Thursday, June 05, 2008

When a top cop goes bad

One of the bosses of the NSW Crime Commission, Mark Standen, has been charged this week with conspiracy to import 600kg of pseudoephedrine - used to make the drug ice. The Sydney arrest follows those of 12 people in The Netherlands last week.

It is alleged he used his position, as assistant director with the highly secretive crime commission, to tip off the international syndicate on how to evade detection and told them of drug law enforcement activities.

Bad enough for the cop in charge of particular investigations should breach the trust, but Standen has cast a shadow over a number of key agencies. Before he took on the Crime Commission role he was with the Australian Federal Police (AFP); his ‘mistress’ works for the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Investigations show he has used some notorious ex-cops for collections among other things. The whole affair shows that police corruption is deeply entrenched here, at some freighting levels, despite some very encouraging signs of front line policing improving out of sight.

So this top cop has managed to cast a massive cloud over the integrity of policing agencies. Not only that, it has also cast doubt on any prosecutions this bent bastard has been involved with.

No doubt he will face enough charges to bury him for a few lifetimes, but that is still too good for him.

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