The Voice of Police VOLUME 44 • NUMBER 11 • decEMber 2011 Association honours officers for bravery n Full coverage of the annual conference n The turnaround in Otara n Consequences of an open coroner’s court PoliceNews The Voice of Police The Voice of Police VOLUME 44 • NUMBER 11 • decEMber 2011 NZ Police Association Police News is the magazine of the New Zealand Police Association and incorporates the New Zealand Police Journal first published in 1937. December 2011, Vol. 44, No.11 ISSN 1175-9445 Deadline for next issue Friday, January 11, 2012. 306 CHRISTCHURCH OFFICERS HONOURED Published by the New Zealand Police Association P.O. Box 12344, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington. Phone: (04) 496 6800, Facsmile: (04) 471 1309 Editor: Ellen Brook Email: [email protected] Website: www.policeassn.org.nz Printed by City Print Communications, Wellington. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Association. COPYRIGHT: NZPA Police News must not be reproduced in part or as a whole without the formal consent of the copyright holder – the New Zealand Police Association. Contents 310 Chief CORONER’S advice 314 TURNAROUND IN OTARA Cover photo: New Zealand Police Association Bravery Awards. This year’s recipients, former constable Marty Stiles and Constable Mike Wardle, with Constable Mitch Alatalo, left, and Senior Constable Bruce Lamb. The four officers were reunited for the awards ceremony at this year’s annual Police Association Conference in Wellington. Read their story on page 306. 302 December 2011 From the President 303 Election result 303 Police Association Annual Conference 2011 304-315 Policing in tough economic times 304 Judith Collins and Phil Goff address conference 305 Police Association Bravery Awards 306 Commissioner Peter Marshall addresses conference 309 Consequences of an open Coroner’s Court 310 Authorised officers debate 310 International delegates: the view from abroad 311 UK pay and conditions under attack 312 Firearms rollout 313 Resourcing Excellence: Turnaround in Otara 314 Day in the Life of a Section Sergeant 316 Association subscription increase 317 Brainteaser318 New footwear trial 318 EQC levy to increase insurance premiums 318 Women officers in the 21st century 319 Reunion for MOT women 319 Police quake photographs – Beyond the Cordon 320 Catering for the quake: recognition for cafe staff 320 Sports News 321 Police Home Loan Package 323 Keen on Wine/Copper’s Crossword 324 View from the Bottom (Iam Keen) 325 Holiday Home availability 325 Letters to the Editor 326 Memorial Wall 326 Useful information and contacts 327 Member discounts 328 Those wishing not to receive a personal copy of Police News should contact the Editor ([email protected]) to be removed from the distribution list. New Zealand Police Association “In an ironic piece of retro, it could be John Banks again!” Spectre of austerity looms over hard-won gains The election is done and dusted, National has a majority with Act NZ and Peter Dunne, and by the time you read this, we may have a new minister. In an ironic piece of retro, it could be John Banks again! Whoever it is, we got a hint of what might be ahead in the week before the election when news sneaked out early that the January and February wings had been deferred. The week before that, we had been beaten up about not dealing with a supposed $80K fraud that had been pushed down the priority list by a homicide. We’ve made some serious advances in Police over the past 10 years. Better cars, better stations and better strategies; run-down drug squads, Comms centres and CAT teams finally resourced properly. It took a lot of pain and operational failure to get here and the gains are fragile. How fragile will quickly become clear if the unassigned and un-investigated file issue starts to reappear. Our Association conference heard from a community worker and colleagues from Otara NPT and CIB about what was achieved with extra staff well utilised. Delegates from around the country salivated at the thought of what their districts could achieve with a similar injection. We can just hope that new austerity measures likely to be now visited on the whole public sector don’t see us going in the opposite direction. We can but wait and see. Three more years for John Key government New Zealand will be led by John Key and the National Party for another three years, after voters returned his government to power with record levels of support on November 26. At the time of writing, the exact makeup of the new Government was still being negotiated. However, it was clear that National’s 60 seats, plus Act NZ’s John Banks and UnitedFuture’s Peter Dunne, gave it a slim but solid majority in a Parliament of 121 seats. Whether National also secured the support of the Maori Party remained to be seen, with Mr Key’s determination to proceed with asset sales being a likely hurdle. The opposition parties now face important choices as they position themselves for their next shot at power in three years. The Maori Party will be wary of appearing too close to National, after seeing many of its former supporters switch votes to Hone Harawira’s Mana Party. The Green Party returned a record result, and will now have 13 MPs in Parliament. They face difficult decisions as to how best to work with the Government to advance their core environmental policies, while being opposed to much of National’s social and economic agenda, such as asset sales and public sector cut-backs. NZ First surprised many with a result fuelled largely by the controversy over the John Key-John Banks “tea