NSW Police says it welcomes a report that clears its officers of misconduct in the delayed response to a triple-0 call from a West Wyalong house where a man was stabbed to death.
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But the public is still no wiser about the cause of the delay.
Monash Street resident Marianne Parker made the emergency call at 6.35pm on December 16, 2013, but police did not arrive until 7.45pm.
By that time, Parker had stabbed her 50-year-old husband, Ken.
Mr Parker was dying outside the house when police police arrived.
The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) began a secretive investigation into the delay in 2014 after concerns were raised in the public arena.
The probe’s outcome was revealed in the barest of detail in the PIC’s annual report to state parliament this week.
“Operation Gazania was an investigation into the alleged misconduct of NSWPF officers at Griffith,” the report said before giving details of Parker’s crime and the court outcome.
“The evidence adduced in this investigation did not support the consideration of criminal charges against any police officer or any findings of misconduct.
“A dissemination of material to the NSWPF has occurred.”
The police union has always linked the delay with a breakdown in communication and maintained there were no integrity issues or criminal conduct involved.
The Daily Advertiser requested details from NSW Police about the material passed on to it by the PIC and asked if any fault was found in the police communications system.
It was asked if a technical fault or human error led to the delay and what steps police would take to prevent a repeat.
NSW Police responded by issuing a statement that said: “NSW Police welcomes the report and is in the early stages of reviewing it”.
Bland Shire Council mayor Tony Lord said he did not know enough about the PIC investigation to comment with authority on the report.
But he said there were no problems with police response times at West Wyalong at present.
Parker was sentenced by Justice Stephen Rothman in June after a jury found her guilty of manslaughter.
In his sentencing remarks, Justice Rothman referred to the delayed police response to the triple-0 call.
“Unfortunately, the officers were unavailable or could not be reached,” the judge said.
“Had they been we may not be at this point.”
Justice Rothman praised West Wyalong police for their support of Marianne Parker - a victim of domestic violence – before the fateful night.
