PoliceNewsOct 11.pdf - New Zealand Police Association

New Zealand Police Association“The reality is that we did what we did withthe Court’s approval to enter private property,albeit not specific authority to film, simplybecause no legislation existed to allow suchauthority to be given.”As I write this column, we arehurriedly preparing our submissionson the Government’s urgent bill tolegitimise and reinstate the evidence wegather using video surveillance.The media and political commentaryaround the Supreme Court findingdiscussed below this column has shownhow difficult it is to get the real factsinto a debate where politicians, lefties,righties and it seems everyone in betweenhas seen it as an opportunity to get onthe telly. As usual, police have borneAssociation welcomes urgent law change in thewake of Supreme Court surveillance rulingThe Police Association has welcomedPrime Minister John Key’s announcementthat the Government will pass urgent lawto authorise Police use of covert videosurveillance.Such surveillance had effectively beenruled unlawful by the Supreme Court’sjudgment in relation to admissibility ofevidence in the Operation Eight cases.The Supreme Court found that, becausethe existing law is silent on whetherPolice may use such surveillance, it mustby default be considered illegal. Thisoverturned the previous assumptionthat because it was not prohibited, suchsurveillance was permitted.“When the judgment was releasedlast month, we warned of the seriousimplications for policing of major crimeincluding drug dealing and organisedcrime. Video surveillance is absolutelycentral to much of that sort of policework and has become as routine a toolas fingerprints and DNA in keepingup with increasingly sophisticatedoffending,” Police Association PresidentGreg O’Connor said.Court’s judgmentIn its judgment, the Supreme Court hadinvited Parliament to amend the law if itwished to permit such surveillance andcriticised it for not already having donethe brunt of the attack, with claims oftrespass and illegal activity.The reality is that we did what we didwith the Court’s approval to enter privateproperty, albeit not specific authority tofilm, simply because no legislation existedto allow such authority to be given. Agood analogy is the difference betweentrout fishing and whitebaiting. You mustget permission to fish for trout, but youcan’t get permission to fish for whitebaitbecause there is no legal mechanism to doso – but you can still whitebait.so. The Association subsequently calledfor such an amendment to be madeurgently.“Once again, the law has failed to keepup with the criminals or technology.The Prime Minister is reported as sayingofficial advice is that up to 40 trials and50 current operations were jeopardisedby the Court’s new interpretation. That isa significant threat to policing of seriouscrime which justifies urgent action in theinterests of public safety,” Mr O’Connortold Police News.“We fully support the Government takingsuch action,” he added. The legislationwas before Parliament at time of writing.Broad issueWhile the Supreme Court’s ruling wasmade in relation to the Operation Eightcases the issue it dealt with was thefar wider issue of Police use of videosurveillance.Counsel for the four accused againstwhom Operation Eight charges arestill pending had sought to maintainsuppression of the Supreme Court’sjudgment, but the Court of Appealrecently allowed its release.“The sooner all the facts around thiscase are out in public, the better,” MrO’Connor told Police News.Hopefully by the time you read this, thebill will have passed and we can keepthe whitebait we caught before it wasdecided it was unlawful.It won’t silence the critics but maybalance the media commentary.On media commentary, we also hadsad old Ross Meurant trying to rewritehistory in a totally unbalanced magazinearticle. The pleasing thing though wasseeing the Commissioner prepared totreat that ill-informed rubbish for whatit was, and correct it. Hopefully, goneis the pathetic beaten-dog reaction fromthe executive which has been the normin recent times when we have facedsimilar attacks on our integrity.We have been an easy target for the illinformedand self-interested for too long.It’s time to do some target hardeningand only accept the criticismwhich is truly justified.“Contrary to much of the assumptionand spin we have heard since thecharges were withdrawn, the SupremeCourt’s ruling was not a judgment on thecriminality or otherwise of the allegedactions. Nor is it a criticism of Police fortaking action to investigate and arrestthe individuals involved,” Mr O’Connorsaid.Charges withdrawnBecause the Operation Eight casesrelied so heavily on video surveillanceevidence, it would not have been possibleto proceed against 13 of the defendantswithout that evidence and so the Crownwas left with no choice but to withdrawthose charges. However, charges in thefour most serious cases can proceedbecause the Supreme Court has ruledthe video footage will be allowed in thosecases under the ‘balancing’ provisions ofthe Evidence Act.“Those who were quick to leap to theconclusion that Police had no evidencejustifying the arrests should nowfeel embarrassed. The charges werewithdrawn not due to any inadequacyin the evidence, but rather due to aninadequacy in the law that had notpreviously been definitively ruled on,”Mr O’Connor said.October 2011243

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceComplex issues at heart of greater accessand availability of firearms and TasersBy Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsThe Police Executive has confirmedthe placement of firearms in GeneralDuties Branch, Strategic Traffic Unitand Highway Patrol response vehicles.The work of the frontline policeofficer is dynamic, unpredictable anddangerous and the Police Associationhas campaigned hard to make sure thatwhen officers are in life threateningsituations or the lives of members of thepublic are at risk, officers have greateraccess and availability to the tools theyneed to resolve such issues.Commissioner Peter Marshall has heardthose concerns and the Firearms andTaser Access and Availability Projecthas been the result.Safety and riskThe Police and Police Association areboth concerned with the maximisationof safety and minimisation of risk forofficers likely to be in situations wherea firearm or Taser may need to bedeployed.• The firearms safe as it appears in a closedposition in the back of a Police responsevehicle.To that end, one holstered Glock andone holstered Taser will be carried ina specially-designed cab safe/lock boxwith two compartments – one for aGlock and another for a Taser (with itsspare cartridges). The safe will use theexisting Taser plate to mount it on theside of the transmission tunnel in thepassenger foot well.The Taser will be positioned at thefront of the safe as it will be used as atactical option far more frequently thanthe Glock - therefore more frequentlyremoved from the cab safe.This will minimise the implications forthe front seat passenger because the safewill be on the side of where an officer’slegs would normally be positioned.Deployment“The Firearms and Taser WorkingGroup’s preferred option arounddeployment is that an officer cannot takea Glock and deploy with it without alsotaking a Taser if that Taser is available.We’ll be providing advocacy aroundwhat we would consider best practice,”Superintendent John Rivers, Manager:Operational Services, at Police NationalHeadquarters, told Police News.“Staff will have discretion to deploycarrying the Taser and elect not to takethe Glock but it will be mandatory forthose people who see justification indeploying a Glock to also take a Taser,”he added.A rear safe will be situated in the bootof the vehicle. It will be under theparcel shelf in the sedans and optionshave also been worked out for utes andstation wagons. The national modelwill be to equip the safe for one rifle (aBushmaster M4). However, the safe hasthe capacity to take two rifles. Districtswill have discretion around this,according to their own assessment ofrisk. The void space, if only one rifle isstored, will then carry two sets of HAP(hard armour plate) ballistic vests.Monitoring“The districts know the environmentthey operate in so it’s imperative thatthey monitor this and decide howmany rifles they carry in the boot safe,”Superintendent Rivers said.To a great extent decisions about needand resource allocation will be drawnfrom an evidence-based risk profilingof groups (e.g. General Duties Branch,Criminal Investigation Branch and RoadPolicing Group) as well as other relevantfeatures of the operational environment,to ensure the right people (those at risk)have the right equipment for their job.Much of this evidence-based researchwill be carried out by the TacticalOptions Research Team, in OperationsGroup at PNHQ, using data fromTactical Options Reports. Dr JohnLocker, Manager of the team said: “It’sabsolutely crucial that future decision-• Constable Kurt Falconer (foreground),from the Wellington General DutiesBranch (GDB) is shown the firearmsstorage drawer, which fits under the parcelshelf of a response vehicle, by SergeantGraham Gubb, Co-ordinator: PoliceFirearms and Tactical Equipment at PoliceNational Headquarters.244October 2011• Constable Kurt Falconer (left) and Sergeant Graham Gubb look at how the rifle storagedrawer will look in many police sedans – with one Bushmaster M4 and two HAP (hardarmour plate) ballistic vests.

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceWhile several things have been signedoff by the Police Executive, others arestill to be resolved.Holster decisionOne which has, as Sergeant GraemeGubb, Co-ordinator: Police Firearmsand Tactical Equipment at PoliceNational Headquarters, told Police Newsrecently, is which of the three holsterplates being considered will be part ofthe final implementation. “For the sakeof uniformity and fitting the biggestpopulation we’ve decided to go withthe medium length holster attachmentplate,” Sergeant Gubb said.Police are aware that changes intechnology are rapid and, with this inmind, have sought to future-proof theholster by choosing one which has theability to include a torch in the future.The Glock sighting system will bechanged. At present the standard sightconfiguration involves a dot at the frontand a rear sight with a white line thatencircles it. The new sight will involvean officer lining up three luminous dotson the target.• The Glock 9mm pistol in the holstershowing the holster plate that attaches tothe medium holster attachment (shown attop).• The view of the holstered Glock that wouldbe seen for operational deployment.Police settled on the luminous sightingsystem after taking into account a reportabout a police shooting, which foundfault with the luminosity of the frontsight.Re-examination of sighting systemsThis led to Police having to re-examinetheir entire stock of sighting systems.While they were involved in thatexercise it was decided to change to theluminous three-dot system.The old iron-sight method on theBushmaster M4 rifle is also to go.Instead, the rifle will be fitted with anoptical sighting system known as aReflex Red Dot sight. These sights areideal for low-light conditions, the exactconditions in which 70% of armedincidents involving police occur. Thered dot is contained within the sight – itdoes not laser paint the target, as withthe Taser.These types of red dot sights wereoriginally developed for hunters buttheir use has expanded into militaryand law enforcement roles due to theaccuracy they afford.• A close up of the new luminous three dotsight on the Glock pistol.• A view of the new three-dot system lookingfrom the rear of the Glock to the frontsight.Substantial implications“For a frontline police officer theimplication is quite substantial…it willhave basic and practical advantages forthem,” Superintendent Rivers said.“The sight allows both eyes to be openand allows the officer full appreciationof the surrounding conditions andenhances accuracy,” Sergeant Gubb toldPolice News.Another enhancement will be amagazine pouch attached to the stockof the rifle rather than, as has previouslybeen the case, the 20-round magazinebeing carried on the duty belt. Thisinitiative will also reduce the load onthe officer’s duty belt.Twelve months after the project hasbeen wrapped up, further evaluationwill take place to gauge how well theproject is going for districts and whetherfurther work is needed to enhance it.Monitoring projectThe use of force environment – andspecifically the Taser and firearmsenvironment – is a significant area ofpublic interest. It is fundamentallyimportant that police are highlyaccountable, visible, and transparent inthis area of operational policing.“A key component of this project is agreater focus on research, analysis, andmonitoring, Dr Locker told Police News.“Very shortly the Tactical OptionsResearch Team will begin a body of workto establish routine reporting on aspectsof the Taser and firearms deploymentenvironment. This reporting willbetter inform key stakeholders acrossNZ Police, as well as external to NZPolice, in regard to aspects of Taser andfirearms use.”Extension?Currently, this body of work isscheduled to take place over the courseof the next year, alongside the projectitself; however, it is hoped that thework will continue beyond the life ofthe project.Superintendent John Rivers again:“There’s a strong public expectationthat NZ Police are highly accountablefor their use of force decisions in anon-going way. There’s also a needto have continued oversight of thisenvironment in order to identifyissues, learn lessons, mitigate risks, andimprove staff and public safety. These246October 2011

