Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Senior police officer stood down

Updated at 3:16 pm on 19 May 2009

The head of the police prosecution service, Superintendent Graham Thomas, has been stood down from his job but will remain in the police.

Last December, Superintendent Thomas refused to take a breath test after being seen driving erratically. Officers had followed Mr Thomas to his Wellington home, where he refused the test.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad said in a statement on Tuesday he had decided it was in the best interests of the police that Superintendent Thomas step aside from his prosecutions job.

He will remain employed at the rank of superintendent, working in the area of criminal justice improvement.

The statement said Superintendent Thomas had expressed his regret and acknowledged the effect his behaviour had on the commissioner, the organisation and his colleagues within police.

At the time the matter was first raised in Parliament, Police Minister Judith Collins said refusing a breath test was "not a good look" for a senior officer.

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