Christchurch Police have engaged an engineering firm to review information on the collapse of the CTV Building in the February 2011 earthquake.
The review is part of an ongoing assessment by Police to determine whether any criminal investigation should be commenced in connection with deaths that followed the earthquake.
Detective Superintendent Peter Read says Police have contracted Beca, a large engineering firm with offices throughout New Zealand, to provide an expert opinion on engineering issues raised in the assessment to date.
Their review will involve a panel of senior engineers, including some with experience in the 1980s environment in Christchurch. The panel's opinion will also be subject to an international peer review.
Detective Superintendent Read says this next phase of the Police assessment follows on from extensive reviews of the report and investigation from the former Department of Building and Housing (now part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) as well as the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission.
Police have also reviewed the findings released to date of the Coroner's Inquest held to determine the causes and circumstances of all earthquake-related deaths. Further and final findings from the inquest are due this year.
"While the findings of the Royal Commission are of great assistance to Police in our assessment, the Terms of Reference set for the Royal Commission meant it did not make any determinations as to the question of liability.
"The standard of proof required in a criminal prosecution is of a far higher threshold than that required in the Royal Commission.
"Police must be able to establish facts beyond reasonable doubt, whereas the Commission of Inquiry made many of its determinations on the balance of probabilities.
"For any possible prosecution to be commenced, Police would have to determine that a crime has been committed by an individual in breach of the provisions of the Crimes Act 1961. There is no charge of corporate manslaughter under New Zealand law.
"We also need to be sure there is sufficient evidence available to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction of any person charged with a crime."
Detective Superintendent Read says the highly technical nature of the assessment means expert advice is needed to help identify any act or omission that may have led to the building collapse, whether it can be attributed to any individual and whether it can be considered grossly negligent.
Police hope to be in a position to make a final decision on whether any criminal investigation will be commenced by the third quarter of 2014.
Families of earthquake victims were advised of the review at a private briefing in Christchurch this morning.
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