New Zealand Police Associationissues won’t end when the project ends,so the monitoring and analysis workobviously needs to continue beyond theend of the project. At an appropriatetime we’ll also want to undertake someresearch looking at the effects of thesechanges. The research and monitoringresources we’re putting in place now areintended to strategically position us tomeet these various needs.”Future decision makingPolice have said they are keen to makestaff aware that evidence-based data willbe the genesis for many future decisions,and that staff engagement (for example,through the quality of reporting into theTactical Options Reporting Database) iscrucial to that process.A Police Association survey, conductedby the Nielsen research company lastyear, tested support for better firearmsavailability short of general arming.If there was no move to full generalarming, virtually all members (95%)said they would support firearms beingcarried in every frontline police vehicle.Organised criminals taking $NZ292bout of the world’s economythrough counterfeiting and piracyBy Steve Plowman, Police News EditorTop government officials, businessleaders and senior law enforcementauthorities have recently urgednational and international politicaland business leaders to step upactions against counterfeiting andpiracy to help boost global economicrecovery.The last two Global Congresseson Combating Counterfeiting andPiracy, held in Cancun (Mexico)and Paris (France) respectively,sought to identify more innovativeand effective solutions to curb theworldwide illicit trade in counterfeitand pirated goods.The Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development(OECD) indicated that internationaltrade in counterfeit and piratedgoods has increased to more than$US250 billion ($NZ292 billion),almost 2% of world trade, up from$US200 billion (NZ$233) in 2007.Economic losses from counterfeitingand piracy is costing the economiesof the G20 countries more than€100 ($NZ167 billion), putting 2.5million legitimate jobs at risk.Acceptability of fakesAgainst this background, comes areport tabled at a recent Congress,which said that 80% of consumersadmitted to regularly buying fake orpirated products, with little remorseor concern about the consequencesof those purchases.Both Congresses heard from a rangeof speakers who said that enhancedco-operation and co-ordinationand increased public and politicalawareness of the issue were amongthe keys to combating the problem.New perspectives on improvinglegislation and enforcement measuresto deter and punish those involved inthe domestic and international tradeof counterfeit and pirated goods, andthe sale of these illicit products overthe Internet, were also presented.Transnational organised crime“A recurring theme of this Congressand a constant characteristic ofcounterfeiting and piracy is thecentral role of transnational organisedcriminals,” said John Newton, whois responsible for INTERPOL’sIntellectual Property Rights Programme(PRP).The double-edged sword of this crimewas highlighted at the Paris Congresswhen a Zambian Government Ministersaid that Zambia “had become adumping ground for counterfeitproducts,” leading to health hazardsfor the population. In tough economictimes the cheaper counterfeit goodsfound favour with the public, she said.- Source: INTERPOL.Try our 5 minute quizOkay, morning or afternoon tea breakhas arrived. You have your cuppa in handand you and your colleagues could dowith a quick brain workout. So appointyour quizmaster and have a go at thesequestions. The answers are under the quiz(upside down, no peeking!).1. Who is the Police National OperationalCommander for the Rugby World Cup?2. Nokia phones are from which country?(a) The USA (b) Japan (c) Finland (d)Germany?3. The volcano Vesuvius is located inwhich country?4. The speed of a computer mouse ismeasured in which unit?5. Sir Joseph John Thomson is bestknown for an important discovery thathe announced in 1896. It was: (a) The“big bang” theory of how the universewas formed. (b) The measurementof the speed of light in a vacuum. (c)The existence of the electron. (d) Theunusual behaviour of liquid helium.6. Who was the founder of modernGermany? (a) Adolf Hitler (b) Otto vonBismarck (c) Angela Merkel (d) Maxvon Baden.7. Which country won the Football WorldCup in 2006?8. Which university is the oldest in NewZealand? (a) Auckland (b) Victoria (c)Otago (d) Canterbury.9. NZ was the first country in the worldto regulate nurses nationally. In whichyear? (a) 1880. (b) 1901 (c) 1914 (d)1940?10. In the 14th century, a warlord createda vast empire by conquering much ofAsia and Eastern Europe. His namewas: (a) Babur (b) Attila the Hun (c)Genghis Khan (d) Tamerlane.Scoring: 0-2 – Hmmn, room for significantimprovement (perhaps next month). 3-5Not bad, better luck next time. 6-7 – Goodeffort. 8 – Very good. 9 – Excellent. 10 –Wipe your nose, take a bow and go to thetop of the class Einstein.Answers: 1. Superintendent Grant (“Cab”)O’Fee. 2. Finland. 3. Italy. 4. A Mickey. 5.(c) The existence of the electron. 6. (b) Ottovon Bismarck. 7. (a) Italy. 8. (c) Otago 9.(b) 1901. 10. (d) TamerlaneOctober 2011247

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolice Association puts policy ideas forwardThis month, the Police Association will publish and launch apolicy document designed to better inform the voting public,and the parties and candidates competing in this year’sGeneral Election.A similar document was published before the 2008 election,out of a belief the Police Association has an important role toplay not only in commenting on law and order issues, but alsoin improving understanding of the issues facing police, andproposing solutions.President Greg O’Connor said the tough fiscal times facingthe country mean it is more important than ever to ensure allparties competing in the election understand the issues.Debate“Recent public and political debate has been dominated byeconomic concerns rather than law and order. Public fearof crime is now relatively low – thanks to the excellent workPolice have been able to do with the extra resources we haveseen over the last six years or so. The risk is this successactually counts against Police, as efforts to balance the booksde-prioritise further investment in policing or even seek cuts.“That would be entirely the wrong response, at a time whenwe need to be consolidating and building on recent gains. Thegains are fragile and cuts now would have serious, long-termconsequences for public safety. That was the lesson of budgetcuts which occurred during the late 1990s and early 2000s,”Mr O’Connor said.Diverse viewsMr O’Connor said that, because the Police Associationrepresents members with a diverse range of professionalexpertise and personal views, not all members wouldnecessarily agree with all proposals.“However, the diversity of views is one of this organisation’skey strengths. It is through debate that good ideas are formed.In putting forward our ideas, the Police Association can makea constructive contribution to the debate, and help NewZealand remain the best country in the world in which to live,work, invest and visit,” he said.The Association’s policy on law and order issuesWhile the full policy document is not due to be published until laterthis month, some of the key policy proposals are summarised below.Organised crimeNew Zealand faces a serious threat as gangs transform into trueorganised crime networks. We need to build long term co-operationbetween Police and other Government agencies, especially thoseinvolved in border security and financial regulation, with the specificaim of detecting and taking action against organised crime networks.The corruption threat of organised crime also needs to be confronted.Fleeing driversFleeing drivers have developed a belief they have nothing to loseby failing to stop, and that police will have to pull out if they drivedangerously enough. We need to make licence suspension and vehicleimpoundment mandatory, and imprisonment available as a penalty, forevery failing-to-stop offence.Police resourcingBudget cuts must not be made in Police without a detailed understandingof the long-term implications for Police’s ability to deliver a sustainableservice to the public. It is critical that mistakes like those made in thelate 1990s and early 2000s are not repeated. Government should alsoevaluate whether the burden of compliance work currently falling onPolice represents good use of public safety dollars; and whether byreducing some of the bureaucratic overhead, resources could be freedup for core policing tasks.Police numbersNew Zealand is significantly under-policed compared to Australianand UK jurisdictions. We need to work towards better comparabilityin police-to-population ratios, with firm commitments and planning tomatch Queensland’s ratio. This means a further 1,250 constabularypolice, on top of recruitment necessary to keep pace with populationgrowth. We also need to ring-fence the General Duties Branch (GDB)and primary response resources to ensure frontline response shortagesare not worsened by staff being called away to other duties.Police workforce balanceNon-constabulary support roles must not be targeted for short-termsavings. Cutting those roles would simply push a greater burden ofcompliance work onto the constabulary. Authorised Officers must notbe expanded into more policing roles without thorough debate andconsultation, because of the risks in creating confusion amongst thepublic, and reducing the overall flexibility of the Police to respond toa disaster like the Canterbury earthquakes, where full constabularypowers are critical.Tactical options and officer safetyPolice need better powers to deal with the anti-social behaviour whichleads to serious disorder and assaults on police. New Zealand Policeshould be, and eventually will be, generally armed. We need to planand train now for a new policing environment where there is greatercarriage and use of firearms by general duties police.Legal protections for police officersPolice officers face considerable legal risks arising simply from doingtheir job. This includes being targeted by private prosecutions andcivil suits, or being involved in an incident where they may havedone nothing wrong but are still subject to trial by media. This canbe extremely stressful and disruptive for the member and his or herfamily. Police need better legal protections, including more systemicdisincentives against vexatious proceedings. It is also time to introducestatutory name suppression for any police officer who is involved in afatal incident arising from his or her duties, until and unless it is provedin court the officer unlawfully caused the fatality. Officers should notbe personally targeted, intimidated or threatened when they havesimply been doing their duty.Police conduct and disciplineWhere a police officer has clearly breached acceptable standards ofconduct the behaviour needs to be appropriately dealt with to minimisethe negative impact on other members and the standing of Police.However, police should have the same rights and protections as anyother employee. This means disciplinary matters should be dealt within a way that is fair, reasonable, consistent and proportionate. NZPolice should adhere to the Crown Prosecution Guidelines in casesinvolving police just as they do in cases involving members of thepublic. Members of police should also have the same opportunitiesfor alternative resolutions including diversion on minor matters aseverybody else.The Police Associations Policy Document will be published in mid-October and available on ourwebsite: www.policeassn.org.nz248October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationWere you in thefirst cadet Wingat Trentham?In 1956 the first cadet Wing enteredtraining at the Trentham PoliceBarracks. Known as the O’DonovanWing, it had an original intake of some104 would-be police constables.One of them was Peter Millar, whoarrived at the barracks in February ofthat year. The barracks were originallybuilt for soldiers who were undergoingmilitary training before heading forWW1 battlefields in Europe.Peter, who is now 76, organised areunion of the Wing in 1985 (32attended) and is keen to locate anysurviving members of the O’DonovanWing.“I was one of the youngest there at 20years of age. There was quite a range ofages and if you look at the photo of thegroup you can make out blokes withrows of medals so they had obviouslybeen around a bit and weren’t exactlyspring chickens,” Peter recently toldPolice News.Wharf serviceMr Millar originally served on the wharfbut also did stints at Taranaki StreetPolice Station, later moving to Centralbefore taking up a position in the CRS(Criminal Registration Section). Heworked for the Police for nine yearsbefore going overseas with his family.Peter said that he later regretted hisdecision to leave policing. “I got allcarried away with going and livingoverseas…there are some decisionsyou look back on life and regret laterand leaving to Police was one of themfor me, as it turned out,” he admittedfrankly, adding, “it’s all part of life’s richtapestry though.”One of the Wing’s original instructorswas Ken Burnside, who eventuallybecame Commissioner of Police.Peter can be contacted by writing to3 Mason Heights, R.D Warkworth0981 or by phoning (09) 425 0425or 0272 424 597 or by email at:petromill@xtra.co.nz• The O’Donovan Wing of 1956 – the first wing to train at the then Trentham Army Barracks.• The WWI Army barracks where the police cadets were housed.• Cadets from the O’Donovan Wing, the first Wing trained at the Trentham Police Barracks,go through their paces as they practice for the opening of Parliament. They provided thefirst and only Guard of Honour that was not from one of the armed services. The frontrow consists of (from left to right) Anzac Paratene, who went on to become a nationalhandwriting expert, Peter Millar and John West, who later worked as a training instructor atthe barracks.• Small arms training for the 1956 cadet Wing.October 2011249

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceUSA police deaths up 37% - is cost cutting partly to blame?Figures recently released from theUSA show a 37% rise in the numberof officers killed in the line of duty lastyear – up from 117 to 160. Fifty nineof last year’s deaths were as a result ofshootouts.While the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI) says violent crime isdown, variances in the number of policeofficers killed each year are common. In2009, the 117 killed represented a 50-year low. But in five of the past 10 years,the number of police officer deathstopped 160, making the decade almostas dangerous for police as the streetwars of the 1970s, when the averagenumber of officers killed per year wasaround 200. In the gangster heyday ofthe 1920s, about 150 officers died everyyear, according to The Christian ScienceMonitor.MonitoringThe National Law EnforcementMemorial Fund, which monitors ondutydeaths, says that fewer officersdoing more work; a rise in the numberof distracted drivers, which makestraffic detail more dangerous; andheightened tensions between desperatecriminals and police are responsible forthe recent increases.There are about 800,000 active local,state, and federal law-enforcementofficers in the US. In 2010, officers werekilled in 30 states as well as Puerto Rico.The California Highway Patrol and theChicago Police Department experiencedthe most deaths.As in previous years with large numbersof officers killed, so-called clusterkillings – more than one officer death ata time – helped drive up the statistics.For example, in May last year, twoofficers working an anti-drug beatin West Memphis, Arkansas, werekilled by two men using AK-47 rifles,according to the Associated Press. Thetwo men were later killed by police ina shootout in a Wal-Mart parking lot.Multiple officer killingsMultiple officer killings also includeda June incident in Tampa, where twopolice officers were killed during anearly-morning traffic stop while in anAugust incident in the Alaskan villageof Hoonah, a man allegedly killed twoofficers in front of his home.One possible cause for the rise inpolice deaths is that society appearsto be producing a small contingent ofviolent criminals who are ready to takeon authority figures. “A more brazen,cold blooded criminal element is onthe prowl in America, and they don’tthink twice about killing a cop,” fundchairman Craig W Floyd told UnitedPress International.Fund officials also cite slashed policebudgets as a possible cause. Althoughit’s tough to prove on a general basis,Lorie Fridell, a criminologist, said thatresearch indicated that “officers havingto work overtime and double shifts canproduce significant officer fatigue, andthat fatigue could impact their drivingabilities, maybe producing crashes.”She continues: “Or it could impact theirdecision making in potentially violentencounters.”The number of police officers killed intraffic incidents rose from 51 in 2009 to73 in 2010 – a phenomenon that can belinked both to more distracted driversand to more distracted police officers,says Fridell.Technology could also be a factor. Withcell phones, mobile data terminals(MDTs), and other Police equipmentaround them in their cruisers, “thereare many opportunities for officers tobe not attending to driving,” she said.Too trustingAn FBI study of police deaths on duty(which covered a 15-year period)conducted by Special Agent Ed Davisand his associate Dr Tony Pinizottofound that officers who get killed on thejob were often described by their peersas out-going, “friendly” officers who feelthat they have the ability to “read peopleand situations” and who also frequently“dropped their guard” as a result of thisperceived ability.However, the number one characteristicthat was identified in each of the threestudies that comprised that 15-yearcompilation of police officer murderswas this: they failed to wait for back upbefore committing to the scene.That FBI study didn’t stop at justexamining the officers. It also profiledthe offenders. It found that withoutexception, the bad guys practice withtheir equipment (weapons) more thanpolice do, have a higher hit rate withthose weapons, are consistently youngerthan the average age of officers and areless worried about the legal implicationsof their using deadly force than policeofficers, according to the report thatwas published recently by Newsline.Trending up this yearSo far this year (at time of writing) therehave been 75 deaths in the line of dutyin the USA – up 6% on the same periodlast year. Thirty two of those deathshave been as a result of shootings (up19% on the same period last year) while23 have been auto deaths (down 23%on the same period last year).In the United Kingdom, in the 10 yearsfrom April 2000 there were 143 lineof duty deaths: 54 in road accidentstravelling to or from duty, 46 in roadaccidents on duty, 23 from naturalcauses on duty, 15 from criminal acts,and five in other accidents. In the UKpolice do not normally carry firearms.The Singapore Police Force registeredjust over 100 deaths in a century ofpolicing up to the year 2000. There havebeen 29 New Zealand police officers todie in the line of duty as the result of acriminal act since 1890.Sources: United Press International, Wikipedia, Newsline, TheChristina Science Monitor.Harry Watt’sretirementfunctionAfter 43 years service Harry Watt isretiring later this year.There will be a small function, held on24th November at Papakura PoliceStation to recognise and celebrate hisservice in the Police.For those interested in coming alongplease contact Dianne Watt or PeteBorell by email for details.Have you moved recently?If you have moved or perhaps are about to,please let us know so we can update yourrecords. You can do this by:• writing to us at PO Box 12344;• calling us on free phone0800 500 122;• faxing us on (04) 496 6819; or• Emailing us at:membership@policeassn.org.nzYou need to let us know your membershipnumber, new address and if you’re a servingmember - your new station.250October 2011

