NSW: Ryan says bugging reports blown out of proportion

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NSW: Ryan says bugging reports blown out of proportion

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP - Reports of a major bugging operation which scrutinised someof NSW's most senior police officers have been blown out of proportion, according to outgoingstate Police Commissioner Peter Ryan.

Details of the operation will be explained to Police Minister Michael Costa today.

The surveillance was part of the Police Integrity Commission's (PIC) Operation Florida,set up to investigate corrupt cops in the Northern Beaches region, but Mr Costa only learnedabout it on Friday.

Mr Costa has called for an urgent briefing from Mr Ryan and Crime Commissioner PhillipBradley today.

But Mr Ryan told Channel Nine's Sixty Minutes last night that recent reports policewere given a warrant to bug other officers, media and lawyers during the 2000 Sydney Olympicswere blown out of proportion.

The warrant was issued to an undercover officer who was attending a function and everyonepresent had to be named so he could carry the bugging device, Mr Ryan said.

He said it was not an investigation of the 110 people named on the warrant.

"If I was at that function, my name would probably be on the warrant too," he said.

Police Association secretary Peter Remfrey said the Supreme Court orders allowing thetop secret eavesdropping was unprecedented.

Even if suspicions of wrongdoing were proven to be unfounded, Mr Remfrey said the supergrasshad the potential to spoil the reputations of senior officers.

Assistant Commissioner Ken Moroney yesterday confirmed that officers named on the warrantwere already subject to court action and other PIC proceedings for their conduct.

Undercover investigators collected evidence from phone lines and social gathering atpubs, but Mr Moroney said clean officers had nothing to fear.

NSW Premier Bob Carr earlier said he had been advised the surveillance was part ofOperation Florida, but he did not authorise it.

AAP klw/las

KEYWORD: BUGGING DAYLEAD