tape”, which played into Winston Peters’ hands and gave him a chance to remind the public, right on the eve of the election, that he remains a political force. Mr Peters is arguably New Zealand’s most effective opposition politician, and he will ensure ministers in the new Government never get too comfortable. The challenge for NZ First - if it is to be a long-term feature of the political landscape - is to convince the public it has appeal and credibility beyond its leader. The big shock of the night was Labour’s record low support, as it bled votes to NZ First in the final week of the campaign. It is a pattern of New Zealand politics that “third parties”, such as the Greens and NZ First, do well in second-term elections as voters who don’t want to endorse the government aren’t ready to go back to the party they threw out three years ago. National suffered the same fate in 2002. Even so, Labour’s low result now makes the party’s choice of its next leader crucial if it is to position itself as a viable alternative come 2014. The management, directors and staff of the Police Association and its subsidiaries, extend to all readers, members, retired members and their families, their best wishes for a safe and prosperous Christmas and New Year. Be careful out there… December 2011 303 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Policing in tough economic times Police must be cautious about becoming victims of their own success, Police Association President Greg O’Connor warned delegates at the Association’s conference. Because crime rates were falling and fear of crime was easing there was a danger that reinvestment in policing could be downgraded. It was understandable in a tight fiscal environment that politicians wouldn’t be making expensive promises, he said, but the arguments would now become about how to keep paying for the services we already have. “There is a direct correlation between Police resourcing and Police ability to respond, prevent and reduce crime,” Mr O’Connor said in his opening speech to the 76th Annual Conference in Wellington. After benefiting from relative prosperity in the public sector for much of the past decade, Police were now at a crossroads, he told delegates. The financial squeeze was coming on again with economic concerns dominating public and political debate. Police were already making internal budget cuts to make ends meet, and “we know there will be increasing pressure to cut more”. As an example of how things could go wrong when budgets were cut he reminded the conference of the consequences of budget cuts in the late 90s and early 2000s. Then, cuts to the vehicle fleet led to severe shortages of working cars which cost $20 million to fix. Cancelled recruit wings led to an Auckland staffing crisis and “unassigned files” controversy, and urgent UK recruiting, but the problem wasn’t really fixed until police numbers were boosted between 2005-2008, and in particular in Counties-Manukau since 2008. CIB resources were run down, leading to a staff retention crisis in Auckland and issues such as un-investigated child abuse files, which are only now being addressed. Mr O’Connor reminded delegates that “understaffing of Comms Centres led directly to a series of 111 failures” culminating in the disappearance of Iraena Asher. It cost $45 million to fix the Comms Centres problem. He also pointed to cutting of drug and organised crime squads to focus scarce staff on volume crime, allowing organised crime and methamphetamine to entrench. “We 304 December 2011 Stand and deliver: Association President Greg O’Connor and Police Minister Hon Judith Collins at the start of the conference. are now spending a lot of money and effort playing catch-up.” Mr O’Connor said policing was about prioritisation, but if we “ask New Zealanders what they want from Police, having someone turn up when you have a prowler outside your window at 3am will always top the list. We can always do a whole lot more: but every new team that is set up needs to be resourced with staff from somewhere. “Unless you believe there is fat in the Police, ‘reprioritisation’ actually means stopping doing something,” he pointed out. Speaking to the theme of this year’s conference – Resourcing Excellence – Mr O’Connor said that Policing Excellence had been a laudable catchcry of the current Police administration, but it needed to be backed with resources. If there was not continued investment, he warned, damage would be done not only to service delivery and crime statistics, but to morale, engagement and organisational reputation. “Let’s not forget why we got extra staff and extra funding. We got it because Police was in crisis from budget cuts.” MINISTER PRAISES POLICE ASSOCIATION Police are very fortunate to have an association so committed to its members, says Police Minister Hon Judith Collins. Speaking to delegates at the Police Association Annual Conference, she said the Association was dedicated to professional development, rigorous standards of conduct, welfare and safety. “Like the people it serves, the Association focuses on results rather than ideology,” she said. It had also been a pleasure, during her time as minister, to deal with Association President Greg O’Connor and the executive, she said. “Almost without exception, there has been a willingness to work constructively on issues that are important to the Police and the public. That doesn’t mean we agree on every issue, but where there are differences, we work to resolve them in the spirit of co-operation.” New Zealand Police Association Finest in the world If