What can you do to keep safe?While most police officers will never have tomeet lethal competition, they must be preparedfor every eventuality and as anyone who hasworn a police uniform will know, life-threateningsituations can develop in the blink of an eye.Twenty nine police officers have been killed inthe line of duty in New Zealand – 22 of themfrom gunshot wounds.So what can you as a police officer do, rightnow, to lessen your chances of becoming oneof the grim statisics?Dr Bill Lewinski, a US-based firearms trainerand the Executive Director of the ForceScience Institute, is the foremost researcherof the human dynamics involved in deadlyencounters. He was recently interviewed onhow officers could be safer in their every dayduties. Even though Dr Lewinski’s commentsrefer to American situations - his adviceis universal. Here are his suggestions ofproactive safety measures to protect yourselfand fellow officers. It’s a no-excuses list and itcould save your life.Dr Bill Lewinski: “From an overview ofshootings this year, it’s possible to identify atleast some fundamental elements of officersafety that officers have disregarded, resultingin their being caught by surprise in untenablepositions by offenders who wanted to kill them.“You don’t need to be paranoid to survive onthe street, but you do need to build certaincritical basics of caution into your repertoirethat you simply do not deviate from in any ofyour contacts.” Among them:• Respect the speed of attack. “Theaverage suspect can present a gun - froma pocket, from a waistband, from a vehicleconsole, from his/her side, from under his/her body - and fire in any direction in justone-quarter of a second. That’s faster thanthe average officer can shoot, even if hisweapon is on target, his finger is on thetrigger, and he has already decided tofire. That’s because of the time it takes tomentally process and impel a reaction tothe suspect’s action.”Lewinski cites cases earlier this year inwhich suspects in less than a secondwere able to gun officers down, and in oneconfrontation two officers standing in closeproximity apparently were shot in that briefflicker of time before either could respond.“Remembering the potential lightningspeed of an attack will affect all yourbehaviour in approaching and conductinga suspect contact, from your use of coverto your tactical positioning to your verbalcommands to your state of alertness,”Lewinski said.“It doesn’t matter on a vehicle stopwhether you approach from the driver’sside or the passenger side if you positionyourself directly in front of the driver’s orpassenger’s window you make yourself aneasy target. You can be shot there beforeyou can blink.“Likewise, if you don’t monitor and controla suspect’s hands from the outset,you’re only worsening your reactivedisadvantage,” Lewinski said.• ‘Read’ to live. Force Science experimentsin Northern Ireland have shown thatofficers who are best able to defendthemselves generally are those who canaccurately “read” suspect behaviour thatpre shadows an attack. Editor’s note: Ifyou wish to view the report on this studyit can be found at the following link: http://www.forcescience.org/fsinews/2008/08/are-your-gaze-control-and-scan-patternlinked-to-your-performance/“The most skilled officers, using theirtraining and experience, tend to knowwhere, when, and how a threat situation isgoing to unfold,” Lewinski said.“If you’re attentive to physical movementsand verbal cues, which are sometimessubtle, you often can detect and thendefuse or suppress potential threats beforeyou get caught behind the reactionarycurve,” he added. “This requires continualassessment of your subjects and yoursurroundings, evaluating what they’redoing, what they’re saying, where andhow they’re moving, and what’s going onaround you.“Before you can assert or maintain control,you have to be aware and not in a stateof denial or inattention. Some officers,unfortunately, do not even acknowledgethat something as blatant as an armedsubject refusing to comply with commandsis a strong threat cue,” he said.• Avoid verbal traps. “We’ve all seen dashcamvideos of officers standing in the openand repeatedly yelling commands to ‘Dropthe gun!’ at non-compliant, threateningoffenders,” Lewinski said. “The officersare not using the deadly force that they’relegally justified in using, and they’renot doing anything else - like moving tocover or withdrawing - to gain a tacticaladvantage.“These officers get caught in a repetitiveverbal loop because they perceive theyare losing control of the situation and theycan’t figure a way out. They are tacticallyfrozen.New Zealand Police Association“You can’t think creatively at the momentyou’re confronted with the possibility ofyour own death, especially if you’ve neverbeen in a similar situation before. Yourpreparation must come before the event.That means experiencing an abundanceof realistic, force-on-force scenarios,performed at gunfight speed, even if thistraining has to be done on your personaltime. This will embed options you can callforth when you need them, so you don’tjust keep yelling at an offender who isn’tlistening.”• Train your mind. One low-cost, easilyconducted training technique forovercoming tactical freezing that Lewinskilikes is hooded drills - if they’re donecorrectly. “The idea isn’t to immediatelybombard you with such intenseand challenging stimuli that you’reoverwhelmed with fear and then call it‘stress inoculation.’“The most productive approach is to startwith scenarios that are less urgent, wherethere’s some time for you to practicereading a situation, evaluating suspectbehaviour, and then making tacticaldecisions. As you get more skilled, yourtraining partners can push the urgency,gradually introducing more intensity.“The focus should not be merely inflictingstress. It should be on your mind, ongetting you adept at quickly evaluatingsituations, detecting potential threatsor not, and employing appropriateoptions. This takes many exposures ona continuing basis, not just one or twoexercises in the course of a year.Also, he urges, “watch for signs ofcomplacency in other officers and bring itto their attention. We need to care enoughabout each other to challenge dangerousbehaviour rather than let it pass. Ignoredbehaviour becomes condoned behaviour,and the cost too often is tallied in officers’lives,” Lewinski said.What do you think? If you have additionalpoints from your own experience orobservation you’d like to share, we’d like tohear them via our Letters column. You canlet us know your views by emailing: editor@policeassn.org.nz or by posting a letter toEditor, Police News, c/- NZ Police Association,P. O. Box 12344, Wellington, 6144.The source of the information for this is reprinted with permissionfrom Force Science News. For a complimentary subscriptionto this e-newsletter provided free of charge by the ForceScience Institute please visit www.forcescience.org or e-mailyour contact information to: editor@forcescience.orgOctober 2011251

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceNew Whitianga holiday homesThe Board of the Police Welfare Fund recently approved theexpansion of the holiday homes network into Whitianga.With these two additions the PWF now has a network of 59homes, which has steadily grown over recent years.Whitianga is a very popular and rapidly expanding holidaydestination on the Coromandel Peninsula.The new homes are two “Lockwood” show homes thatwill be relocated from Thames. One is the more traditional“Lockwood” house and the other is a very modern design.They are both three bedrooms and have ensuite bathrooms.The homes will have extensive decking, providing goodindoor-outdoor flow.They have a large shared driveway with extensive parking forcars and boats. A boat wash bay with a purpose-built filletingbench and wash down area is a feature.Members will find the homes only a short walk or drive to thecentral shops and the main beach. They are located in the newWhitianga waterways development and although not canalsidethey are only a few metres from the canals.It is envisaged that these homes will be opened in Decemberand be available for the Christmas ballots.• Looking down to the kitchen area with the lounge area to the right.• A front view of one of the new Lockwood-style holiday homes whichthe Police Welfare recently purchased at Whitianga.• The modern kitchen décor sets the Whitianga homes off nicely.Maybe he was ‘Robin’Pittsburgh police say a man tried tocarjack a plainclothes officer closewhere the latest Batman movie wastaking place - and allegedly told theofficer it was part of the script.Detective Robert DiGiacomo was in anunmarked vehicle at night, looking fora suspect in an assault. That’s whenpolice say a man opened the car door,sat down next to the officer and toldDiGiacomo to get out, according to anarticle carried by Associated Press.The officer drew his gun and ordered thesuspect, 21-year-old Micah Calamosca,out of the car. He says the suspect toldhim he was part of filming for “TheDark Knight Rises” and that taking thevehicle was in the script.Calamosco was taken into custody andis facing robbery charges.252October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationM ovember– it just grows on youMovember organisers are calling uponpolice staff to get into the spirit of“Movember” – where officers can returnto the traditional ‘fuzz’ of yesteryear’scops – and in doing so raise money andawareness for the Cancer Society andMental Health Foundation.In the 1800s it was not uncommonto hear people running from a policeofficer yell: “It’s the fuzz” – so popularamongst the constabulary were beardsand moustaches. Perhaps you can thinkof your growing endeavours as a nod topast upholders of the law.It’s been a long road from those headydays to police officers embracingmoustaches in the spirit of Movember.Co-foundersThe Movember Foundation was cofoundedby Luke Slattery, TravisGarone, Adam Garone and JustinCoghlan in 2004.The Foundation is a not-for-profitorganisation dedicated to having aneverlasting impact on men’s health.Movember started in Australia and hassince grown to a global movement,running official campaigns in Canada,the United Kingdom, Ireland, theUnited States of America, New Zealand,Spain, the Netherlands, South Africaand Finland.The idea of Movember came from aconversation between Luke Slatteryand Travis Garone the year before theFoundation was established. Luke andTravis were watching the world go byand discussing the comeback of fashiontrends from the past when the questionwas raised - why no return of themoustache?RevivalBoth felt that the Mo could do with arevival. So, with the seed of an idea,Luke and Travis talked a couple ofmates into growing a moustache for onemonth and with that, Movember wasborn. In 2003, just 30 Mo Bros tookpart. The rules were simple; start on‘Movember’ 1st clean-shaven and spendthe remainder of the month growing aMo. No fundraising took part initially –the idea being to see who could growthe best moustache.It wasn’t until 2004 and prompted byconversations about the previous year’sgrowth, that the founders decided todevelop the idea into a cause that gavebirth to the Movember Foundation.Initially, the funds raised benefited theProstate Cancer Foundation of Australia(PCFA). It represented a health issue,which claimed 3,300 lives in Australiaeach year and for which there seemedlittle information or discussion. (Editor’snote: Prostate cancer claims 600 lives inNew Zealand each year).GrowthIn 2004, 450 ‘Mo Bros’ took part andgot their mates, friends and families tosponsor the growth of their moustachesand to everyone’s surprise they raised$55,000. Since then it has grown into aglobal phenomenon.So how about organising a team atwork, among friends or if you prefer,going it alone – and start fundraisingand getting into the spirit of Movemberfor this really worthy cause.All the information you need to getinvolved can be found on the followingwebsite: http://nz.movember.comPolice Health Planrule change –regarding cover foraccidental injuriesPolice Health Plan, like all other healthinsurers, does not insure members forinjuries sustained in an accident, eitherin New Zealand or overseas. A requestfor such cover recently has resulted inthe Rules of Police Health Plan beingamended effective immediately, tomake this very clear.The member concerned sustaineda serious injury while involved in arecreational activity overseas. Themember returned to New Zealandfor treatment but was ineligible forACC as he had been living overseasfor a number of years. The memberthen submitted a claim to PHP for thesurgery to be funded.To ensure there is no uncertaintyin terms of cover, the exclusions inthe Rules of Police Health Plan havebeen amended to now include “Anytreatment required due to an accident”.Police Health Plan premiums do notinclude any provision to meet thecosts associated with treatments forinjuries arising from an accident. Weall pay ACC levies and premiums forsuch cover and the associated costs oftreatments. Members who are injuredin an accident need to seek cover fromACC for the costs of injury treatment,and most specifically where a surgicalprocedure is required. Where a priorapproval for a surgical procedure arisingfrom an accident is submitted this willbe declined and the member referredto ACC. Where ACC subsequentlydeclines the cover PHP will considerfunding the procedure, and then workwith the member to have the ACCdecision to decline the claim reviewedand, if successful, recover the costsincurred.There are specific provisions in terms ofACC where an injury is incurred whenoutside New Zealand and memberstravelling overseas need to familiarisethemselves with these as the cover is verylimited. It is recommended all memberstravelling outside New Zealand take outan appropriate travel insurance policyto ensure they have adequate coverfor both illness and accident whenoverseas. A very comprehensive travelinsurance product is available throughthe Welfare Fund.October 2011253

