New South Wales Consolidated Acts

POLICE ACT 1990 - SECT 71

71 Integrity matters

(1) It is the duty of the Commissioner:

(a) before selecting a person to complete an eligibility program for a rank or grade within a rank of police officer, to make inquiries (from the Commander, Professional Standards Command, and from any other person or body the Commissioner thinks appropriate), as to the integrity of the person, and

(b) before appointing a person, by way of promotion, as a non-executive police officer, to make inquiries (from the Police Integrity Commission, the Commander, Professional Standards Command, and from any other person or body the Commissioner thinks appropriate), as to the integrity of the person.

(2) It is the duty of the Commissioner to have regard to any information that comes to the Commissioner’s attention (whether as a result of inquiries under subsection (1) or otherwise) as to the integrity of a person referred to in that subsection.

(3) The Police Integrity Commission, subject to the Police Integrity Commission Act 1996 , and the Commander, Professional Standards Command, are required to furnish a report to the Commissioner (on the basis of information available to the Commission or the Commander and without the need for any special investigation or inquiry) on any person the subject of an inquiry referred to in subsection (1).

(4) The Commissioner may change a decision to appoint a person under this Part before the person is appointed if the Commissioner receives information as to the person’s integrity (being information that was not considered when the decision to appoint the person was made) which causes the Commissioner to form the opinion that the person is not a suitable person to be so appointed.

(5) If the Commissioner changes such a decision, the Commissioner may decide, in accordance with this Part to appoint instead (from the persons who are eligible for appointment) the person who the Commissioner is of the opinion at the time has the greatest merit.

(6) The Commissioner may suspend or remove a person from a promotion list or any part of a process relating to placement on a promotion list if the Commissioner receives information as to the person’s integrity (being information that was not previously considered) which causes the Commissioner to form the opinion that the person is not a suitable person to remain on the list or be placed on the list.