Media Release – Presentation of Operation Dartmoor report

8 August 2025

Serious misconduct finding and referral to DPP of officer who sold gold bullion to fund gambling addiction

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has made findings of serious misconduct against a police officer who sold gold bullion in excess of $1 million dollars, not belonging to him to fund his gambling addiction.

The Commission also found the officer’s attempts to conceal the source of his wealth from a bullion dealer and an online gambling agency amounted to serious misconduct.

Evidence obtained during private examinations revealed that at the time of joining the NSW Police Force in 2019 the officer had issues with gambling and he was gambling both online, and in clubs and pubs. He told the Commission that he did not declare this to the NSW Police Force as he did not know whether he was required to do so.

The Chief Commissioner, the Hon Peter Johnson SC said:

“A gambling addiction may, apart from resulting in adverse social, financial and family consequences for the individual concerned, lead to criminal behaviour where there is a need for continuing funds to be sourced, lawfully or unlawfully."

“A gambling addiction poses not only a risk to the individual officer but to the reputation and more importantly, the security of the NSW Police Force."

“Clearly, it is in the interests of the NSW Police Force to have in place and maintain robust guidelines designed to protect its officers from becoming vulnerable to exploitation through gambling or any other form of addiction.”

All persons are referred to in the report by pseudonyms for reasons explained in Appendix 2 of the report.

The Commission’s report into Operation Dartmoor can be found here.

LECC Media
T: 0425 317 535
E: media@lecc.nsw.gov.au