Fed: Fatal police chase report remains under wraps

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2006
Fed: Fatal police chase report remains under wraps

CANBERRA, Feb 2 AAP - ACT Police have defended continuing delays in the release of
a report into their involvement in the death of a university student during a police pursuit.

Clea Rose, 21, was killed on August 20 last year when she was hit by a stolen car,
under pursuit by police, near a busy bus interchange in Canberra's civic centre.

A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing her death on Tuesday and
has been sentenced to three years detention.

Witnesses claim police were pursuing the car at high speeds which has led to an internal
investigation, the results of which have not been released despite impassioned pleas from
Clea's father.

ACT Police Minister John Hargreaves today said he was unsettled with the delays in
releasing the report and finalising the issue.

But ACT deputy chief police officer, Commander Steve Lancaster, said today the report
remained under review by the ombudsman and its recommendations would be implemented.

"In incidents like this there is a process that has to be gone through and being of
such a magnitude I think there's an extraordinary and thorough investigation that must
take place and there's also a review process which involves the ombudsman," he told ABC
radio.

"We really must be mindful that we want to come to the right outcome, whether criminals
were responsible or police had some element to play or not.

"We've just got to make sure that the report can withstand the rigours after it gets
let out to the minister, the public and the family."

An interim report has been sent to the ombudsman but there were concerns to be addressed
which have added to the delay of its release, he said.

But Commander Lancaster said police were as keen as Clea's family and the community
at large to find out what happened.

"This also impacts on police. We were there and we had two members involved in this
process as well," he said.

"So we are just as keen as the minister and all parties to get this report out and
in the public eye."

AAP jcg/pjo/jt/de

KEYWORD: ROSE

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