Trevor Morley - Wellington Vice Squad

In a comprehensive interview conducted by Gareth Watkins on April 3rd, 2012, Trevor Morley provides a detailed account of their work with the Wellington Vice Squad in the 1970s, situated in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand. With a focus on policing vices such as gambling, prostitution, and pornography, Morley elaborates on the societal norms and laws of the time, noting the fluidity of societal morality over the years.

Morley began their police career in 1961 and became a detective in the Wellington CIB, where they were later assigned to the Vice Squad. As part of the Vice Squad, Morley and their sergeant looked into various activities deemed immoral, many of which have since been decriminalized or normalized in contemporary law. For instance, Morley recalls that during their service, laws around bookmaking, solicitation by sex workers, and the legality of prostitution differed significantly from today's standards.

The interview delves into notable cases, including those involving the famous Carmen Rupe. One significant legal case discussed was the "Carmen Trial," wherein Morley and the Vice Squad investigated Rupe for operating a brothel. The case challenged existing perceptions of gender and prostitution and eventually led to a precedent that a male could be legally considered a prostitute in New Zealand, thus contributing to the changing landscape of sex work legislation.

Morley also touches on their work in cracking down on pornography, describing their role in the major investigation of the movie "Deep Throat" and detailing the cultural attitude shifts that allowed for more relaxed censorship over time.

Throughout their narrative, Morley describes the interactions with figures from various facets of society, including the sex work community and campaigners like Patricia Bartlett of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards. They reflect on how these interactions created an understanding and a form of mutual, if complex, respect between the police and those they investigated.

Morley provides insight into how the enforcement of morality laws affected both those being policed and the officers themselves, highlighting the nuanced relationship between law enforcement, personal belief systems, and societal standards. Their tenure in the Vice Squad was characterized by intriguing investigations and the management of societal pressures and expectations, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of moral standards within the police force and New Zealand's legal system.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Trevor Morley

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