NSW police leak `rare'

A NSW police employee's alleged leaking of files obtained by a bikie gang was a
"very rare" case and did not jeopardise crucial police work, police say.
Police analyst Terry Gregoriou is alleged to have leaked information about criminal
investigations to associates of the Comanchero bikie gang in 2009.
He was charged in December with four counts of larceny and three counts of
unlawfully disclosing or releasing information as a public officer.
Fairfax newspapers reported on Saturday that it was suspected the Comanchero gang
had obtained the contents of more than a dozen NSW police files affecting up to
eight investigations.
NSW Police deputy commissioner of specialist operations Nick Kaldas said on Saturday
it was rare to have an informant among police ranks.
"We need to keep this in context. There are 20,000-plus employees in NSW police.
This a very rare occurrence and vast majority of police in NSW are ethical."
"(The leaks weren't) crucial to a particular operation or any individuals."
Commissioner Kaldas said there was no indication that Mr Gregoriou, who worked in a
northwest region office, was troubled when he was hired.
"(The screening process is) something that's a constant problem and something that
we have to monitor," he said.
"But you can only check people so many times after that. You have to rely on our
other systems to pick up any mishandling and improper use of information, and that
is what happened in this case."
Commissioner Kaldas said police weren't going to revamp their systems.
"I can't accept that it was handled badly, or that the systems are flawed in
anyway," he said.
"In fact, out of this case I don't see any need to revamp our systems."
Gregoriou is suspended with pay from NSW police and will appear in Downing Centre
Court on Monday.