By NAOMI LARKIN
The probation service, reeling from a string of staff scandals, has revealed that 33 employees were investigated for breaches of conduct last year.
Corrections Minister Matt Robson said last night that the figure was unacceptable. "It's too high for this type of service."
Yesterday, the minister met department and union officials in a bid to sort out the situation.
The figure follows yesterday's revelations by the Herald that 11 staff were being investigated for breaches of the service's code of conduct.
The allegations include an drug-for-favours racket involving two female officers from the Otahuhu and Panmure branches. The women have denied the allegations.
The other nine include allegations of drink driving, alleged sexual harassment and assault.
Other employees are being investigated for refusing to do their job, leaving work without permission, failing to supervise people on periodic detention and failing to follow department policy.
Of the 11, only three have been suspended and one is on special leave with pay.
The service's general manager, Ann Clark, said yesterday that staff were generally suspended only if serious misconduct was alleged.
Last year's inquiries involved workers misusing department property, exceeding their delegated authority and failing to supervise offenders on PD, she said.
The breaches also included failing to disclose convictions when applying for their jobs and breaking the Privacy and Official Information Acts.
An investigation into a former male manager who was sacked after having sex with a male offender was included in the figure for last year.
Mr Robson said the figure was high because the department investigated every allegation and officers worked in an environment where they were rife.
Former probation officer Pa'u Tafaogalupe Mao'o Tilive'a Mulitalo-Lauta, now a lecturer in social policy and social work at Massey University's Albany campus, said the furore was a timely wake-up call for the department.
"It's good that this has come out because I believe this a wake-up call for the department to check out the ability and quality of service."
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