Roast Busters: "We clearly let the victims down" - police

'Roast Busters' Joseph Lavell Parker (left) and Beraiah Hales.

Waitemata Police District Commander Superintendent Bill Searle is offering a public apology to the young women at the centre of the investigation into alleged offending by the Roastbusters group after shortcomings were outlined in today's Independent Police Conduct Authority report.

The IPCA has determined the shortcomings were the result of poor individual practices and supervision amongst the Waitemata staff investigating the Roastbusters allegations.

Mr Searles said he accepted the report's findings that some of his staff did not meet the required standards of investigation.

"I'd like to publicly apologise to the young women and their families for the trauma that has been caused to them. I will arrange to do this in person, depending on their wishes," Mr Searle says.

"My staff did not meet the required investigation standard and did not connect the various cases or work with other agencies to develop preventive strategies.

They also missed opportunities to communicate with the parents of the young men.
"We clearly let the victims down.

He said his department was committed to making sure this doesn't happen again.

Mr Searle says the IPCA has accepted the incidents involving the Roastbusters group presented Police with a complex set of challenges and investigators were highly motivated to do the right thing by the young women concerned.

The report found that Police officers involved treated the young women and their families with courtesy and compassion, and ensured that they were afforded both dignity and privacy.

Watch Detective Inspector Karyn Malthus discuss the findings of the report:

The report went on to say that officers were clearly victim-focussed and motivated to act in accordance with the victims' wishes and in their best interests."

The case has resulted in a number of changes already being made within the Waitemata Police district.

Since December 2013, a Detective Inspector has been put in place to oversee and manage the child protection and adult sexual abuse cases within Waitemata.

This senior position supports the Detective Senior Sergeant working within the Waitemata Child Protection and Adult Sexual Assault Unit, based on the North Shore.
A weekly audit process has also been established.

The Detective Inspector reviews all of the cases the Child Protection Team is working on, to ensure that the investigations are being carried out with best-case practice.
This is in addition to the existing audit process Police have in practice nationally.

During the district audit process, the Detective Inspector ensures that appropriate communication is maintained with Child Youth and Family, and with other Police districts.

Two additional officers have also been appointed, one to each of the Child Protection and Adult Sexual Assault teams, with their primary focus on prevention.

Mr Searle says the findings from the IPCA will form part of an employment process for individual police officers responsible for the shortcomings identified in the report.

These will remain confidential due to employment obligations.

However, none of the three officers criticised in the report are currently working on Child Protection or Adult Sexual Assault teams.

In a message to potential victims of the Roastbusters activities, Mr Searle says there is no time limit for reporting sexual offending and he is encouraging anyone with information to come forward.

"If any further disclosures are made, they will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and investigated appropriately," Mr Searle says.

Timeline

• 2011: 15-year-old victim lays complaint with police about the group's alleged activities.

• 2011: Green Bay High School counsellor claims she went to senior management to raise concerns about alleged Roast Buster Beraiah Hales.

• November 21, 2013: 111,000-strong petition demanding stronger action over the scandal delivered to Parliament.

• April 2012: Green Bay High School receive allegations about Hales.

• May 2012: Hales leaves Green Bay High School.

• November 3, 2013: Videos emerge of a group of boys calling themselves the Roast Busters showing them laughing and bragging about having sex with drunk and underage girls. Detective Inspector Bruce Scott said even though police were aware of the group, there was nothing they could do until a girl was "brave enough" to make a formal complaint.

• November 5, 2013: Superintendent Bill Searle said none of the girls from the original inquiry wanted to make a formal complaint.

• November 6, 2013: A 15-year-old girl comes forward to say she laid a formal complaint with police in 2011 -- when she was 13. Police later confirm this is true.

• November 7, 2013: After calls for action, Police Minister Anne Tolley announces she has asked the Independent Police Conduct Authority to investigate.

• November 12, 2013: Police child sexual abuse specialist Detective Inspector Karyn Malthus appointed to head the newly named Operation Clover.

• November 16, 2013: Nationwide protests take place, with hundreds calling for an end to the country's 'rape culture'.

• November 17, 2013: A girl who says she made a complaint to police two years ago reveals she has made a second complaint after the Roast Busters scandal.

• November 21, 2013: A petition is presented to MPs outside Parliament with more than 110,000 signatures calling for more action for the alleged victims of the Roast Busters.

• December 12, 2013: Then Police Commissioner Peter Marshall grilled by a select committee in Wellington about the police response to the case.

• May 22, 2014: The Independent Police Authority releases its first report into the initial investigation, which focused on information provided by police to media, which said a "systemic breakdown in communication" by police led to inaccurate information being provided to the public, however, said "no individual could be criticised" for that.

• October 29, 2014: Police release the findings of Operation Clover and announce no prosecutions will be made.

• March 19, 2015: The Independent Police Authority releases a report criticising police handling of the initial investigation.

Where to get help:

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)

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• Youthline: 0800 376 633

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• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)

• The Word

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• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155

• CASPER Suicide Prevention

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