Crash involving SA Police sergeant prompts calls for more oversight
A driver involved in a crash with a SA Police sergeant — resulting in the officer being charged with leaving the scene — has called for greater oversight in cases where police are under investigation.
Allan Kelson has also criticised a police determination that he was at fault when his car collided with a ute driven by Brevet Sergeant Daryl Wayne Mundy on February 7.
Mr Kelson was driving with his wife, Heather, when they were involved in the crash near Whitmore Square in the CBD.
At the time, Sergeant Mundy had been serving as deputy president of the Police Association of SA and was campaigning for re-election.
Mr Kelson has supported calls this week from independent MLC Frank Pangallo for an independent review into the matter.
SA Police said its internal investigation section reviews the cases of officers charged with criminal offences — and investigations by the section are overseen by the Office of Public Integrity.
Dashcam video of the incident, supplied to the ABC, appears to show Mr Kelson coming to a stop in a lane blocked off by traffic cones.
The vision captures an exchange about who had been required to give way before Sergeant Mundy appears to drive away.
Mr Kelson alleges he briefly followed Sergeant Mundy, who later reported the incident at the Netley police station.
Mr Kelson said he checked back in with police three weeks later for an update, but was told no action had yet been taken.
In early March, he was asked to give a statement and hand over his dashcam footage to police.
He said he was told by an officer that, based on the footage, a determination had been made that he had failed to give way and would be issued an infringement.
"I'm prepared to go to court (to contest the infringement), and I'm 99 per cent confident that I'll win the case," he said.
Sergeant Mundy was charged with one count of failing to stop and give particulars to persons at a crash scene and one count of failing to give particulars about a crash to a police officer.
Sergeant Mundy, who was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election as union deputy president, did not enter a plea at an initial hearing on May 20.
The case is due to return to court next month.
Mr Kelson said he learned from media reports that Sergeant Mundy had been charged.
He said the months-long investigation process had been "disappointing" — and more oversight was needed where police officers are involved.
"I really think it needs to be more open and all people involved should be updated, otherwise it's always a guessing game."
The case was raised in parliament this week by Mr Pangallo, who said he had been contacted by a "very distressed" Mr Kelson.
Mr Pangallo said he agreed the infringement should not have been issued.
"After viewing the footage several times, reading this section of the road rules and showing it to an experienced road traffic lawyer, not only does Mr Kelson have a rock-solid defence but (SA Police) appears to have made an error of judgement," he said.
Mr Pangallo asked Police Minister Stephen Mullighan to request a full independent review of the matter.
He said the review should be used to rule out any suggestion of police bias or connection to the police union election.
SA Police said it has systems in place to ensure matters involving officers were appropriately investigated.
"When a police officer is charged with a criminal offence, including a road safety offence, their conduct during the incident is reviewed by the Internal Investigation Section (IIS)," a statement said.
"If the officer is suspected of not behaving in a manner expected by the SAPOL's Code of Conduct, an investigation is conducted by the IIS, which is independently overseen by the Office of Public Integrity."
The statement said police could not respond to questions about the case involving Sergeant Mundy because it was still before the court.
SA Police confirmed that Sergeant Mundy had not been stood down, and said a review process would take place at the end of the court process.
Mr Mullighan was contacted for comment.
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