Clint Rickards. Photo / Kenny Rodger
Former police assistant commissioner Clint Rickards is writing his memoirs.
He has been working on the manuscript while studying law at the University of Auckland, nzherald.co.nz has learned.
It is understood the memoir includes details of his early career as an undercover police officer.
Broadcaster Willie Jackson, who
supported Mr Rickards at his trial in 2006 and interviewed him on Radio Waatea in December last year, confirmed that Mr Rickards was looking at documenting his life.
However, he said he had not seen any of the book's content.
A source said Mr Rickards was seen writing the "several hundred page" memoir on a computer in the university's law library with a pile of about 150 printed pages next to him.
The source said the Microsoft Word document appeared to be headed "Smash Austin" - a reference to Operation Austin, the multi-million dollar investigation into police sex allegations.
The book appeared to be about Mr Rickards' personal experiences, ranging from his undercover work to different police operations he had been involved in.
Mr Rickards was approached by nzherald.co.nz between lectures at the university but he declined to comment. "I'm not talking to you," he said.
Mr Rickards rose through the ranks to assistant police commissioner before he left the police after coming to a confidential employment settlement last year following his acquittal on historic sex charges.
Operation Austin began as an investigation into Louise Nicholas' rape allegations against Mr Rickards, Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum. It expanded to include complaints by 50 women against police.
After his acquittal, Mr Rickards labelled the operation a "shambles" that he said he would have been embarrassed to lead.
The operation was the subject of an Independent Police Complaints Authority report which found that the investigations were conducted at a level of excellence.
A spokeswoman for publishing group Random House said she had heard Mr Rickards was writing his memoirs, but the company was not involved in any publication deal.
Mrs Nicholas published her memoirs with journalist Philip Kitchin last year, titled "Lousie Nicholas: My Story".