there was ever any question that New Zealand Police were the finest in the world then the response to the earthquake should have dispelled any doubt, Police Minister Hon Judith Collins told the conference. “At the best of times we expect a lot from our police, but when disaster hits we expect something close to super human,” she said. “We expect police to be at the frontline saving lives and keeping people safe in the midst of incredible devastation. We expect them to help the hundreds of people who have lost friends, family homes or possessions and we expect them to provide reassurance to thousands, at a time when nothing can be taken for granted. Our police delivered all of those things.” The minister also praised the response of Australian police to the crisis. “I have never been so happy to see so many Australians at once,” she quipped for the benefit of the Australian observers at the conference. “If it weren’t for Policing Excellence… I do not believe for a moment that I would have been successful in holding your budget.” – Police Minister Hon Judith Collins She went on to tell them that the bonds that had been built up over the years really came into play, “the way the Australian counterparts seamlessly came in and did everything that they were asked to do without a complaint, all volunteers . . . thank you so much”, before adding: “It was very nice that you let us win the Rugby World Cup too.” Looking ahead, she told delegates that in the area of funding for law and order, there was a possibility of shifting resourcing from Corrections to Police, on the basis that the prison population was dropping and Corrections had “a bit of money that we might be able to filch across”. She also linked the conference’s theme of ‘Resourcing Excellence’ to holding the budget and avoiding cuts. From the Government’s point of view, resourcing excellence was about using resources more effectively, including through the Policing Excellence programme, to “reduce crime through increased focus on prevention, ensure greater responsiveness, relieve pressure on our justice system and improve the experience of those who have been victims of crime”. She told the delegates: “I cannot emphasise how important it is for Policing Excellence to deliver these results . . . if it weren’t for Policing Excellence. . . I do not believe for a moment that I would have been successful in holding your budget. So it’s up to you to help make that happen.” Keen to highlight the drop in the crime rate - 7 per cent less recorded crime per head of population in the last fiscal year to June 2011 - she said National had made law and order one of its top priorities, including reform of the criminal justice system. The Government also wanted to pass the Sentencing (Aggravating Factors) Amendment Bill, which would make assaults on police and Corrections officers an aggravating factor in sentencing. Getting tough on the causes of crime Tackling the causes of crime is the best investment a country can make in the area of law and order, according to Labour’s Phil Goff. Speaking at the Police Association’s annual conference ahead of the election, Mr Goff told members that any discussions on how to prevent crime usually ended up talking about “the 5 per cent”– at-risk children who had been given a rotten start in life. As a former Minister of Justice, he emphasised that he had been tough on crime and that during Labour’s tenure the government increased sentences for the worst offenders and gave courts more tools to deal with such offenders. And Labour had increased sworn officers by more than 1000. But now, he said, he wanted to bring that tough stance to bear on the causes of offending. Mr Goff said Police Association members were well placed to know what was going on at the grassroots level. They would be aware of “the kid who isn’t in school when he should be, the kid whose father beats up mum or is a gang member”. “ For the most vulnerable children, we’ll make sure that the services they start out life with are followed by continuing that support … where they grow up as well adjusted young people. Instead of on a path to your door and to the criminal justice system” – Phil Goff He cited the tragedy of children living in homes where drug and/or alcohol addiction was part of their daily lives, where there wasn’t a regular income, where people weren’t working and where there wasn’t money to pay bills and feed everyone properly. A priority for a Labour government would be its Agenda for Children, launched last month by the Labour Party. Income support was not enough by itself to help lift families out of poverty, he said. “We need much more than that. It’s about breaking the cycle of inter-generational dependency, giving kids the health care, the decent housing, the educational opportunities. It’s about motivating them to take advantage of these opportunities. We want our children to be aspirational.” However, he said, children from the “5 per cent” category needed even more intensive, on-going support to make a difference. “ For the most vulnerable children, we’ll make sure that the services they start out life with are followed by continuing that support … where they grow up as well adjusted young people. Instead of on a path to your door and to the criminal justice system” It wasn’t hard to identify the families that needed help and the earlier problems were tackled, the better. Labour wanted all parents to register their children with a Well Child provider before birth so at-risk families and children could be tracked. They would get intensive support for