THE public may never learn the official finding of a Police Integrity Commission (PIC) investigation into the delayed response to an emergency telephone call made before a West Wyalong woman stabbed her husband.
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Marianne Parker, 58, was sentenced in the Supreme Court at Griffith last week for the murder of her 50-year-old husband, Ken, on December 16, 2013.
Within days of the tragedy, speculation swirled about a triple-0 telephone call Marianne Parker was said to have made before she stabbed her husband in the back. It was said Parker made the call more than an hour before police arrived at the house to find Mr Parker dying.
The PIC confirmed in May, 2014, it was investigating the call.
It referred to the investigation – called Operation Gazania – in its 2013-14 annual report and confirmed issues with the NSW Police Force’s radio network were being investigated as part of the probe.
But from there, the public has been left in the dark.
In his sentencing remarks last week, Justice Stephen Rothman made some reference to Parker calling police before the stabbing.
“Unfortunately, the officers were unavailable or could not be reached,” Justice Rothman said.
“Had they been, we may not be at this point.”
The Daily Advertiser asked the PIC on Friday about the outcome of Operation Gazania.
“The Commission has no comment to make on this matter,” a spokeswoman said in response.
Police Association executive member, Mick Connor, said he had been told the PIC found no wrongdoing by local police.
“That is why it is not an issue,” he said.
“There was a break down in communication between the comms (communications) operator and the (police) supervisor at Griffith.
“What is supposed to happen is the comms operator, if they can’t get a working car to acknowledge, calls the supervisor.
“That did not happen for some time.”