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolice Remembrance Day – September 29:Our chance to honour those who servedBy Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsThe commemoration of PoliceRemembrance Day on the 29th ofSeptember at the Royal New ZealandPolice College was a moving andpoignant reminder of the dangersthat every police officer faces daily –honouring as it did the memory of thosepolice officers slain while carrying outtheir police duties.The 29th of September is the feast dayof Archangel Michael - the patron saintof Police.Outside the hall where the service washeld, is the New Zealand Police Roll ofHonour wall which bears the names of29 police and traffic officers over thepast 125 years who gave the ultimatesacrifice in keeping others safe.The first of them was Constable NeilMcLeod who was shot dead on 30 July1890 aboard the steamer Minnie Caseyat Mangawhare Wharf (near Dargaville).He was 44. The last name to be addedwas that of Senior Constable Len Sneewho was shot dead on 9 May 2009while carrying out a drug-related searchwarrant. He was 53.Personal memoriesAmongst them is the name of one PeterWilliam Murphy, my childhood friend.We grew up on the same rough streets ofNaenae and attended the same schools.He followed an older brother into thePolice and was proud to do so. Hedied at 21 years of age after being shotwhile attending a gun shop burglary inInvercargill.I think of him every Police RemembranceDay just as many others who attendthe services remember their familymembers, friends and colleagues whohave gone before them. We honourthem in our memories and with ourprayers and tears - in services aroundthe country and overseas where NZpolice staff are on deployment.Remembering othersThe services honour New Zealand,Australian and South Pacific policeofficers, who have been slain on duty.It also remembers New Zealand Policestaff - serving and retired, sworn andnon-sworn - who have died in the pastyear. This year, my long-time runningfriend, Venessa Green, was amongthem. Lovely Venessa, so full of life,killed by a bus on Willis Street half anhour after I had met her on a lunchtimerun. She worked at Police National HQa decade ago.Life is a candle in an open doorway andat any moment it may be blown out.The address at the RNZPC PoliceCollege service was given by MonsignorDavid Bennett, Chairperson of thePolice Chaplains’ Advisory Counciland the Take Note singers provided thepre-service and post-service music. Therendition of Irving Berlin’s Blue Skiesseemed apt on a day that dawned brightand clear. It was followed by the equallyfitting Lennon/McCartney anthemWith A Little Help From My Friends.Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Artand Now Is The Hour followed beforewreaths were laid at the memorial wallby Police Commissioner Peter Marshalland Deputy Commissioners Mike Bushand Viv Rickard.For Peter Marshall, who has attendedmany such remembrance services bothhere and overseas, it was his first sincebeing appointed Commissioner. PoliceMinister Judith Collins provided theofficial greeting.The opportunity to thank familymembers for allowing their loved onesto serve in the NZ Police is an importantaspect of the day.The official service has developedinto a polished, professional, patrioticceremony and that was evident againthis year.• The official party offer the traditional salute after the laying of the wreaths at the memorial wall at the Royal NZ Police College after theannual Police Remembrance Day service. Facing the wall from left to right (front row) are Deputy Commissioner Viv Rickard, Police MinisterJudith Collins, Commissioner of Police Peter Marshall and Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush.254October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationPolice Remembrance Pin has a special partto play as a reminder of those we hold so dearThe Police Remembrance Pin is wornin the week leading up to and on PoliceRemembrance Day (Wednesday, 29September).By wearing the pin, membersthroughout New Zealand take partin honouring the memory of slainpolice officers. Introduced by thePolice Association and The RoyalNew Zealand Police College to bringa tangible symbol of Police, the PoliceRemembrance Pin continues to beimmensely supported by all levels ofPolice.Money collected in exchange forthe pin goes to the Police FamiliesCharitable Trust, for the families ofNew Zealand police officers, whohave been slain on duty. The money isapplied in accordance with the rulesof this Trust.When and how to wear the PinThe pin should be worn on the leftlapel or left hand side above anymedals.The Police Association, to provide away for members of Police across New• The Police Remembrance Pin.Zealand to engage in and feel part ofPolice Remembrance Day, designedthe Police-chevron embedded Huiafeather pin.Police Association PresidentGreg O’Connor said: “The pincommemorates those police officerswho have been slain while carryingout their duty. They paid the ultimatesacrifice. It also serves as an importantreminder of the unique nature ofpolicing - where the nature of the jobitself brings with it the risk of death.”The pin is attached to a card carryingthe Maori words:Huia e! Huia tangata kotahi. Hetötara kua hinga.The feather of the huia, for someonespecial. One dearly departed.Considered ‘tapu’ or sacred by Maori,the wearing of the Huia tail featheras ornamentation is considered agreat honour. The tail plumage ofthe extinct Huia bird is consideredextremely special. The incorporationof the Police chevron into the Huia tailfeather, with the small cut at the top,signifying loss, communicates thehonour and loss of someone specialto Police.The pin both raises awareness of PoliceRemembrance Day and provides amechanism by which Police membersthroughout the districts can honourthe memory of their fallen colleagues.Details about Police RemembranceDay and the wearing of the pin arealso on our website:www.policeassn.org.nz• Otago Area Police Association secretary Bruce Dow with the Police Remembrance Day pins. Locals and police staff showed their support bybuying a remembrance pin from the Oamaru Police Station recently, as they did around the country at the various Remembrance Day servicesto remember those officers who have been slain while on duty. All monies raised from the sale of the pins goes to the Police and FamiliesCharitable Trust, which helps the families of deceased police officers. The closest death in the line of duty to Oamaru took place in Ranfurly onMay 27, 1990 when Senior Constable Peter Umbers was bashed to death with his own baton. Mr Dow was a member of the police team whichwas involved in pursuing the murderer through the Waitaki District.- Photo courtesy of The Otago Daily Times.October 2011255

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolicing Excellence – asea change for policingBy Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsThe future of policing, and the way in which police officers do their jobs, is about toundergo a significant sea change.Police are embracing a programme calledPolicing Excellence and have done a dealwith the Government in which they haveagreed to deliver a 13% decrease (59,000decrease in recorded crime offences) and a19% reduction in the Justice Sector ‘pipeline’(i.e. non-traffic apprehensions resolved byprosecution).Police have until the 2014/15 fiscal year todeliver on their undertakings. The efficiencyaspects of Policing Excellence are expectedto result in a net benefit of $42 millionby 2014/15. Police say this will free upapproximately 500 staff for re-deployment intoprevention and other priority policing activities.Policing Excellence in itself is nothing new.It had its genesis two years ago when it wascalled Fit for the Future. Police are lookingto expand it in such a way that it will changethe face of policing and service delivery in theforeseeable future.ResultsThe payoff for the Government is clear. IfPolice reach their goals the Government willbe able to trumpet their success in reducingcrime and doing it “effectively and efficiently”– the buzzwords that so often underpin suchmodels in times of recession when the fiscal‘bite’ is on.For their part, Police get a 4% increase inPolice’s prevention output (in other words, itis expected to result in a 4% redeploymentinto prevention).Police say Policing Excellence will putprevention at the heart of New Zealandpolicing, ensuring the safety of all citizens,reducing victimisation and offending andenabling the Police Commissioner to bettermanage future demands on Police. Therewill be obvious benefits for the wider Justicesector if they are successful.Deputy Commissioner Mike Bush explainedthe Policing Excellence programme toPolice News recently. “What we’ve doneis set ourselves some goals and there isan agreement by 2014/15 Police will haveprovided a 13% reduction in crime anda 19% reduction into the Justice Sectorpipeline.”“Basically, the whole philosophy of PolicingExcellence is a number of improvements inthe way we do business, which then allowsus to reinvest some of our resource, firstlyinto prevention and secondly giving us theability to absorb any costs in allowing us tooperate at our fiscal baseline. Primarily it’s toprovide benefits to reinvest into prevention,”he added.ConsequencesWhile Police are under no illusion that theGovernment will hold it to account, DeputyCommissioner Bush told Police News thatPolice are “very confident that we’ll achievethat.”“It’s just a matter of sustaining that momentumthat staff has begun to build up,” he said.He says the hard work of staff in the districtshas meant that Police are “well on the way”to achieving that goal. “We are alreadyachieving a good reduction into the JusticeSector pipeline through the use of alternativeresolution,” he added.The alternative resolution process encouragesstaff to use discretion. You could say that theworm has turned somewhat around discretionwith new Commissioner of Police, PeterMarshall’s approach. Under some previousCommissioners, discretion had almostbecome a dirty word and it would be fair tosay, somewhat discouraged.Alternative resolutionDeputy Commissioner Bush sees alternativeresolution as having three distinct advantagesfor Police through:• staff not spending all their time in thestation preparing court files for very lowleveloffending;• not putting people into the JusticeSector treadmill the first time – therebydiverting them from the court system andgiving them an opportunity to turn theirbehaviours around, and;• not putting a burden on the taxpayer interms of funding all those court costs.Currently first offenders are offered diversionfor a first offence provided the offender meetscertain conditions.This does not mean offenders will be offereddiversion for repeat offences of the samenature. “I think everyone will know that thislow-level offending is virtually a waste ofthe court’s time and a waste of police timebut, also in doing this, that if there was anyvictim involvement, that all the victims havebeen surveyed and are more than happy withthe result. People want justice to be donebut often justice is someone being held toaccount, maybe with a visit to the Police cellsand that can actually be sufficient sanction,”Deputy Commissioner Bush said.Alternative resolution includes pre-chargewarnings, traffic warnings and CommunityJustice Panels.ReductionsIn September last year pre-charge warningswere rolled out nationwide. In the interim, thishas resulted in an 8% reduction nationallyin low level offences being processed incourt. All districts are achieving at least a5% reduction. The system was trialled inAuckland over a 10-month period and of the48,000 people arrested over that time, nearly4,500 ended up being issued a warning only.Written traffic warnings have been piloted inWellington. A second pilot may be needed totest the benefits before a nationwide rolloutwill be considered.Neighbourhood Policing TeamsThe Policing Excellence programme is madeup of 10 on-going work streams. Whatunderpins them is a prevention focusedmodel, which includes the expansion ofNeighbourhood Policing Teams.This involves police engaging with what thePolice term “priority communities.”Sixteen Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs)have been deployed to date; 12 in Counties-Manukau, two in the Waitematä District andtwo in Eastern District. Following a nationalscan to identify ‘priority communities’, Policewill be establishing NPTs in eight otherdistricts before the end of the year, by whichtime 30 Neighbourhood Policing Teamsshould be deployed. Training has been put onhold until after the Rugby World Cup and willresume again in late October. The aim is to256October 2011

