The head of the state’s Sex Crimes Squad has denied claims by whistleblower Peter Fox, that a police strike force set up to examine allegations of a cover-up within the Catholic Church was “set up to fail”.
Detective Inspector John Kerlatec, Commander of the NSW Police Sex Crimes squad, told the Commission he was “satisfied completely” with the progress of Strike Force Lantle, labelling it a “success” .
The claims came during day five of the Special Commission of Inquiry into the police handling of claims of a coverup of child sexual abuse with the Catholic Church in the Hunter.
During questing, Mr Fox’s lawyer put to Detective Inspector Kerlatec, that the claims of a coverup were not treated with any urgency. The commander agreed with these assertions, saying police correspondence regarding the claims didn’t “reflect a lot of urgency”.
John Kerlatec went on to say that investigating allegations of the ‘concealment of an offence’ is a less complex task than investigating the actual offence.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox has returned to the witness box. The inquiry continues.
