Ex-NSW Police Commissioner Tony Lauer dies aged 86 leaving behind chequered legacy
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A former police commissioner who resigned after a major corruption scandal on the force during the 1990s has died at the age of 86.
Anthony ‘Tony’ Raymond Lauer died peacefully at his home in Glenmore Park, western Sydney, on November 30.
His family arranged a funeral for Mr. Lauer on Tuesday and the former top cop left a checkered legacy.
Lauer was once the most senior member of the NSW Police but was forced to resign following revelations of corruption and bribery among the ranks in 1996.
Adversity struck again when their adoptive daughter Tanya battled a heroin addiction that forced Mr. Lauer and his wife Joy to adopt their three grandchildren.
A former police commissioner who resigned after a major corruption scandal on the force during the 1990s has died at the age of 86 (right, Tony Lauer)
Anthony ‘Tony’ Raymond Lauer died peacefully at his home in Glenmore Park, western Sydney, on November 30.
Lauer was known to be a loner and disappeared from the radar following his humiliating resignation shortly after the inception of the Wood Royal Commission in 1996.
The Royal Commission investigated the extent of corruption and misconduct within the NSW Police and the evidence relied heavily on secret footage taken of officers.
Hundreds of cases of bribery, money laundering, drug trafficking, fabrication of evidence, and destruction of evidence were uncovered.
The Kings Cross detectives were exposed as one of the most corrupt within the force with officers receiving thousands of dollars in payments from crime bosses.
Convicted drug dealer Bill Bayeh, nightclub owner Steve Hardas and notorious criminal Pandelis ‘Fat George’ Karipis were among the underworld figures paying ‘rent’.
Sergeant Trevor Haken, six Detective Sergeants and Detective Inspector-in-Charge Graham ‘Chook’ Fowler shared in the thousands of dollars in bribes.
The corrupt practice became known in police circles as ‘The Laughter’.
A senior drug squad officer was filmed having sex with a former prostitute and asking her for drugs and child pornography.
In another case, a senior detective and another officer were caught exchanging money they had received as part of a bribe from a known drug dealer.
Lauer denied accusations that his police force was corrupt, but was eventually forced to fire his own deputy chief of staff, who was mentioned during the Commission.
Tragedy struck again when his adoptive daughter Tanya battled a heroin addiction that forced Mr. Lauer and his wife Joy (pictured) to adopt their three grandchildren.
Convicted drug dealer Bill Bayeh (pictured), nightclub owner Steve Hardas and notorious criminal Pandelis ‘Fat George’ Karipis were among the underworld figures paying ‘rent’.
The damning investigation led to the resignation of hundreds of police officers, including Lauer.
The resignation marked a dark end to a career in the police force that spanned 41 years.
Lauer was also involved in several controversies, including claims that he planted heroin on discredited businessman Fayez ‘Frank’ Hakim.
Hakim was a Lebanese criminal considered the unofficial “godfather” of his community.
He had connections to the NSW Police, politicians, and criminals like Graham ‘Croc’ Palmer and Lennie McPherson.
Lauer broke into his office in 1985 and discovered heroin.
Hakim claimed that the then Detective Inspector had planted the drugs, but the claims were dismissed.
The Kings Cross detectives were exposed as one of the most corrupt within the force with officers receiving thousands of dollars in payments from crime bosses.
Mr. Lauer (pictured with his partner Joy) had his own battles outside the police force after adopting his three grandchildren Zac, Alex and Isabel while their mother Tanya dealt with a heroin addiction.
Lauer had his own battles outside of the police force after adopting his three grandchildren Zac, Alex and Isabel while his mother Tanya dealt with a heroin addiction.
Joy Lauer recalled the moment she found out her daughter had a drug problem.
“I did the terrible thing to search his room,” he told ABC’s Australian Story in 2016.
That’s when I found the methadone vials and confronted her.
At the time, Lauer had sacked Police Minister Ted Pickering after a very public fight, survived criticism for his role in the failed investigation into rape allegations against former Superintendent Harry Blackburn, and defended claims that he had placed heroin in Hakim.