New Zealand Police Associationhave 30 NPTs in place by the end of the year.Mike Bush has been at the heart of policingchange previously – in Counties-Manukau,where he was District Commander for twoand a half years. There, an influx of 300police officers delivered significant results interms of crime reduction by targeting areasof crime. “The first thing is there wouldn’thave been a great difference unless we hadfundamentally changed the way we policedthere and that’s what we turned our minds toin Counties-Manukau,” he said.Counties-Manukau as a catalystHe admits that the success of theNeighbourhood Policing Team model inCounties-Manukau was a catalyst for changein the sense that it opened police’s eyes towhat was possible. “It was the catalyst andthen it actually dovetailed into the PolicingExcellence programme whereby the Policemodel became the work stream, wherethe other benefits are invested,” DeputyCommissioner Bush told Police News.“The key to Neighbourhood Policing Teams isworking out where our highest concentratedlevels of demand are and then putting theteams into those general locations witha view to actually working out what isactually driving and causing the crime. Thendeveloping a plan with that team and thecommunity and working out who needs to beinvolved to address those causes so you canfundamentally change the dynamics of thatcommunity,” he added.“Fundamentally, we want to change thebehaviour in those neighbourhoods and handthat neighbourhood back to the community,”he said.PhilosophyThe philosophy that underpins PolicingExcellence will see Police engaging in asupport, leadership and problem solvingcapacity as co-ordinators and facilitatorswithin those neighbourhoods so that thecommunity can actually take charge of itsneighbourhoods. Police will interact with otheragencies to enable these changes to takeplace.For those who have been around policingfor a decade or more there may be a certainsense of déjà vu about talk of “effectivenessand efficiencies” and Neighbourhood PolicingTeams. Mike Bush is a little hesitant about theexpression ‘back to the future’ when I put it tohim but he is happy to concede “getting backto the basics” underpins the programme.“There’s nothing new about puttingprevention at the front end. That’s the reasonpolicing was invented,” he tells me. “Highlyvisible, interactive policing is what we arelooking at.” He does concede that it has beenlost “in pockets”.“There are still a lot of officers out therewho are highly mobile, highly visible andhighly productive and we want to make surethat is extended across the whole of theorganisation,” he said.MobilityA Mobility Project has been established inthe Wellington District. Police say that hasidentified “areas where frontline officers could“Basically, what we wantis a single ICT (InformationCommunications Technology)platform to eliminate the needfor duplication but then provideofficers with some sort of devicethat allows them to access ournetworks to do their jobs whilstthey are in the field.”- Deputy Commissioner Mike Bushcomments on how smart technology is beinglooked at to make officers more mobile anddo their jobs more effectively.benefit through the introduction of mobilesolutions”. This includes receiving detailedfeedback from frontline officers regardingtheir needs, and consideration of theappropriate technology for them to do theirjob more effectively and efficiently.“One of the advantages of mobility is gettingaway from the need to duplicate things butalso allowing all of our staff to actually carryout their jobs without relying on a policestation or a police car. We’re not talking aboutmobile data in our vehicles we’re talkingabout mobile officers,” Deputy CommissionerBush said.Police will be looking at overseas jurisdictionsto see what sort of technology solutions mightbe of use to the Mobility Project here.“Basically, what we want is a single ICT(Information Communications Technology)platform to eliminate the need for duplicationbut then provide officers with some sortof device that allows them to access ournetworks to do their jobs whilst they are in thefield,” he said.The police officer of the future is going tobe highly mobile and, as Mike Bush puts it“interactive as opposed to transactional”.Case managementFile Management Centres have already beenset up in Auckland and Counties-ManukauDistricts, and are now being set up inEastern and Canterbury Districts as part ofthe national rollout of Case Management.The recommended option will pave the wayfor fully electronic Case Management in thefuture. Again, the rollout has gone on holdfor the duration of the Rugby World Cup andwill then continue in Northland, Waitematäand Waikato. Further roll-outs are scheduledfor Bay of Plenty, Central and Wellington inDecember and Tasman and Southern byFebruary.Crime Reporting Line (CRL)The CRL aims to provide an accessible andefficient channel to Police for the public toreport historical and non-emergency crimethat doesn’t need an immediate policeresponse.The CRL is in three districts at the moment– Counties-Manukau, Auckland and Bay ofPlenty – and is due to be rolled out to anothertwo districts – Canterbury and Eastern, byMarch next year. Further decisions regardingCRL will be made following an evaluation ofthis expanded rollout.Currently members of the public ring apolice station and are patched through tothe Crime Reporting Line. “It’s working wellat present and it’s a critical part of the casemanagement system,” Deputy CommissionerBush told Police News.Cost recoveryA framework for how Police charge for“over and above” services that are currentlycost free or heavily subsidised is beinginvestigated. Once this evaluation is complete,Police will submit papers to Cabinet seekingan amendment to the Policing Act 2008 witha view to legislative change that would allowPolice to charge for non-core activities suchas vetting and event management. The timeline for that is March next year.Asked if that could be expanded to otherservices such as search and rescue, DeputyCommissioner Bush said: “We haven’tparticularly discussed that yet but no goodidea will go ignored.”October 2011257

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceRostering to reduce demandPolice are keen to roster to demand byexpanding the use of Peak Load Rosteringand Lateral Relief Rostering. This will meanan increase in the number of staff availablefor deployments at key times.Wellington District has been the guinea pig.The rostering project there is investigatingthe implications for Wellington Districtand the community. Implementation of acentralisation of the new rosters has beendelayed until after the Rugby World Cup.Support services to the frontlinePolice are also looking at how supportservices are delivered across Police. TheUpper North Services Project is looking atgovernance arrangements, corporate servicesand all operational support roles in Auckland.Police say this will “build a stronger, moreintegrated Police service across Auckland andresult in more efficient and effective servicedelivery”. The Auckland rollout could be usedfor a future nationwide rollout.Use of Authorised OfficersPolice are open to extending the role ofAuthorised Officers in future. Police say anyexpansion of AO’s duties would be about howbest to utilise its entire complement of staff.Authorised Officers currently have limitedpowers and work within the ‘custody suite’i.e. duties associated with prison, court orpolice cell escort work.Deputy Commissioner Bush told Police News:“Yes they may be extended wherever that’svalid. We’d want to make sure there wassome value that came out of that and manageany risks that might come out of that.”He wouldn’t be drawn on the detail of thatexpansion. “We’ll look at a number. I wouldn’tnarrow it down at this stage,” he added.Association President has eye on the pastas Police embrace Policing ExcellenceBy Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsPolice Association President Greg O’Connoris tentatively optimistic about the PolicingExcellence programme but he couchesthat view with an eye on the past and therealisation that Police could be buying adouble-edged sword.He has previously seen Police embrace abusiness model of policing – a philosophythat had its manifestation in INCIS, Policing2000 and the related community policingmodels that led to the closure of communitybases, decentralisation and staff cutbacks.In the mid-2000s the over-riding philosophywas volume crime and road trauma. It soonbecame clear to the Association that therewas a lack of attention to organised crimeand child abuse. The Association highlightedthese issues.“In both cases, sadly, we were proved to beright,” Mr O’Connor told Police News.The Association is keen to ensure thatinnovative policing projects are implementedand are complementary to other areas ofpolicing but do not come at their expense orat the expense of staff.Hidden agendas?Mr O’Connor points out that while theAssociation can see “potential innovative,progressive policing methodology andstrategy being employed” it also sees thedemands for management buy-in, to becomean adherent of the philosophy of the day,having the potential to stifle true debate.“Someone will ultimately be left to pick up thepieces in future if it is unsuccessful,” he toldPolice News.“Policing Excellence is a body of work whichrevolves around the Government beingconvinced that New Zealand Police is effectiveand efficient as it can be. Basically, theGovernment wants some bang for its buck.Failures, however well-equipped in otherareas, will damage the Police’s reputation,”Mr O’Connor said.Measuring“All new philosophies revolve around newmeasuring and what gets measured getsdone,” he added.Mr O’Connor believes there are dangers inadopting Counties-Manukau as a model forthe future because there are unseen fishhooksif all the relevant information is not fullyconsidered. “Certainly there were impressivereductions across all areas and this was as aresult of the injection of 300 staff but in thePolicing Excellence model every other districtis expected to do the same with the samenumber of staff,” he points out.He also sounds some caution in respect ofNeighbourhood Policing Teams. “There arethose that demand policing be all things. Butif you asked Jo and Jan Bloggs whether theywould consider it more important to have apolice officer in their shopping precinct at 3p.m. or when a prowler is on their lawn at 3a.m. - while both are highly desirable, I thinkwe all know which option they’d choose,” MrO’Connor said.The plan is to build the system incrementally.Prevention first“If you look at Policing Excellence and thePolice model within that, we’re puttingprevention at the front of the business butmaking sure we’ve got a balanced responseto the rest of the business, which is ourresponse, investigation and resolutions. We’llbe making sure that people think and actprevention before they think and act anythingelse but also putting people, particularlyvictims, at the centre of the business.“The first thing about our staff is that they aregoing to think and act differently, again byputting prevention at the front and people atthe centre of everything they do.”Police News understands the Police Executivewill consider delivery timeframes, andwhether all work streams will be implementedbefore the end of the year.Reality checkerMr O’Connor sees the Association’s roleas what he terms “the reality checker” -especially at times of great change. PolicingExcellence promises to deliver just that.“Whilst the Association is very keen to bepart of what can be seen as innovativepolicing methods, in these situations wherenew models are being investigated, theAssociation needs to balance not defendingthe status quo with our historical overview,which is often denied contemporary decisionmakers,”Mr O’Connor said.Mr O’Connor’s caution comes from havingan eye on history. As George Santayana oncesaid: “Those who do not learn from historyare doomed to repeat it.”Cautionary note“I think there needs to be an aspect of realitychecking in the sense that there should becaution about over-stating the savings. Theresult of the INCIS project failure was that it cost540 jobs. Compare this with South Auckland’s300 extra police and see which was moresuccessful,” Mr O’Connor added.While the Police and Police Association maydebate the various merits of different policyprogrammes and work streams there is acommon link shared by both organisations,according to Mr O’Connor.“The one thing that we all want is for ourcountry to be the safest place to live, visit anddo business in. Being the most compliantGovernment department may not necessarily bethe way to achieve it,” Mr O’Connor concluded.258October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationUN report confirms ‘P’ issue isnow an organised crime problemThe United Nations 2011 GlobalATS (amphetamine-type stimulant)Assessment Report confirms thatNew Zealand’s ‘P’ problem is now anorganised crime problem.In responding to the report, PoliceAssociation President Greg O’Connorsaid: “The UN report confirms thatinternational organised crime hastargeted New Zealand and is nowheavily involved in importation ofmethamphetamine and precursors,and locally-based organised crime isresponsible for domestic manufactureand distribution.”“The problem is now bigger than ‘P’.The problem now is organised crimenetworks, which are able to importand distribute any number of drugtypes. For the time being, ‘P’ is theirmain focus because it offers the biggestprofits. But we would be naïve to thinkthat, if we can somehow reduce demandfor methamphetamine, organised crimewill shut up shop and go away. It won’t.It will simply shift its focus to developDid you know?…that if you have Police Life Insuranceor Police Life Insurance Extra, the latestBenefit Nomination Form we have fromyou determines who receives your LifeInsurance Benefit.If we do not have a completed BenefitNomination Form the benefit will be paidto your estate. If you die intestate (wherethere is no Will at the time of death), it maybe a lengthy process before your estateis finalised and could leave your survivingspouse/partner in financial difficulty.a new drug trend, be that ecstasy,cocaine, heroin, or some new designerdrug,” he added.Meth profits reinvestedThe growth and development oforganised crime has largely been builton the back of methamphetaminedealing profits from the late 1990s.The Police Association first startedwarning about the threat ofmethamphetamine as far back as 1997.Those warnings were largely ignored.Meth-dealing gangs made huge profitswhich were laundered and reinvestedin increasingly sophisticated offendingacross a wide range of crime types.The profits also attracted new businesspartners in the form of internationalorganised crime groups, who havehelped New Zealand crime groups getsmarter and more serious about the waythey do business.“While ‘P’ is a serious problem, we needto ensure we focus on the cause andnot just the symptom – and the causeis organised crime,” Mr O’Connor said.Take some time now to make sure yourBenefit Nomination Form is up-to-date andthat we have the right benefit details in oursystem.Not sure if you have completed a form?Easy – log in to: www.policeassn.org.nz and view the latest Benefit NominationForm we have for you under “Mydocuments” on your “My Profile” page.If your form needs updating you can printa new one from “Forms and Documents”on the website and send this to us. Onreceipt, the new form will replace the old.9.95% paA Police and Families Credit Unionpersonal loan can help you achievethe things you want sooner.Whether it’s a car, holiday, homeimprovements or consolidatingyour credit cards into one payment:Police Credit Union is here to help.“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”- Martin Luther King (American civil rights leader).“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons,or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”- Jim Rohn (American businessman).“In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are at itsworst. In the name of the values you keep alive, do not let your vision of man be distortedby the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless, in those who have never achieved His title. Donot lose knowledge that man’s proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mindand a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark the irreplaceablespark. In the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-atall,do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved,but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. Theworld you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible - it is yours.”- Ayn Rand (Russian writer)October 2011259

