29 June 2022
Richard Wang
By email: [FYI request #19570 email]
Dear Mr Wang
Official Information request: when would Crown Law and the Solicitor General review
Police decisions not to charge police officers
Our Ref: OIA353/1
1.
I refer to your official information request dated 2 June 2022 asking under what
circumstances Crown Law and the Solicitor General would review the decisions
of Police not to charge Police officers who have been found to have engaged in
misconduct, when Police choose not to do so.
2.
We have decided to refuse your request for information under s 18(e) of the
Official Information Act on the basis there is no document containing the
information requested.
3.
In order to provide you with further context in terms of the information you have
requested, please note that Crown Law is not a prosecuting agency. While from
time to time Crown Law may be asked to review or advise on decisions whether
to prosecute or not, there are no defined circumstances under which such advice
might be sought or provided. For general assistance in this area you may wish to
refer to the publications available on the Crown Law website under the heading
“Prosecution Guidelines”.
Proactive release
4.
Please note that we may publish this response (with your personal details
redacted), on Crown Law’s website if we decide proactive release of this
information is or may be in the public interest. If you have any concerns about
this, please let us know within 10 working days of the date of this letter.
5.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours faithfully
Crown Law
Peter Gunn
Team Manager
Level 3 Justice
Centre, 19 Aitken Street, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 2858 or DX SP20208, Wellington 6140, New Zealand | +64 4 472 1719 | crownlaw.govt.nz
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