9 Jul 2010

Police manager named as referee without consent

12:48 pm on 9 July 2010

A police manager says he was listed as a referee for a former police superintendent now under criminal investigation without his knowledge.

Former police officer Jon Moss was hired by the Real Estate Agents Authority after resigning from the police when they began a criminal investigation into allegations he had improperly influenced another officer.

He was cleared, but later made subject to a new criminal investigation over an alleged relationship with an official at an unnamed agency linked to the police.

Police human resources general manager Wayne Annan says he was never asked by Mr Moss whether his name could be used as a referee for the job, and was never approached by the Real Estate Agents Authority.

Assistant police commissioner Viv Rickard was also listed as a referee.

The Real Estate Agents Authority asked Wellington barrister and solicitor John Edwards to investigate Mr Moss's appointment to its staff. That report, released on Thursday, exonerated both Mr Moss and the authority.

It said Moss fully disclosed the police investigation.

The authority says it will adopt the State Services Commission employment policy.