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceNYPD forms socialmedia tracking unitNew York Police Department officers aregoing to look more closely at Facebook andTwitter for crime-fighting clues.Headed by new Assistant CommissionerKevin O’Connor, a new juvenile justice unitwill operate under the Community AffairsBureau and scour social media sites forpotential wrong doing, according to the NewYork Daily News.Criminals have been known to use Twitter,Facebook, and other social media to choosetargets, boast about crimes, or alert oneanother about the location of police.O’Connor, who was promoted from lieutenant,is known for online policing. In March, NYPDsuccessfully arrested an alleged murdererwho bragged - on Facebook - about killing ateen at a house party.Association renews loan agreement• Craig Moffat, ANZ National Bank’s General Manager Specialist Distribution (left) cosignswith Association President Greg O’Connor, a renewal of an agreement which benefitsmembers by providing discounted mortgage loan rates.by Ricky CollinsClearview EstateA couple of months ago I wrote about myrecent trip to Hawke’s Bay and noted that myone regret was not having time to visit tworenowned wineries based at Te Awanga, 20minutes drive down the coast from Napier. Imanaged to partially put that right recentlywhen Tim Turvey, owner and founder of Clearview Estate made thejourney south to Dunedin to present his latest range of wines at a localspecialist wine store.Clearview Estate is in many ways a pioneer winery. When Timbegan planting his vines at Te Awanga in 1988 there were no othercommercially operated vineyards in the area. Te Awanga was thoughtby many to be too cold to grow grape vines, even though VidalEstate founder Anthony Vidal had established plantings there in theearly 1900s. Tim, along with business partner Helma van den Berg,developed the vineyard from scratch, planting all the vines, trees andbuilding the winery itself. Twenty years on, Tim continues this handsonapproach and can take great pride in the consistent success hisClearview Estate wines have enjoyed over the years.Clearview Estate have a simple philosophy when it comes to producinggreat wine; “fruit driven wines grown and vinted on the estate, inspiredby the terroir of Te Awanga, Hawke’s Bay”. The wines I tried recentlycertainly live up to that aspiration. Here are my picks of Clearview’slatest releases.2009 Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay RRP $35Clearview Estate has been picking up trophies and gold medals fortheir Reserve Chardonnay for many years, and the 2009 vintage is theirmost celebrated yet. This is a serious white wine, with ripe stone fruitand tropical flavours infused with toasty oak influence. It has a creamytexture but there is a bright acidic backbone that will ensure it will agegracefully. This is a stunning wine that Chardonnay fans will love.2009 Clearview Estate Two Pinnacles Malbec Merlot RRP $25Tim Turvey is a big fan of the Malbec grape and he has produceda cracker of a wine here from the top 2009 vintage. This big inkywine stands out with its bright purple hue, lifted aromatic nose, warmand chewy texture and spicy black fruit flavours. It reminds me of theclassic wines from Cahors in France, widely regarded as the home ofMalbec.2009 Clearview Estate Old Olive Block rrP $35This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbechas bright aromas and flavours of blackcurrant and plum with a hintof bramble, tangy acidity, silky tannins and a lovely dry finish. I lovefinding a New Zealand Cabernet dominant wine that can hold its ownin a line up of highly regarded French Bordeaux wines, and this wineis in that league.260October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationBanking Package NewsGetting the best price for your homeSpring is here – and as the weather warms up, traditionally thehousing market does too. If you’re thinking of putting your home onthe market this spring, presentation will play a big part in the priceyou get for it. Here are some tips on how to present your home forsale – and what to avoid.To spend or not to spend? Things you can do include:It’s tempting to spend money onrenovations or improvements tomake your home more attractive –but think carefully before you do.Renovations can be costly, andwhile they may make your homemore saleable, it can be hard torecoup the money you spend.Common traps when it comes torenovating include:• Spending too much for yourneighbourhood. Remember,location plays a big part in thevalue of any home – so don’tspend more than your locationdictates;• Adding unusual features thatmay have limited appeal tomany buyers; and• Removing saleable features– e.g. removing a bedroom tomake space for a bigger lounge.On the other hand, improvementsthat generally add value to a homeinclude:• Kitchen and bathroomrenovations;• Better indoor-outdoor ‘flow’;• Landscaping; and• Better lighting (as it can makeyour home feel more inviting).Of course, you don’t have to spendmoney to make your home moreappealing. Making some smallimprovements can have a bigpayoff when it comes to your saleprice. Here are some simple thingsyou can do at little or no cost.Make a great first impressionPeople form immediateimpressions on first sight that canbe hard to change. Put yourselfin a buyer’s shoes – stand outsideyour property and imagine you’vejust arrived to inspect it. Is the frontof your home tidy and inviting?• Make sure the lawns are mowedand gardens weeded;• Clear away any clutter orrubbish;• Attend to any minor repairs (e.g.flaking paint); and• Add instant appeal with someflowers, shrubs or pots at thefront of your home.Prepare for open homes andinspectionsMake sure a good first impressionis not let down when potentialbuyers come into your home. Forexample:• Open all the curtains and blinds.If there are any dark places inyour home turn on a lamp;• On warm days, open somewindows to let air circulate. Oncold days, put on some heating;• Tidy away any clutter, make thebeds and empty rubbish bins;• Brighten up living areas withfresh flowers; and• If you have a garage, take yourcar out – it will look larger.Selling or buying – we canhelpIf you are thinking of moving home,don’t forget to take advantage ofthe Police Home Loan Package.With special discounts andbenefits, it’ll make getting yourdream home a little bit easier.For more information, emailspecialistchannelsnz@nbnz.co.nzor come into any branch ofThe National Bank.This material is provided as a complimentary service of ANZ National Bank Limited. It is prepared based oninformation and sources ANZ believes to be reliable. Its content is for information only, is subject tochange and is not a substitute for commercial judgement or professional advice, which should be soughtprior to acting in reliance on it. To the extent permitted by law ANZ disclaims liability or responsibility toany person for any direct or indirect loss or damage that may result from any act or omissions by anyperson in relation to the material.Package details are subject to change. The National Bank’s eligibility and lending criteria, terms,conditions, and fees apply. The National Bank of New Zealand is part of ANZ National Bank Limited.Special offerSix months freeHome InsuranceBuying a new home or refinancing canbe an expensive process, even withtoday’s lower interest rates. We aimto make it easier on Police WelfareFund members’ pockets. So for thetime being those drawing down a newPolice Home Loan will be eligible for sixmonths free home insurance through theWelfare Fund’s Police Fire & GeneralInsurance*.Members eligible for the free covershould contact our Member ServicesTeam on 0800 500 122. You will need acopy of your loan document fromThe National Bank or ANZ.Police Home Loan PackageANZ or The National Bank – it’s yourchoiceWhether you’re refinancing, buying yourfirst home, selling, investing in property,building or looking for ways to manageyour current home loan – a Police HomeLoan through The National Bank or ANZmay be able to help.The Police Welfare Fund Home Loanpackage provides attractive benefits toPolice Welfare Fund members and theirimmediate family, like:• No Home Loan application fee• A contribution of $500 towards legal feesFor borrowing 80% or lower of a property’svalue:• Discounted floating rates• 0.50% pa off the standard National Bankor ANZ Flexible Home Loan interest rates• 0.25% off the standard fixed interest ratesOur Police Home Loan package is highlycompetitive and flexible.For more information or to apply for the PoliceHome Loan Package visitwww.policeassn.org.nzThe National Bank and ANZ’s lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. Forborrowing over 80% of a property’s value, a low equity premium on a graduatedscale will apply, and a registered valuer’s report will be required. Eligibilty to apply fora Police Home Loan package is at the discretion of the Police Welfare Fund Limitedand applicants must be current members of the Fund. This home loan package is notavailable for low documentation home loans or loans approved through a broker. Fora copy of The National Bank or ANZ Disclosure Statement and full details (includingterms and conditions) contact any branch of The National Bank of New Zealand (partof ANZ Bank Limited) nor the ANZ.*Police Fire & General Insurance will be subject to the standard underwritingterms and conditions and is provided through the Police Welfare Fund not byThe National Bank or ANZ. Members are eligible for one period of six months freePolice Fire & General Home Insurance premium only, per member, regardless of theterm of Police Home Loan taken. Police Fire & General Insurance is underwritten byLumley General Insurance (NZ) Limited.07-2011October 2011261

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolice Christian Support NetworkConference set down for 11-13 NovOn the 11-13 November, the thirdnational Priority One Conference,organized by a group of WaikatoChristian cops will take place.After the 2009 and 2010 conferences,which were hosted by churches, theWaikato committee wanted to create apoint of difference. So this year’s PriorityOne is being held at a campsite inNgaruawahia. Feedback from previousconferences is that keynote speakers andworkshops are important but the keysuccess is having plenty of informal timetogether.These conferences provide a time toHow the wait-list worksfor our holiday homescome away from the normal stressesof work, to hear inspiring stories fromcolleagues, and grapple with the issuespolicing throws up. It’s an opportunityto hear how faith relates to police work,and how to cope with the everyday, andthe out-of-the ordinary challenges.SpeakersThis year’s speakers are Darryl Gardiner,a sought-after speaker and mentor, andretired Chief Inspector Gary Raymondfrom New South Wales. Gary is aregular at Priority One conferences. Hetells exciting stories from his wealth ofexperience in rescue, hostage and criticalWe have a wait-list for our holiday homes.Often, due to unforeseen circumstances, a member who hasbooked a home will need to cancel his or her booking and thathome will become available again for others to book.If you would like a home on a particular range of dates and it is booked, simply go to“Holiday Accommodation” under the “Product & Services” section of our website:www.policeassn.org.nz and complete a wait-list form for the dates and location of theholiday home you wish to book.You will then get a call or email from us, if this holiday home becomes available over theperiod you’ve requested.New Assistant Commissioners appointedThe Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, recently confirmed the appointment of two newAssistant Commissioners of Police.Assistant Commissioner Nick Perry has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner (Operations)based in Police National Headquarters while Assistant Commissioner Dave Cliff has been appointedas Assistant Commissioner (South).The AC Ops role is responsible for Community Policing, Youth, Communications Centres,Operations Group, Prosecutions and Road Policing.The AC (South) oversees the three Police districts in the South Island: Tasman, Canterbury andSouthern.Assistant Commissioner Cliff comes to his new role from his previous position of District Commanderof Canterbury. Prior to that he was the National Manager of Road Policing.Assistant Commissioner Perry has recently been Acting District Commander of Counties- Manukau.Prior to that he was the NZ Police Liaison Officer based in London.incident work, intertwined with his deepChristian faith.The Priority One Conference is theinitiative of the Police Christian SupportNetwork. It is a staff-led network,with participants from across alldenominations, and those who don’t goto church. Its aim is to give support andencouragement from a Christian faithperspective. Spouses are welcome toattend the conference.The full conference fee is $99, includingmeals and accommodation. The NZPolice Association has provided financialsupport to help keep the costs down.For information, and to register, go towww.pcsn.org.nzEnquiries should be directed to:admin@pcsn.org.nzNeed a 2012wallplannerfor your team orstation?Our popular wallplanners havebeen reproduced again for 2012.Our A2 wallplanners note useful dateslike Police paydays, holiday homeballot periods, when Daylight SavingsTime begins and ends, PoliceRemembrance Day, school term startand finish dates, regional anniversarydays and more.They have been sent to your localAssociation committee for distributionto work groups in late October, orearly November.Electronic tag put on prosthetic leg costs security staff their jobsTwo members of staff at a British private security firm have beensacked after an electronic tag was put on an offender’s false leg,according to an article in The Daily Telegraph.Christopher Lowcock, 29, wrapped his prosthetic limb in a bandageand fooled G4S staff who failed to carry out the proper tests when theyset up the tag and monitoring equipment at his Rochdale home.Lowcock could then simply remove his leg - and the tag - wheneverhe wanted to breach his court-imposed curfew for driving and drugoffences, as well as possession of an offensive weapon.A second G4S officer who went to check the monitoring equipmentalso failed to carry out the proper test.Managers became suspicious recently, but when they returned to theaddress a third time Lowcock had already been arrested and was backin custody accused of driving while banned and without insurance.262October 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationMost wantedThe green-eyed monster has me in its grip. Given the opportunity,there are a few colleagues I’d like to spear tackle right now, especiallythe one who just came back from part-time work to nab the mostsought after job in the District.Yep, I wanna be a Police Team Liaison Officer for the Rugby WorldCup. Front row seats, travel with the team, hotel accommodation andbuddying-up to the fit and famous. There’ll be no drinking for sure, butpersonal sacrifice is all part of the job.So, with each team having a proper RWC liaison officer who doesthe real work, you may be wondering what these 20 police officersare doing? The official blurb says the officers will “…offer insight intolocal crime risks, suggest suitable places to go out and be on handto respond to changing situations as teams go about their business”.I can do that! In fact, my teenage daughter can do that – she’s goodat avoiding drunks, certainly knows all the nightspots and is constantlychanging her mind.I will valiantly continue to offer my services in case one of our finenumber is brought low by the bird flu or a mysterious liaison witha maid called Suzie. I’m proud to know that our crack training hasblossomed into skills that can be of such great service to the nation.Stat attackGood news! The road death tally is tracking to be the lowest on record,ever. We’re making a real difference thanks to increased advertising,higher visibility with more officers on the road and more checkpoints,and the targeting of highly vulnerable age groups. With all the extrapeople out at footy games and overseas visitors taking to the roads,plus an extended school holiday period combined with a long finalsweekend, the public and the media need to be on our side to keep roadsafety right up front.Of course the latest stats for the number of speed camera ticketsissued bring the expected public outcry. As unpleasant as it is to getpinged when you don’t have $80 to spend, let’s remind ourselves thatyou don’t get a ticket if you don’t break the speed limit. We all knowthat a slower average speed reduces the risk of serious injury, whichreduces the risk of death in crashes. Basic.No reliefIf the belt gets any tighter we’ll lose the feeling in our toes. Wewouldn’t need new boots then, so that’s even more money saved.But the request to pinch pennies over the next year has been takenmost seriously by Central Districts, who are not reappointing the AreaCommander of Wanganui. Instead, a reliever is stepping in to take overfor 12 months.There’s a presumption amongst the Great Unwashed that relieversmean savings, i.e. somewhere in the food chain there’s a salary that’snot being paid until the position is permanently filled. That could explainthe constant call for supervisory relievers to step up and help out withvacancies, but not what might happen to our organisation as a result.Firstly, we all know the old wisdom that you don’t relieve in a positionyou might want to apply for. Human Resources (HR) frowns upon youhaving the unfair advantage over other applicants just because youalready sit at the desk. Secondly, you might be relieving for longer thanyou thought if it’s true that money is saved by keeping the permanentposition vacant. Lastly, where’s your incentive to show vision andleadership if you know you’ll be on your bike in no time? You certainlywon’t be tackling any big long-term problems if you can help it. I’msure this is not what the Commissioner wants to see happening.I’d love someone from HR to write in and tell us why the big delaysin advertising and filling vacant positions if it’s not saving money?Otherwise, I challenge them to pull finger and work faster.Memorial wallOur sympathies to all our members’ families for those who have passed away in recent months…We remember… Who passed away…REID Anne Lesley 13-Feb-11 retired member christchurchMacDONALD Malcolm Robert 18-Aug-11 retired member hastingsMcKEE John 20-Aug-11 retired member aucklandMcMANUS Gregory 25-Aug-11 member aucklandWYLLIE Gerald Francis 26-Aug-11 retired member taurangaGARDENER Trevor Edward 4-Sep-11 retired member dunedinPAKI Mata-O-Tu-Tonga 4-Sep-11 spouse of member huntlyHITCHCOCK Nigel 4-Sep-11 retired member aucklandPATAURA Nicole Stefanie 10-Sep-11 retired member PoriruaHUGHES Gervan Thomas 18-Sep-11 spouse of retired member alexandraMELVILLE Barbara 19-Sep-11 widow of member PukekoheOctober 2011263

