Mervyn Henry Stevenson

Mervyn Henry Stevenson
Born	March 31, 1926(1926-03-31) Mt Morgan, Queensland
Died	16 December 2001
Occupation	Police officer
Awards	Australian Stockman's Hall of Famer

Mervyn Henry Stevenson served as a Queensland police officer from 1947 until 1982. He started as a bush cop and ended up as the superintendent in charge of the Townsville Police District, though his retirement years were tainted with the spectre of corruption.^[1][2]

Renowned bushman

Described as "the last of the corned beef and damper coppers", Stevenson made a name for himself as a horseman, cattleman and bushman.^[3] He gained notoriety in 1950 at the northern township of Coen for tracking down on horseback a group of 12 Aborigines wanted for questioning over the murder of a native police boy.^[4] In 1965 he was promoted to detective sergeant and named officer-in-charge of the CIB stock squad based in Charters Towers.^[5]

Corruption charges

Following his retirement, Stevenson's reputation was tarnished by the publication of a confidential police report prepared by Inspector John Huey, an investigator who would later head a special task force of the Fitzgerald Inquiry.^[6] Huey's report was tabled in Queensland Parliament on 18 September 1984 by Opposition police spokesman, Mr. Wayne Goss.^[7] Goss told Parliament police investigations into cattle stealing offences in north Queensland resulted in recommendations that charges be laid against Stevenson. The report also recommended the reopening of investigations into the suspicious suicide of Detective Sergeant Jack Connor at Mareeba and various drug-related matters because statements made by Stevenson indicated that he had not properly investigated these matters to the benefit of a fellow officer.^[8]

Goss criticized Police Commissioner Terry Lewis (a man who was subsequently indicted and jailed for his role in various police corruption scandals that emerged a few years later during the Fitzgerald Inquiry) for vetoing the recommendations of the report.^[9] He asked Parliament why the proposed charges against Stevenson were treated as "internal" charges requiring the approval of the commissioner before charges could be laid.

"In any other case involving any ordinary citizen, once the police officer forms the view that he has sufficient evidence to charge he goes ahead and charges the person and the matter comes before the court", Goss said. "Not so in this case. At the highest level a special procedure was directed and this resulted in no charges being laid".^[10]

Stevenson lamented the accusations, saying: "In my time, I recovered stolen cattle worth more than $700,000. I was in more than 2000 criminal or quasi-criminal investigations. And right at the end of my career, here I am accused of being a cattle thief".^[11]

Friends in high places

High-level supporters of Stevenson lauded his accomplishments. Assistant Commissioner Bill McArthur, a former stock squad offer himself, said: "I will say I wish there were more young Stevensons…in the police force today. They are excellent men and outstanding stock squad investigators…true blue horsemen, bushmen and stockmen".^[12] McArthur subsequently removed Inspector Huey from the Stevenson investigation and, in 1989, during the Fitzgerald Inquiry, was questioned as to whether his friendship with Stevenson was the reason the investigation was halted.^[13]

Inspector John Huey testified before the Fitzgerald Inquiry on 14 June 1989 that Stevenson had stopped another officer making a confession about the death of officer Jack Connor at Mareeba, adding that he had not included full details about Stevenson in his report because he believed that Stevenson "had friends in high places".^[14]

Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame

Stevenson avoided prosecution and was eventually inducted into the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in 2001.^[15] He died of cancer on 16 December 2001 and was farewelled by a police guard of honour at his funeral in Townsville.^[16]

External links

Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame http://ehive.com/account/3492/object/77960/Mervyn_Henry_STEVENSON_b_31st_March_1926_Mt_Morgan_QLD

References

1. ^ Anderson, John, "Tough bush adversary", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.
2. ^ Hansen, P, "Ex-policeman lashes out: confessions 'red hot'", Sunday Mail, 23 September 1984.
3. ^ Anderson, John, "Tough bush adversary", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.
4. ^ "Two natives charged with having murdered police boy", Cairns Post, 10 May 1950.
5. ^ Anderson, John, "Tough bush adversary", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.
6. ^ "Report by inspector", Courier Mail, 19 September 1984.
7. ^ Koch, A, "Policeman's death: report urges renewed investigation", Courier Mail, 19 September 1984.
8. ^ Koch, A, "Policeman's death: report urges renewed investigation", Courier Mail, 19 September 1984.
9. ^ Koch, A, "Policeman's death: report urges renewed investigation", Courier Mail, 19 September 1984.
10. ^ Koch, A, "Policeman's death: report urges renewed investigation", Courier Mail, 19 September 1984.
11. ^ Hansen, P, "Ex-policeman lashes out: confessions 'red hot'", Sunday Mail, 23 September 1984.
12. ^ Hansen, P, "Ex-policeman lashes out: confessions 'red hot'", Sunday Mail, 23 September 1984.
13. ^ "'Unethical' halt to investigation", Sydney Morning Herald, 15 June 1989, p.2.
14. ^ "Death words stopped", Sydney Morning Herald, 14 June 1989, p.2.
15. ^ "Fitting farewell for bush policeman", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.
16. ^ "Fitting farewell for bush policeman", Townsville Bulletin, 22 December 2001.

Persondata
Name	Stevenson, Mervyn Henry
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	31 March 1926
Place of birth	Mt Morgan, Queensland
Date of death	16 December 2001
Place of death