Ex-cop starts PI business

Mark Gutry.

A former high-ranking Auckland police officer investigated for allegedly harassing a prostitute before quitting the force has started his own private investigation company.

Mark Gutry resigned as field crime manager at Counties Manukau on May 2, amid allegations he repeatedly accessed the woman's profile on the police computer system.

The Companies Office shows he registered Resolve Investigations on May 29 and he and wife Jane Gutry each own a 50 per cent shareholding.

Gutry runs the company on his own. "I've got started so it's up and running. It's just myself at the moment," he said.

He was "not really interested" in addressing the allegations that were made against him.

In April, police bosses announced there was insufficient evidence to lay criminal charges against Gutry, 48.

He was suspended from work on full pay while police carried out their investigation, but resigned before a disciplinary hearing could be held.

The complainant claimed she had met Gutry while working as a prostitute.

Gutry headed several high-profile homicide cases at Counties Manukau, including the murder of Rae Portman.

Paraire Te Awa, 33, was convicted of her murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 21 years.

Another man, Dean Michael Addison, 36, was jailed for 12 years for kidnapping her.