Police Council of SportTo contact the Police Council of Sport, call Sharon Gold at the RNZPC. Ph: (04) 238-3139 (Ext: 43139)Police Association Police Sportsperson of the Yearbenefited from early “rough and tumble”By Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsWhen Sian (pronounced Sharn) Law wasabout 10 years of age she accompanied heryounger brother to the local wrestling gym andengaged in a few “rough and tumble” gameswhile her brother trained – little knowing itwould lead her to be the first female wrestlerfrom New Zealand to win a CommonwealthGames spot last year.That achievement, along with her participationin the World Championships in Russia - alead-up to the Commonwealth Games inDelhi, India - in turn led to her being namedrecently as the Police Association PoliceSportsperson of the Year.Police Association President, Greg O’Connor,who presented the award in a ceremony at theRoyal New Zealand Police College recently,said the award “recognises the outstandingachievements of this police sportsperson.”Dedication and mental toughness“Her dedication, mental toughness anddetermination shown in pursuing her sportinggoals are qualities that are highly-valued inmembers of Police.“Sian is an accomplished athlete, who hasworked hard to be the first New Zealandfemale wrestler ever to be selected to competein the World Champs and CommonwealthGames,” Mr O’Connor said.Sian, who readily admits to being “absolutelyflattered” to win the coveted award,effectively started wrestling by association.“My Dad was a power lifter and wrestler. Hedecided it would be good for my brother’srugby career to train down at the wrestlinggym. So one night I tagged along and thingsjust developed from there,” she explained.International competition“There were no other girls in the gym at thattime. We used to engage in these roughand tumble games. Those games turned• Police Association President Greg O’Connor with wrestler Sian after presenting her withthe Police Association Police Sportsperson of the Year Award. Sian was the first femalewrestler ever to be selected for the Commonwealth Games. In case you’re wondering – No,Greg O’Connor hasn’t gained a halo in the last month – that’s the Police Association logostrategically placed in the background.into a move here and there and eventually acompetition here and there and by then I washooked,” she said. Sian competed in her firstinternational competition at age 13 – some17 years ago.“They used to ask you at school to write yourgoals down and the Commonwealth Gamesand World Champs were two of the maingoals that I listed, so it’s nice to mark thosetwo off,” Sian said.The fact that she did, says a lot about thediminutive wrestler’s mental toughness,work ethic and all round ability. She creditslong-time coach and former Olympic wrestlerGraeme Hawkins with helping motivate herto reach her goals. “Wrestling is a bit likeriding a bike, you never forget what to do butGraeme gave me that self-belief,” she added.New Zealand has a small number of femalewrestlers while internationally significantVisit www.policeassn.org.nz for updated contact details for the Police Council of Sport management committee,District Sports Officers and the latest schedule of events.264 October 2011

New Zealand Police Associationnumbers of women wrestle. The sport isparticularly strong in Canada, India and theU.S. where there are hundreds of womencompeting in each weight class. Law saidshe trains mostly with men, often havingthe challenge of giving away 10 kilograms inweight to them.Wrestling, while small on a New Zealandscale, is huge on a world scale. Law’sCommonwealth Team Coach, Mark Graylingput things in perspective before the Gameslast year, commenting that there are aroundeight million rugby players, compared tosome 80 million wrestlers worldwide.BalanceSian, who has worked in IT (Business ServicesSection) at Porirua for seven and a half years,said Police had been very supportive. “Attimes finding that balance between work andtraining can result in a lot of careful planningand thinking,” she admitted.Working fulltime and trying to fit in training forthe Commonwealth Games was, Sian readilyadmits, “very difficult”. “I really struggled.When I wasn’t at work I was constantlythinking about my next training session butPolice were good at giving me some time offand people stepped up to help me,” she said.IT and wrestling have one thing in common– people contact – though grapplingwith someone’s IT problems pales intoinsignificance compared to the hothouse thatis wrestling on the world stage. Both requirefocus and a need to, as Sian puts it, “get thejob done”.Strict dietSian competed in Delhi in the 51 kilogramsweight class, dropping down a weightdivision, meaning that she had to adhere toa very strict diet in order to make the weightfor the Games. She naturally weighs around56 kilograms. That sort of rigorous dietingregime takes its toll in much the same wayas it does on jockeys who ‘waste’ to shed thekilograms in the highly competitive world ofhorse racing. This is the world of salad andsaunas and Sian admits that leading up tocompeting in Delhi it became her world too.Consequently, Sian has decided that anyfuture competition will see her in the 55kilograms division. “I’m quite small for a55 kilogram wrestler and so there wasn’tany real option but to go down in weight forDelhi,” she added.Great experienceSian, who came 5th in her division, said theCommonwealth Games was an “awesomeexperience.”“For me it topped the World Champs inRussia because there it was ‘all business’• Sian Law (in red) during a bout at the World Championships in Russia last year. Sianhas been wrestling for the best part of 20 years. She was recently named as the PoliceAssociation Police Sportsperson of the Year.• Police Association President Greg O’Connor tries his hand at wrestling the trophy for thePolice Association Police Sportsperson of the Year Award from Commonwealth Gamesrepresentative wrestler Sian Law.with the organisers and officials focused on‘rules, rules, rules’ while in Delhi everyonewas just so relaxed, and friendly and focusedon their sport as well as having a good timetoo. I found it three weeks of absolute bliss,”she said.While Sian would dearly love to go to theLondon Olympics next year, realistically, thetime off work required and a lack of recentcompetition may work against her.“My next goal is to become the nationalfemale coach,” she said. “The Olympics isstill one of my goals and even if I don’t makeit as a competitor I’d like to think I mightmake it as a coach,” Sian told Police News.In that regard, Sian has set up a coachingprogramme for kids at the Tawa-LindenWrestling Gym. “Many of them come frombroken families so it’s been great to be ableto put something back into the sport and alsofor them,” she said.NZ Police Sportsperson of Year award background: From 2002,the NZ Police Association has sponsored the Police Sportspersonof the Year Award, acknowledging the outstanding national sportingexcellence achieved by members of Police. For over 35 years, thisaward, organised by the Police Council of Sport, has recognisedmembers of Police who have excelled at their sport at a nationallevel.Previous nominees and recipients include: Jeff McGrath - Ironman/triathlete,Granine Scott, MVP NZ Lacrosse Team and CaptainCanterbury Women’s Ice Hockey Team, Michelle Nunn, Captain ofthe NZ Women’s Wheel Chair Basketball Team - the Wheel Ferns;Cowboy Action Shooting World Champion Tracey Ball; NZ Black Capcricketer Shane Bond, Atlantic Rowers Steve Westlake and MattGoodman, Silver Fern Jenny-May Coffin, All Blacks Murray Pierce,John Gallagher and Blair Larsen, Kiwi rugby league star SamStewart, All White Roger Gray, hockey internationals Shane Collins,Scott Anderson and Karen Smith, cricketer Sarah Illingworth, lawnbowler Phil Skoglund, triathlete Steve Farrell, athlete Andrew Collinsand martial arts exponent Karen Vaughan.October 2011265

New Zealand Police AssociationWrite it here! Letters to the Editor are welcome.Signed letters are preferred, but in all cases the writer’s name and address must be supplied. Names will be published unless there is a goodreason for anonymity. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or decline letters without explanation. Email to: editor@policeassn.org.nz orwrite it to the Editor at PO Box 12344, Wellington. Letters under 400 words are preferred.A recent feature article in North and South magazine entitled “When good cops go bad”. Which canvassed the opinions of former InspectorRoss Meurant brought the following responses to the Editor of that magazine (Valerie Larsen) from Police Commissioner Peter Marshall andNZ Police Association President Greg O’Connor. We reproduce them for the benefit of readers.NZ Police markedly changedRoss Meurant’s account of police culture does not reflect theorganisation I know.Mr Meurant left the New Zealand Police over two decades ago but theworld has changed and the New Zealand Police has also markedlychanged.Somewhere in the vicinity of two-thirds of the 12,000-strong NewZealand Police personnel have joined the organisation since MrMeurant left in 1987.Ninety-five percent of recruits from the last three Wings through theRoyal New Zealand Police College were not born at the time of the1981 Springbok Tour – a period Mr Meurant deals with in somedetail.Today’s Police graduates are highly educated, motivated to do what isrequired in terms of their Police Oath, and importantly, are somewhatfluid in terms of their working life aspirations.Mr Meurant has also made considerable reference to the ArthurAllan Thomas Inquiry – I was still at school when that Inquiry wasunderway. The investigation of the Crewe murders has been oneof the most scrutinised investigations and court processes in NewZealand’s history. Mr Meurant wishes us to reopen the case on thestrength of ‘new evidence’. As a former detective, Mr Meurant shouldknow that all unsolved murders always remain open. New evidenceis thoroughly investigated.The New Zealand Police deal with, on average, 400,000 cases per year;70 of those are homicides. There have been thousands of homicidesinvestigated and many more thousands of aggravated robberies, drugimportations, and major financial crime investigations (to name butsome) that have been thoroughly and professionally prosecuted inthe last 25 years.The New Zealand Police is one of the most audited organisations inthe country, whether in terms of the Auditor General’s Office, theIndependent Police Conduct Authority, or through the requirementsarising from Dame Margaret Bazley’s Commission of Inquiry.I am in my 40th year of policing with the New Zealand Police. Iam conscious that probably less than 100 staff – from our 12,000complement – have more service than me with this organisation.I have been lucky enough to have been seconded to overseas Policeorganisations for a period totalling 10 years. I know how good theNew Zealand Police is.Accordingly, I am in a position to appreciate the significantdifferences between Mr Meurant’s 1960s and 1970s style of policingwhen compared to the 21st century.With respect, Mr Meurant never stayed with the New Zealand Policeto make a difference to our organisation.Mr Meurant never undertook a senior supervisory role within theNew Zealand Police.His “opinion” dishonours the hundreds of senior supervisors whohave worked hard to ensure that the New Zealand Police, in today’sworld, have a trust and confidence rating of 75% with the publicand has recently been named as the most reputable Governmentdepartment in New Zealand. The attributes noted include vision,leadership and processes.It should be noted that New Zealand is the least corrupt countryin the world (Transparency International) and obviously the NewZealand Police has had a certain influence in that standing.The crime rate in New Zealand is going down. Trust and confidenceis going up.Little can be gained from “dancing on the graves” of former seniorpolice officers of a bygone era. In regard to former CommissionerBob Walton, a man with great integrity, what a cowardly attack.The New Zealand Police was formed in 1885 and policing alwaysreflects the society of the day. In Sir Robert Peel’s Principles of LawEnforcement it states: “Police are the public and the public are thePolice.”Obviously Mr Meurant led an exciting life in a somewhat insularAuckland CIB environment of the late-1960s and 1970s. That is welland truly a bygone era. Yes, his observations reminded me of Rip VanWinkel but I don’t think he has yet woken up.Today’s Police Executive is wide awake. We will not be complacentand we will remain vigilant to ensure we police with the respect andconsent of the public.Peter Marshall(Police Commissioner)A slur on the work of all police officersI am writing to express the Police Association’s disappointment at theprofile you have chosen to give to the ill-informed opinions aboutpolice standards and culture of a man who has not been a member ofNew Zealand Police for decades.You have introduced Ross Meurant’s article by describing it asproviding a sobering insight into New Zealand Police. Yet MrMeurant is no more an expert on policing than he is an expert onParliamentary politics or international banking, in both of which hehas more recent experience. He has no insight to offer beyond thenarrow confines of his own experience, which is desperately out ofdate and out of touch with modern policing.Mr Meurant’s formative police experiences, being the Crewe murderinvestigation and Springbok Tour, took place 30 to 40 years ago. Yetfrom these experiences he casts utterly incorrect aspersions about theNew Zealand Police ever since.I cannot accept Mr Meurant’s allegations that widespread corruptionhas ever existed in the New Zealand Police. The evidence does notsupport that belief. But irrespective of whatever mistakes may havebeen made four decades ago, there has been an enormous amountof water under the bridge since 1970 both in New Zealand Policeand New Zealand society in general. Social attitudes have changedconsiderably and our criminal law and the way we police have evolvedalongside those changes: for example in relation to homosexual lawreform, domestic violence, sexual assault investigation and drinkdriving. Looking back now, most New Zealanders including police,many of whom were not even born during the events of Mr Meurant’sera would find many social attitudes of the past astonishing.October 2011269

