A New Zealand policewoman is receiving counselling after the discovery she had been moonlighting as a prostitute, but has kept her job on the force, police said on Thursday.
The Auckland officer had taken up part-time work as a prostitute “for a limited time”, said police media communications manager Jon Neilson.
“[Deputy police Commissioner] Lyn Provost deemed the nature of the secondary employment as incompatible with policing and the officer is receiving counselling,” Neilson said.
Prostitution has been legal in New Zealand since 2003.
The Wairarapa Times-Age newspaper quoted a source as saying the officer had taken up prostitution because of financial difficulties but senior police had found out the nature of her second job in the past month.
Legislator Ron Mark, the law and order spokesperson for the New Zealand First political party, said although prostitution is legal, organised criminals still have a major investment in New Zealand brothels and the officer would have been vulnerable to extortion.
“I know a hell of a lot of police officers who struggle with the cost of living in Auckland, but they don’t all rush out and become prostitutes,” Mark said. — AFP