the first 18 months of their lives, and ongoing support through free early childhood education until they were three. December 2011 305 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Christchurch officers honoured When Constable Mike Wardle was confronted point-blank with the barrel of loaded gun during a routine inquiry, all his training kicked in as he faced off the armed offender who had just shot two of his colleagues. “We did everything right that day,” he says of the event. Constable Wardle was speaking after receiving a New Zealand Police Association Bravery Award along with his colleague former constable Marty Stiles. The two officers were involved in an incident in the Christchurch suburb of Phillipstown in July last year, during which Senior Constable Bruce Lamb was shot in the face, his police dog, Gage, was killed and his colleague, Constable Mitch Alatalo, was shot in the leg. Constables Alatalo and Wardle were conducting a routine search under the Misuse of Drugs Act, during which the aggressive manner of one of the occupants led them to call for backup. Constable Stiles and dog handler Senior Constable Lamb, and his dog Gage, responded. The occupant refused to come out of his room. When Senior Constable Lamb opened the door, the man opened fire with a rifle, shooting him through the face. His next shot killed police dog Gage. The gunman then came to the doorway and opened fire again, this time hitting Constable Alatalo as the officer retreated, escaping from the house through a window. While under fire, Constable Stiles grabbed his fallen colleague, Senior Constable Lamb, by the belt and dragged him back down the hallway towards safety. At the same time, Constable Wardle (then acting as Sergeant), confronted the gunman with a Taser. As he did so, the gunman aimed at Constable Wardle and pulled the trigger, but the firearm jammed. The officer fired the Taser, but it failed to incapacitate the offender. To buy enough time for Constable Stiles to evacuate the wounded Bruce Lamb, Constable Wardle reloaded the Taser and continued to challenge the offender, who briefly retreated before again following the officers out of the house and down the drive while pointing his rifle at them. Constable Wardle provided cover for his colleagues while they retreated. 306 December 2011 On camera: Former Constable Marty Stiles and Constable Mike Wardle after receiving their awards. up of police and representatives of the wider community. Senior Constable Lamb and Constable Alatalo were present for the ceremony along with the families of the award recipients. Sir Brian Lochore: Sir Brian, who presented the Bravery Awards, told the conference that a goal for the police was to gain and keep the respect of the people. The Bravery Awards went some way to reminding people of the difficult situations police officers will find themselves in and the lengths they will go to to protect life and property. Following the officers’ retreat, further armed police arrived. The offender rearmed himself with a higher powered rifle, and was ultimately arrested by the Armed Offenders Squad. The awards, which are the highest honour the Police Association can bestow on members for bravery, were presented to the two men during the Association’s annual conference by rugby legend Sir Brian Lochore. Sir Brian is a member of the Bravery Awards selection panel made Marty Stiles said that after he dragged Bruce Lamb and Gage out of the house and away from danger, he sent a silent prayer to God that no one else would be hurt, and now says: “I honour God for being faithful and protecting us . . . Things worked out a lot better than they could have been. “I’m glad it was an extraordinary incident, not an everyday incident.” Of the award, he said it didn’t feel like a brave day at the time, but it was nice to be recognised. He also thought of his Christchurch colleagues who worked during and after the earthquakes, and of the acts of heroism he had seen there on a daily basis. Marty and his family are now living in Australia. Of his time with the Police in New Zealand, he said: “I’m always so proud to say I have been a member of the New Zealand Police because of the honour and integrity of the force.” Mike Wardle said he had gone over and over that day in his mind. “I can still see him pointing the gun at me. . . I thought [after his New Zealand Police Association Taser failed], if he comes down the hallway, I’m dead.” But Constable Wardle emphasised that, under pressure, it was his training that came to the fore. His decision to face off the gunman was “just a reaction . . . we had a job to do”. He said the officers had all received great support from Police, including counselling. He admitted that the incident had made him more wary, but “I love my job”. “I will stay on the front line as long as I can. It’s what I was made to do.” Presenting the awards, Sir Brian told the conference that a goal for the police was to gain and keep the respect of the people. The Bravery Awards went some way to reminding people of the difficult situations police officers will find themselves in and the lengths they will go to to protect life and property. As Association President Greg O’Connor reminded those at the conference: “While members of the public can run away from danger, police must run towards it. The duty to act, to prevent harm to others, is one of the defining characteristics of policing.” Because policing was a dangerous business, bravery was sometimes taken for granted, he said. “Acts of ‘everyday heroism’ can be too easily dismissed as simply being