abusing police power for personal revenge, disgraceful
from AntBlog701

abusing police power for personal revenge, disgraceful

On 11th September, Today Tonight aired a story about a policeman abusing his power for person revenge. This time, it is South Australia Police.

An unethical South Australia Police Constable Matt Waite lost his girlfriend to Adam Baker. He keeps coming to Shelley's store, harassing her. Adam happened to be in the shop. He decided to arrest Adam for no offence. The only suitable reason Matt Waite can found was not giving police personal detail. So Matt Waite threatened to arrest Adam. Adam reluctantly gave his details. This disgraceful police officer even banned Adam from entering the shop.

Doing police's job or abusing police privileges? Judge yourself.

(Click QuickTime Player screenshot above to watch the video clip)

Transcript follows

The transcript:

Now to an abuse of power where a Casanova cop has been accused of using it to get even with a love rival. Shop assistant Shelley Bates appears to have become the target of policeman Matt Waite's unwanted attention. Jilted and jealous, the crushed constable has turned his frustration on Shelley's new boyfriend - all of it caught on tape and reported now by Frank Pangallo.
"He was calling me names, asking me for my address. He said he wanted by address and my name, my phone number, my details. I didn't want to give it to him and he kept harassing me for them. He said I'd be arrested if I didn't give it to him."
"Arrested?"
"Yeah."
"You hadn't done anything."
"Yeah, I know. I was reading a newspaper."
It does seem a bit over the top. Yet Adam Baker believes he was booted out of a suburban shopping centre by roving policeman Matt Waite for no crime other than winning the heart of Waite's ex-girlfriend, stunning shop assistant Shelley Bates.
"I was heaps upset because he come in here and just started on Adam and he has no right to come in here and do that to us."
"Definitely the actions of a jealous, dumped boyfriend."
Constable Waite had met Shelley on his regular beat through the Colonnades shopping centre and they had a short relationship. However, Shelley had ended it prior to her meeting her new flame, Adam.
"He's finding it very difficult to get over the break-up, is that it?"
"Obviously, yeah."
"Jealous?"
"Very jealous."
Video surveillance footage inside the clothing store where Shelley works appears to back up Adam's version of events that all he was doing was reading a newspaper while visiting his new girlfriend. The only disturbance in the store is when love rival Constable Waite waltzes in and begins an animated conversation, first with Shelley, then turning his attention to Adam.
"He started calling me names, wanting to arrest me.
"I said 'I know my rights. I don't think I can be arrested for reading a newspaper, surely.'"
"He said 'I can arrest you for whatever I like.'"
"He keeps coming into the store prior to this - it's on footage, him keep coming into the store and harassing me. I've told him to get out but this time he took it too far because Adam was in here."
By this time things got quite tense.
"He said I am nothing, I'm absolutely nothing to him, and I am a f------, that's what his exact words were. And then he said he would arrest me if I didn't give him my details."
Adam moves behind the counter as Shelley steps in to separate them.
"I was really angry that he can come in here and just do that to me. Just because he's in uniform he thinks he can do what he wants."
Waite then calls for backup from his partner, Paul Adams.
"Did you try and explain to him that you hadn't done anything?"
"Yeah, that's exactly what I was saying."
"I said 'I need more police officers involved because you can't arrest me for reading a newspaper.'
"'I know my rights and I do have rights. And I can't be arrested for reading a newspaper.'"
"They said 'No, but you can be arrested for not giving your name and address and details.'
"I said, 'why do I have to give my details? I haven't done anything wrong'."
Adam said he felt humiliated as he was marched from the store by the two policemen and let to the shopfront police station where he reluctantly gave them his details and was told he was barred from the centre for 24 hours.
"An abuse for their power?"
"Definitely."
"Your presence in the store - you've been going in there several times, haven't you?"
WOMAN: He's actually like part of security here. He helps us out a lot.
Matt Waite: "Sorry, I actually work ehre and I don't have to comment."
Matt Waite and his partner were called to the store while were were filming inside. Both declined to comment on what had taken place with Adam Baker. You don't think you overstepped the mark when you took him out of the store?
WOMAN: he's just said no, sir.
Matt Waite: "Sorry, but I'm not allowed to make a comment."
"Many people would think it would be inappropriate for a policeman who was known to a particular person, in this case his ex-girlfriend, to wander in the store then confront the boyfriend - that that, perhaps, was inappropriate behaviour."
"Really, that's not for me to comment on, however the officer concerned is a permanent member who patrols the Colonnades Shopping Centre and as part of his responsibility or normal duties to actually go and visit the different shop owners and talk to the staff."
However their boss, Superintendent Tony Fioravanti, says an internal investigation is now under way.
"If a policeman does approach you and ask you for your personal details, what are you compelled to give?"
"If someone has actually committed an offence, or we believe they've committed an offence, they are required to give their name and address."
"But if you haven't committed an offence, if you're just sitting in a store and just reading a newspaper and somebody comes in and says 'What's your name and address?' are you compelled to give that detail?"
"If that were to happen you are not compelled, however the investigation will actually bring to light, what actually did happen."
In the meantime, Adam's lodged a formal complaint over his treatment, while Shelley is likely to seek a restraining order to keep Matt Waite from pestering her at her new place of employment nearby.
"I felt shocking. I felt like I'd done something wrong, committed a crime."
Frank Pangallo reporting.
The Police Internal Investigations Branch is now investigating.

Police can be sued. Sometimes, their unethical abusive behaviours may sadly be legal, what can us citizens do? We can shame them and ask the parliament to strip police's unethical and unnecessary powers.

How to defend yourself against police
By law, you are required to give personal detail to police. However, before, always ask for Police identification first. The penalty of impersonating a police officer is $1100 fine and 2 years jail.

If a police threatens (cautions, in their words) you with following:
You are not obliged to say or do anything unless you wish to do so, but whatever you say or do may be used in evidence. Do you understand?
You may as well caution back the police something similar to following:
Anything unlawful or inappropriate actions or words you conduct or say may be used in the court against you.

If you know stories about disgraceful police behaviours, please let me know.

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Content of the video clip is copyright Seven Network.