Hamilton Police launch review of woman's arrest following complaint to IPCA

Aware of allegations of an alleged assault by officers in the City being spread on social networking sites, Hamilton Police say they have been advised of a complaint from the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

Hamilton Area Commander, Inspector Greg Nicholls, said at this time a review of the arrest of a 37-year-old woman in relation to a breach of the liquor ban at about 3.45am on Sunday 17 March is underway.

"The woman was dealt with by way of a pre-charge warning, a common preventative measure that allows people to be processed without clogging the court system or leaving them with a criminal conviction.

"The process involved once a complaint has been received is that Police will submit their review of the incident for the IPCA'S consideration and categorisation alongside the complaint. From there, in line with their independence, the IPCA will determine what, if any further action or investigation is required."

Mr Nicholls said while this process can be time consuming it ensures the integrity of the investigation process.

"All the steps of the process are closely scrutinised by the IPCA in their role as an independent investigative authority.

"The independent nature of the IPCA ensures Police actions are scrutinised in such a way to ensure an auditable trail and offers assurances not only for the public but Police staff as well that the process is a fair and robust one."

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