Police accusers shouldn't go public: John Lee

Police accusers shouldn't go public: John Lee

John Lee

Security Secretary John Lee has urged anyone unhappy with the behaviour of police officers not to let other people know about their concerns, but to turn to the force itself if they want to seek redress.



Lee said on Thursday that it is "unfair" of people to make allegations against officers in public, and they should instead file complaints directly to the force which will carry out a "fair and impartial investigation".



His comments came in response to questions from reporters about whether the government is aware that numerous people arrested during anti-government protests say they were assaulted by officers.



Lee said rather than publicly making such allegations, people should file reports to the force's internal unit, the Complaints Against Police Office, which would take such matters seriously.



He also cast doubt on some, unspecified, claims and said people need to prove they are telling "what they believe" is the truth.



"We have already noticed that some of these people that have made such allegations have been changing their stories from time to time," he said.



"So it is important that people making all these allegations come out to prove that they are telling, what they believe, is what's happening. Rather than making allegations 'on air' sometimes being totally masked so as not to show their identity, or not willing to go to the police, providing information so that a fair and impartial investigation will be conducted."



Some of those charged over the anti-government protests since June have missed initial court appearances because they were in hospital being treated for injuries, with a number of defendants telling the courts that police had assaulted them.