Dairne Olwen Cassidy (40) and Neil Robert Ford (56) faced charges as a result of a car crash that happened five years ago near Alexandra.
Ford was driving one of two vehicles involved in a collision and Cassidy was in charge of the investigation.
Cassidy, who had been a policewoman for 14 years, was sentenced on Wednesday to seven months' home detention after she admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by failing to disclose a statement made by Ford after the accident.
In September, Ford was jailed for 28 months for perjury after being found guilty of lying about the accident, saying the other driver, Shane Cribb, was at fault. Ford had worked in traffic enforcement for about 30 years.
Approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday to comment on the convictions, Mr O'Connor said it had been a major event in policing in Otago, and was a lesson for all police.
"If you stray from what you are supposed to do, you will be caught," he said.
The public could be reassured that in any matter involving police officers who "erred", a major investigation was carried out and "no stone is left unturned".
The thorough investigation showed the public could still have faith in the integrity of policing in Alexandra, Mr O'Connor said.
Asked about morale at the Alexandra police station, he said it was difficult for staff to avoid being affected by the case.
"People come to work and do their shift and do their job, but in a small station, everyone knows each other.
"If you work in a city station, Christchurch or Auckland, say, you wouldn't know 80% of the people that work there, but in a smaller station, everyone knows everyone else, and they know half the community as well and have a higher profile in that community."
The episode was unfortunate for everyone involved, he said.
"But policing will go on. There will be a night shift starting tonight at the station, and there will be officers who are assaulted as they do their job, like the two officers in Alexandra a few weeks ago."
He declined to comment on the allegations made by Cassidy that she was under pressure or "bullied" by a superior officer not to disclose Ford's statement.
The man who was wrongfully convicted as a result of the police actions, Shane Cribb (22), said it was good to see justice served, even if it was five years after the car crash.
"It's been a long five years living in the dark, but it's time for me to move on now."
Mr Cribb was initially convicted of careless driving causing injury but at a later rehearing, the charge was dismissed.
"It's good to see things are happening now and it's being looked into and not all pushed aside," Mr Cribb said.
Like the campaigners on his behalf, Steve and Denise Potter, he believed some unanswered questions remained.
Mr Cribb is living in Hamilton and working as a plasterer. He had no plans to celebrate the sentencing of the two officers.
