turning the page up the other way.9Clues:Across1. A fortunate result to something that hasn’tgone well (6)4. A must for every Police photographer (6)9. Kea complaints merged to suggest they arepersistent thieves (13)10. Smoke is combined to create a type ofAlaskan people (7)11. Take as an exhibit (5)12. A green one wanted by most gardeners (5)14. An early Police candidate (5)18. Up to the time when? (5)19. Go lilac seems the obvious way? (7)21. Double glazing is one way (13)22. Itches make somebody who has goodmorals (6)23. Earth etc (6)Down1. To maintain (6)2. A requirement in all Court matters(5,3,5)3. Facts or information (5)5. A means I tend to forget (7)6. A method taken to avoid a 1V (7,6)7. Reply (6)8. Accumulate (5)13. Musical (7)15. Chase after (6)16. Send when distressed maybe? (5)17. Run away but no to set fire (6)20. A vampire perhaps? (5)10 1112 13 1415 16 1718 19 202122 23Answers:Across: 1. Upside. 4. Camera. 9. Kleptomaniacs. 10. Eskimos. 11. Seize. 12. Thumb. 14.Cadet. 18. Until. 19. Logical. 21. Soundproofing. 22. Ethics. 23. Planet.Down: 1. Upkeep. 2. Speak the truth. 3. Datum. 5. Amnesia. 6. Evasive action. 7. Answer.8. Amass. 13. Melodic. 15. Pursue. 16. Flare. 17. Alight. 20. Ghoul.74April 2010