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| NEWS > 12 March 2006 |
Other related articles:
Noose discovered in Hempstead
A noose was found hanging Friday morning in the men's locker room in the basement of the Hempstead Village police department, village police Chief Joseph Wing said.
Wing said he immediately summoned Nassau police detectives and requested a forensic team as well as internal affairs investigators to the scene. Wing said he also notified the district attorney's office.
"It's my intent if the evidence bears out to press for criminal and administrative departmental charges, which could lead to dismissal," said Wing, who is of Asian and Italian descent. "I find this action horr... Read more
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NEWS.com.au - Australia
12 March 2006
This article appeared in the above title/site.
To view it in its entirity click this link.
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Computer files reveal police s
THE SUNDAY TIMES can reveal the leaking of classified police information in extraordinary computer files that name thousands of serving police officers.
The files which may already be in the hands of hardened criminals or terrorists contain a vast amount of confidential material such as the registration numbers of unmarked police vehicles and prison transport and details of some officers' private cars.
The files list the names and regimental numbers of 3498 WA police officers, plus thousands more from other states.
Also listed are 564 former WA police officers and 86 railway special constables and transit guards.
Derogatory remarks are made next to many of the names, including comments on officers' performance and even their looks.
Several comments allege misconduct and seriously corrupt behaviour. Many officers would be mortified to see what was written about them.
But the database is by no means just a dirt file.
There are complimentary remarks about some officers and other additions that are innocuous in the extreme noting officers' hobbies, sporting achievements and nicknames.
The Sunday Times obtained a copy of the files on a computer disk this week. We do not know who compiled the information or for what purpose. We commissioned former deputy police commissioner Tim Atherton to examine the contents on Friday.
Mr Atherton, who resigned from the service last year, described the information as authentic, extraordinary and worrying.
"I am amazed at the detail, but rather confused by the conflict between official information and gossip," he said.
"I think every officer in the WA Police Service and every police officer in the agencies that are contained on that database would be concerned if they knew that this information was in the public domain.
"The frustrating thing is that there is no obvious source of the information."
While some of the information would be useful to criminals, most of it would not suggesting it was not compiled for a sinister purpose.
"There is a lot of information that is innocuous, water-cooler talk," Mr Atherton said.
"Some of the comments are defammatory, so that would worry those police."
He said some of the information was dated and some of the police vehicles would today be out of service.
The information appeared to have been pieced together from several sources.
Mr Atherton said: "I am certainly not aware of a national database of police information.
"There is no central database that would accumulate all that information."
The database also includes information on federal and New Zealand police.
Mr Atherton said the files were too comprehensive to be just an act of mischief.
No officers' home addresses or private phone numbers are on the disk. But names of partners and children are given in some instances.
WA Police Union president Mike Dean yesterday said he was very worried and thought the database was the work of a disturbed person.
"It's very concerning because of the personal details of officers," he said. "It seems to be the product of a very obsessive-compulsive type personality who needs some medical assistance. It's very strange."
A lot of the information about state police forces and their procedures and weapons is already published in annual reports and on websites.
Similarly, information about officers' graduations, promotions and service history could be gleaned from newspapers and police magazines.
But it would be a slow and painstaking task to gather and record it all a mammoth job that has been done for an unknown purpose.
The Sunday Times emailed the files to WA Police Acting Deputy Commissioner (Operations) Murray Lampard last night. Copies will also be given to the Corruption and Crime Commission at the earliest opportunity.
Before viewing the files, Mr Lampard said he was concerned.
"I would like to see them as soon as possible and I welcome you sending it to the CCC because we are working closely with them," he said.
Mr Lampard said he had not heard of any database of this size and nature before.
"What concerns me is what is behind this? Why is this information being collected? We don't have any problems about being under the microscope, but what concerns me is what is the motivation for collecting all this?
"We know that some criminal gangs do keep us under observation from time-to-time and do surveillance on us."
Interstate police havereacted to the files.
South Australia Police Association president Peter Alexander yesterday called for an investigation into possible security breaches in the force.
"We want to know why, we want to know how and we want to know by whom," he said.
"I will contact the Commissioner over the weekend because the nature of this is a real concern. I think police officers will be extremely annoyed that this information is circulating."
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