Rickards resigns
November 22nd, 2007 at 6:16 pm by David FarrarAt long last, it is over. Clint Rickards has resigned from the NZ Police.
The disciplinary tribunal was to be in February. Rickards presumably realised it was almost inevitable he would not win, or at best he would get a payout but not reinstatement.
Also I suspect by resigning he gets to perf, and that will be a hell of a lot of money for 25 years and having risen to Assistant Commissioner.
UPDATE: There may have been a golden handshake. I guess Annette King will face some questions about this, if so.
November 22nd, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Another In house Inquiry. Another in the Service of the Crown found wanting – but won’t want?
Where is that Royal Commission?
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
If John Key was “being reckless with taxpayer money in suggesting the Government must pay to get suspended assistant commissioner Clint Rickards out of the police” according to Helen Clark – http://www.stuff.co.nz/4207615a6160.html …then any golden handshake will be a gift for the opposition.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Clint Rickards resigns with reputation intact
Sounbds like a good Tui billboard eh!
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:42 pm
One less bent pig !!
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Doc: Good memory.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
Clark will just point out that it was Key’s idea anyway.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I’ve lost interest. It’s over. Move along. NZ has major problems ahead. Rickards was not remotely close to the top of the problem list. Come to think of it, whenever I’m out of NZ, I realise that NZ hardly exists to the rest of the world. Of course everyone loves true sleaze and catastrophe, but old police fellas having groupie nookie in the ,what was it, 80s? is not news or terribly interesting.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 7:07 pm
scrubone: and Key will again look like he is running the govt from the opposition benches. How many of his suggestions have they copied now? If we’re getting his policies anyway, may as well have him as prime minister.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Must have finished his law degree; no doubt about to start practicing.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Ah, but what a life! Cute police chicks, desperate ‘suspects’ and alleged accomplices willing to *ahem* negotiate, small towns, high profile, bonking a la carte, promotion, mana, allegations that won’t quite stick, a Dep Commrs salary, plus perks, and a PERF or handshake (they amount to about the same) at the end.
No, there’s more important stuff around, but if the Police Force was less the Labour Party’s Enforcement Arm (hello, Shane A and D B-P), I’d be less upset!
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 7:44 pm
“I realise that NZ hardly exists to the rest of the world. Of course everyone loves true sleaze and catastrophe, but old police fellas having groupie nookie in the ,what was it, 80s? is not news or terribly interesting.”
Professional/personal lives are completely separate. Its all a matter of balance.
When Helen said they weren’t she opened a can of worms to every MP in the Beehive. She wants us to believe we’re not a Christian moralistic country than turns morals onto individuals private lives by criticising professional peoples private lives.
If police members want to have orgies in their own time thats their own business. Every time Helen opens her mouth she sends out signals that the govt is going to invade more of our lives.
Sue Moronies got to go too. where’s she been for 2 yrs and she wants to stand in Hamilton. She ain’t got a show. All the socialists got turfed.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 8:15 pm
A cop out
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 8:44 pm
I don’t see any problem with a golden handshake, whatever amount might have been exchanged is almost certainly cost the country less to pay him out than it has to fight it for another 18 months.
The PM’s grand ‘end the golden handshakes’ pledge in 1999 was just about being popularist, it worked and we moved on with golden handshakes continuing at the same rate if not increasing.
The question really is why didn’t it happen as soon as he was cleared from his last lot of court ranglings?
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 8:53 pm
What burt said.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Fair point Burt.
In relation to the handshake the police and the minister are in a bit of a bind b/c any of these types of settlements are confidential and rightly so but merely b/c they cannot confirm or deny does not mean that he received a payout.
The settlement could be as simple as a resignation on a no-fault basis (ie: keeping any super and benefits that could be affected (and I do not know if there are) intact) or it could be more expensive – we don’t know and the police CANNOT comment.
Although I suspect that if there was no payout there will be an leak and we will hear that “the Herald understands Rickards was not given a payout”…
The end of the golden handshakes was gross populism and was a promise promptly broken. Stupid promises often end up broken.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 pm
I guess his Lawyers will pick up most of the payout anyway.
Vote:November 22nd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
1 corrupt cop down, [insert enormous number here] to go.
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 8:18 am
Well, Burt, I’ve constantly said that I wouldn’t like Rickards getting three bags full of fuck off money, but I could live with it. And if Rickards, to be coldly cynical about it, isn’t taking the NZPF for every penny he could get, I have a bridge to sell you…
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 8:27 am
The Chch Press this morning is reporting he was paid $700,000.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4284737a6009.html
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 8:35 am
My hope now is he will jump the ditch so we never have to see or hear of him again. But with such arrogance, the likes not often seen, he will reappear in another high profile role, now he has all but completed his studies, courtesy of the NZ taxpayer. He may well have received a golden handshake and be financially wealthy after collecting 28 years of super but he was exposed for what he is and that is priceless. Far cough Rickards and may we never see your ugly mug again!
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 8:40 am
Rex said: “1 corrupt cop down, [insert enormous number here] to go.”
- what a ridiculous statement from a former MP.
What brought that on!
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 9:07 am
Aaaahhh Lisa,
Wanta bet he is copping an interest free student loan as he is entitled to be? Why wouldn’t he?
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 9:29 am
Gooner: “what a ridiculous statement from a former MP.”
Provide proof that discounts Rex’s summation.
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 9:30 am
Couldn’t for the life of me work out why his partner has stayed with him having learned of his sordid past but it all makes senses now. Why wouldn’t she?
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 10:00 am
Frank, it works like this: if someone makes an allegation, as Rex did here, then that person has to prove it, not me.
It was and is a ridiculous statement until he proves, and you too, that there are 000′s of corrupt cops in NZ.
Vote:November 23rd, 2007 at 10:35 am
I don’t have a problem with the “take this and piss off” money. They should have done it earlier – instead of being paid for three or four years by the state, earning $700k, while ‘on-leave’. No-one in the private sector would have that luxury. It is timid officials following bureacratic process that has cost the big money here.
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