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceWhile we cannot erase the past, social norms do change and thankfullygenerally for the better. Mr Meurant ought to understand that giventhe amount of time he has spent living in Eastern Europe in the last20 years. The Cold War was at its height and those countries werefirmly locked behind the Iron Curtain when the Crewe murders andSpringbok Tour took place.Perhaps Mr Meurant is battling personal regrets about his involvementin the Crewe murder investigation or Springbok Tour and presumablyfinds the media attention cathartic. His insinuations about police ingeneral are reprehensible, and effectively malign more than 11,000current police and the many thousands more who have served withthe utmost integrity and honour in the decades since Mr Meurant leftto pursue his parliamentary and offshore business careers.Of course, the only people Mr Meurant actually names in connectionwith any supposed historical misdemeanours are all now deceased,and thus (conveniently for Mr Meurant) unable to answer hisallegations and defend their integrity.Mr Meurant also displays astonishing ignorance of the facts inexpressing his opinions about various recent cases. Perhaps he was athome in Prague rather than in New Zealand when the events concernedtook place. Certainly, judging by his article’s frequent references tostories published by the New Zealand Herald, he appears to be forminghis assumptions on the basis of old newspaper clippings.For example, he clearly knows nothing about the facts behind theOperation Eight arrests in the Ureweras. His insinuation that anti-Maori, anti-Islander sentiment is behind the arrests is completenonsense. Contrary to his belief that Police are seeking to avoidpublic scrutiny of the evidence, it is not the Police suppressingevidence in these cases: it is the Court, mostly following applicationsby the accused. I believe police would be more than happy to seeall the evidence released so that the public can make up their ownminds as to whether the arrests were necessary and justified.Mr Meurant’s mention of Clint Rickards and associated insinuationsabout police behaviour appear to be ignorant of Dame MargaretBazley’s extensive Commission of Inquiry, and the findings from it(which showed any criminal behaviour was extremely limited andhistorical) and the extraordinary amount of scrutiny and reportingwhich follows to this day.In regard to the tragic shooting death of Halatau Naitoko, contraryto Mr Meurant’s ‘expert’ opinion, the Coroner did not find the tragicshooting of Halatau Naitoko to be “negligent”, he found it to beaccidental. He found the officers were justified in shooting at thearmed offender because they thought they had to, to protect the lifeof the truck driver.Mr Meurant’s allegation that Stephen Bellingham was shot in 2007for smashing up cars is complete rubbish. Mr Meurant may not havebeen here at the time, but those of us who were will clearly rememberan independent witness interviewed on TVNZ’s Close Up programmedescribe Mr Bellingham charging at the police officer at close rangewith a hammer raised to strike, leaving the officer no option but toshoot in self-defence. The subsequent IPCA investigation similarlyreported 12 independent witnesses believed the officer was about tobe attacked and reported several witnesses said that it became clearthat Mr Bellingham was not going to stop and that it looked like oneor other of them was going to die.Mr Meurant also clearly has no idea how the Independent PoliceConduct Authority actually works. He does not acknowledge thefact it is chaired by a High Court Judge and has its own independentinvestigators. He is perhaps ignorant of its extensive powers,including the fact that police have no right to silence when dealingwith the IPCA. The IPCA takes its statutory role extremely seriously,as it should; and anyone who thinks the IPCA is a policeman’s friendis seriously misguided.Nor, contrary to Mr Meurant’s apparent belief, does the IPCA usurpthe role of the Courts. Criminal investigations, civil suits, privateprosecutions, Coroner’s inquests, and employment investigationsmay all take place in addition to an IPCA investigation.In respect of the 2009 crash in Northland, where Mr Meurant appearsto suggest the IPCA went easy on the officer involved, he appearsto be completely ignorant of the fact that the Coroner had alreadyheld an inquest into the case at which all the issues Mr Meurant isconcerned about were examined publicly, in detail and at length. TheCoroner found just as the IPCA later did that there was no evidencethe receipt of an unopened text 20 to 30 seconds before the collisionhad any relevance at all, when the crash victim could only have beenseen approximately one second before the tragic impact.Mr Meurant is of course entitled to hold and indeed express illinformedopinions. However it does North & South no credit topresent baseless slurs, which would be more at home on latenighttalkback radio, as being the opinions of an ‘expert’ when MrMeurant is patently no such thing. The average length of service forconstabulary police today is about 12 years. Mr Meurant is clearlyobsessed with righting perceived wrongs of nearly 40 years ago. North& South’s facilitation of these slurs on New Zealand’s outstandinglydedicated Police service is extremely unfortunate.Greg O’Connor(President, NZ Police Association)Police Honours explainedI would like to respond to Gerry Cunneen’s letter that appeared inthe August issue of Police News.Mr Cunneen asked why three Police members were recognised inthis year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours as opposed to the “usual” six.I wish to reassure Mr Cunneen and readers that Police nominationsare always submitted for Royal Honours recognition but Policehas no “entitlement” to a particular number. The decision to grantRoyal Honours lies with the Cabinet Appointments and HonoursCommittee.As chairperson of the Awards Advisory Committee, I agree withMr Cunneen’s view that there are many staff worthy of recognitionwithin the New Zealand Police. I encourage all Police members toconsider and submit suitable nominees for Royal Honours throughtheir district award structure for forwarding to the Awards AdvisoryCommittee.Nomination forms and guidelines can be found on-line atwww.drmc.povt.nz/honours/nominationsIn addition to Royal Honours (which include bravery awards),the Award Advisory Committee also considers nominations forrecognition by the Royal Humane Society and the Commissioner ofPolice - the nomination form POL 393 is available online.Viv Rickard(Deputy Commissioner, NZ Police)Lawyers and legal aidI have picked myself up and dusted myself off after Colin Rudd threwlarge rocks at me in the August issue of Police News. To quote thegreat John McEnroe, Colin you cannot be serious!The fact is that manipulation of the legal system is largely (but notwholly) client driven. Colin should know, and I certainly know, whatdealing with crims who for the most part are a stranger to the truthis like.The point is that a lawyer disregards the instructions of a client athis or her peril. On occasion lawyers do manipulate the system forreasons of ambition and furthering their career. One could hardlybe blamed for that and the reason it is done is contained within thelegal services regulations. Those regulations dictate that lawyers mustconduct a specified number of defended hearings as lead counselbefore legal services will consider a lead provider application, whichenables a lawyer to be granted legal aid assignments at the lowestlevel on his or her own account.So, for this reason, lawyers do on rare occasions ‘invent’ defendedhearings. Once the lead provider status is obtained there is verylittle benefit, financial or otherwise, in the lawyer manipulating thesystem. The idea that there is such a benefit is more perception than270October 2011

New Zealand Police Associationreality. Colin will find - if he checks the prescribed fees laid down inthe legal services regulations - that he’ll be earning far more than anycriminal legal aid lawyer. If he cares to check on the rates he mustbear in mind that the substantial overheads a lawyer incurs are to bededucted from those rates.Colin should read my earlier letter again. The point I was makingin relation to the PDS (Public Defender System) is that that officeis driven by the state. The same agency (the state) prosecutes anddefends. So the concept or right to independent legal representationfor a person charged with an offence is removed. How democratic isthat? A concept foreign to most New Zealanders, I suspect. Not tothose living in other countries though.Dame Margaret Bazely tarnished the reputation of all lawyers becauseof the actions of a few. I am sure the unfairness of that would not belost on Colin or anyone else. In my experience, criminal lawyers arefor the most part dedicated professionals. Of course there a few whoare not but then the same applies to cops.Colin has every right to be proud of his service in the New ZealandPolice. It is the best Police Service in the world. Colin makes therelevant point that he is still in the Police after 34 years. Maybe if hesaw what I have seen in the two or so years since I graduated with alaw degree he might be in a better position to form an objective viewof the issues he raises.It is precisely this attitude of “we never do wrong” and an adherenceto rigid policy which sees the New Zealand Police sliding in the publicopinion polls. All is not lost though. I have on several occasionswritten to the District Commander in Christchurch complimentingvarious O/Cs for their professional approach towards issues, inmatters in which I have been defence counsel.Colin will no doubt be relieved to know that I for one would neverdefend a charge unless there is firstly very good grounds for doingso and secondly only after liaison with the O/C and prosecutor toexplore ways out of it, but sometimes I find that such negotiationsare stymied by the application of the rigid policy to which I referredearlier. It seems that a good deal of discretion given to frontline staffhas been removed and that the Police is being run by some ball pointcowboys in The Castle in Wellington. Does it still have that nickname?Neville Higginson(Christchurch)Home swap offerI am a retired police officer and International Police Associationmember and am looking for a possible home swap for approximatelythree months with another retired police officer. Any interestedperson can email me at 2bromley@telus.net for further discussion.My swap home is in Yuma, Arizona, USA.Glen Bromley(Arizona)A thank you to Police and workmatesOn the 6th of September after a very short illness my mother passedaway quite unexpectedly. My mother was old school. She nevercomplained about anything and was never unwell.Naturally, my family and I were devastated. She really was the oneperson that kept our family totally connected.After many years in the Police, I’m still reminded of how the Policereally is a family and looks after its members in the tough times.My squad at work flooded me with texts and phone calls and sentflowers. My supervisor told me that whatever I needed to do timewise was not an issue and I should just take whatever time I neededto get through. I did not expect this as I work in a small team.I work at Auckland Metro Crime Operations and Support (AMCOS)and was again reminded that they were supporting me and my familywhen I received a very nice card and flowers from the managementand staff.It’s extremely comforting to know you are supported by other familyand workmates at tough times and I wanted, through Police News tosay this is very much appreciated.Luke Tollafield(Auckland)Use of 0800 Ten Nine phone lineAssociation representatives maintain this telephone line (0800836 6463) on a 24-hour basis.It is to be used ONLY for matters that cannot be deferred, suchas Police shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths in custody.Important and immediate industrial and legal advice can thenbe arranged through the Association networks.Please do not phone this line for non-urgent matters.Useful Information & ContactsNew Zealand Police Association:For immediate industrial & legal advice(on matters that cannot be deferred such asPolice shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths incustody) ring 0800 TEN NINE(0800 836 6463)– 24 hour/seven days servicePolice Network 44446 Website www.policeassn.org.nzFreephone 0800 500 122 Police Home Loans 0800 800 808Police Health Plan/Police Fire and General Insurance Police Credit Union 0800 429 000Quotes & information 0800 500 122 or (04) 472 9645or Fax (04) 496 6819 Credit Union www.policecu.org.nzPolice Fire and General Insurance claims 0800 110 088 GSF information 0800 654 731All enquiries (04) 496 6800 PSS information 0800 777 243Vice PresidentsStuart Mills (027) 268 9416Luke Shadbolt (027) 268 9411Field OfficersAuckland District: stewart Mills (027) 268 9407Waitemata and Northland Districts: Steve Hawkins (027) 268 9406Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts: Graeme McKay (027) 268 9408Central and Wellington Districts: JJ Taylor (027) 268 9409Tasman and Canterbury Districts: Dave McKirdy (027) 268 9410Southern District dave Steel (027) 268 9427Regional DirectorsRegion One Jug Price Whangaparaoa (027) 268 9419Region Two Dave Pizzini Counties-Manukau (027) 268 9413Region Three Wayne Aberhart Waikato (027) 268 9414Region Four Emmet Lynch Napier (027) 268 9415Region Five Craig Tickelpenny Wellington (027) 268 9417Region Six Craig Prior Sydenham (027) 268 9412Region Seven Brett Roberts Dunedin (027) 268 9418October 2011271