the actions of a police officer doing his or her job. Sometimes, faced with the need for decisive action, it can even seem there is a fear of criticism: criticism for acting too soon; for acting alone; for going too far; or for not going far enough.” A culture of inquiry and risk-aversion could make police wary of taking action, but officers should not become tentative. “A tentative Police is an ineffective Police. That is why we believe it is so important to celebrate and honour the most outstanding acts of police bravery. The New Zealand Police Association Bravery Award is unique in that it represents recognition of a member by his or her peers and colleagues. “It represents acknowledgment that, even though police set incredibly high expectations of themselves and their colleagues, sometimes an action goes far beyond all reasonable expectations of courage,” Mr O’Connor said. Last month, Christopher Graham Smith, 36, was sentenced to 14 years jail for attempted Comrades: Mitch Alatalo, Marty Stiles, Mike Wardle and Bruce Lamb. Second year of awards The NZ Police Association Bravery Awards were established to honour outstanding acts of bravery of Police, on or off duty. The award represents peer recognition of outstanding bravery. The design of the award is based on the sternpost of a Maori waka, traditionally carved to provide guardianship of a journey. The cast bronze sternpost incorporates a Police chevron, and represents the strength, resolve and community guardianship of Police. The sternpost is topped by a flame of pounamu, representing valour and the high value in which the recipient is held. This is the second year the awards have been presented. Nominations were received from area committees. A panel comprising Police Association President Greg O’Connor, Association Region 6 Director Craig Prior, Superintendent Grant O’Fee, Dame Margaret Bazley and Sir Brian Lochore then selected the recipients. murder of a police officer, wounding another officer and killing a police dog. He had pleaded guilty to the charges and also admitted cultivating cannabis, three unlawful firearms charges, one charge of unlawfully having a knife and two charges of using a firearm against officers who approached him after the shootings. Crown prosecutor Brent Stanaway told the court: “It is at the top end of the scale of violent offending, short of an actual death.” Third bravery award presented in secret Because of the nature of policing, there will be times when the identity of a NZ Police Association Bravery Award recipient will remain secret. This year, a third bravery award was presented at a private ceremony just before the conference. Police Association President Greg O’Connor, who was at the ceremony, said: “The officer demonstrated the highest levels of courage, by placing themselves in harm’s way when the lives of colleagues were at imminent threat. By drawing the attention of an armed offender, that officer likely saved the lives of two colleagues, while placing their own life at risk.” The officer wrote to the Association in acknowledgement of the award. Here is an edited extract with identifying details removed: “That day is one that I will never forget. The support I have received from the Police Association and the Police organisation makes me very proud to be serving member. I am very humbled to have received the award, especially at the ceremony where I could share this proud moment with my family and work colleagues, who have also been affected by this incident. I would like to thank all those involved, especially those who took the time out to spend the day with us. To have the likes of Sir Brian Lochore, Deputy Commissioner Viv Rickard, and Greg, made for a memorable day. We have a tough job to do and have to make tough decisions, but I took an oath when I joined the Police and making the tough decisions is part of the job. This award is something I will cherish and I know that my wife and son are very proud of a husband and father who is a serving member of the New Zealand Police.” December 2011 307 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Official citation of the awards for Constables Stiles and Wardle This was read by Sir Brian Lochore at the presentation NZ Police Association Bravery Award Citations Constable Mike WARDLE Constable Marty STILES Christchurch, 13 July 2010 On 13 July, 2010, Constable Mitch Alatalo and Constable Mike Wardle (at that time as Acting Sergeant) were making routine enquiries at an address in Christchurch. As they were speaking to one of the occupants at the front door, they detected a strong smell of cannabis. As a result they invoked the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act to search the property. The occupant who was being spoken to became obstructive and was arrested by Constable Wardle for possession of cannabis. Constable Alatalo conducted an initial search by walking through the flat, verbally identifying himself as Police and asking any other occupants to come out. The flat’s other occupant was in a bedroom with the door closed and shouted at Constable Alatalo telling him to “f… off”. In light of his aggressive demeanour, Constable Alatalo returned to the doorway of the flat and took custody of the first occupant, taking him to the Police car before returning to the flat. Constable Wardle went to the Police car to arm himself with a Taser and call for backup. Constable Martin Stiles and dog handler Senior Constable Bruce Lamb responded to the call for backup. They and Constable Wardle returned to the flat, with a Taser and Police dog Gage. The four police officers went into the flat and stood in the hallway outside the closed bedroom door. They again verbally identified themselves as Police, and knocked on the door. Senior Constable Lamb, accompanied by Gage, then opened the door. As soon as he did so, the occupant immediately opened fire with a .22 rifle. Senior Constable Lamb was hit in the face by one bullet and fell to the ground with his jaw broken into 15 pieces. The offender closed in and was preparing to shoot him again when the Police dog Gage intervened and was shot instead. Senior Constable Lamb yelled that he had 308 December 2011 He’s our hero: After the award presentation ceremony, Constable Mike Wardle posed for photos with his family. One of his children was heard to say: “I didn’t realise my dad was a hero!” been shot as he and police dog Gage fell to the ground. As Senior Constable Lamb and Gage tried to crawl backwards Constable Stiles grabbed Senior Constable Lamb by his belt and dragged him down the hallway and away from immediate danger. Senior Constable Lamb was himself holding on to Gage, so Constable Stiles was in effect dragging both. As he was doing so, the offender moved to the doorway of his bedroom and opened fire again, firing four shots at Constable Alatalo as he ran to exit the address through a bathroom window. Constable Alatalo was hit in the leg as he escaped. Constable Stiles displayed extraordinary bravery, by dragging a seriously wounded colleague to safety while the officers were under fire. In doing so he put his own life at serious risk. It is this act of extraordinary bravery for which Constable Marty Stiles is being honoured with a New Zealand Police Association Bravery Award. After shooting at Constable Alatalo, the offender then aimed the rifle at Constable Wardle and walked towards him. Constable Wardle stood his ground and fired the Taser at him as the offender pulled the trigger on the rifle. The rifle jammed; otherwise Constable Wardle would likely have been shot at close range. The Taser shot failed to incapacitate the offender, so Constable Wardle reloaded the device with a second cartridge. As he did so, the offender, his rifle jammed but still aimed at Constable Wardle, retreated to his bedroom once more, yelling abuse, and closed the door. Thanks to Constable Wardle’s actions, the offender briefly retreated, buying sufficient time for the four officers (two of whom had been shot) to exit the property and begin to retreat from it. As they did so, the offender followed, again pointing a rifle at them. Constable Wardle maintained a position between the offender and the other officers, again to provide some cover for them as they retreated. Constable Wardle displayed extraordinary bravery, by standing his ground and engaging with a Taser an offender who was armed with a rifle and who had already shot two police, in order to cover the retreat of his colleagues, two of whom were wounded. In doing so he placed his own life at serious risk. It is this act of extraordinary bravery for which Constable Mike Wardle is being honoured with a New Zealand Police Association Bravery Award. Following the officers’ retreat, further police arrived. The offender retreated once again and armed police were able to establish a cordon. The offender had by this time rearmed himself with a higher powered rifle. Constables Wardle and Stiles remained involved in the incident, including Constable Stiles entering into dialogue with the offender for 15 minutes in an attempt to reassure him and ‘talk him down’ from further violence. It is likely Constable Stiles’ dialogue with the offender helped dissuade him from shooting at Armed Offenders Squad members when he had a clear opportunity to do so. Ultimately AOS members were able to rush and arrest the offender without further significant injury. New Zealand Police Association Police will front with confidence, Commissioner tells conference review due shortly; an Independent Police Conduct Authority report coming through in terms of Operation Hope and a Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) kicking off in March. “One could argue that it’s going to be a perfect storm; I’m suggesting that we have the confidence and we bring it on.” He said Police were adopting an up-front, confident approach. “I’m in a hurry,” Commissioner Peter Marshall told delegates at the annual conference. He said his self-initiated three-year tenure – instead of the usual five - gave him the incentive to get things going to achieve what he wanted in that period. He said that when he first arrived back from the Solomon Islands he was somewhat bewildered by the structure of the Police Executive. After a reshuffle, District Commanders are now left to get on with running their districts and the Executive is down from 29 people to 14. “It’s my absolute belief that PNHQ is there to service the Districts, not the other way round,” he said. Police culture For the second year in a row, NZ Police was voted the most reputable government organisation in the country and held 77 per cent of the public’s trust and confidence in the 2011 survey of citizens’ satisfaction. “We have got to be very careful in ensuring that reputation stands,” Commissioner Marshall said. With nearly 12,000 personnel, police would make mistakes from time to time. But if mistakes were made, Police would front up and sort it out rather than allow a vacuum to emerge that may encourage misinformed commentary from people with particular agendas. The Commissioner wanted officers to have confidence that they had authority to make decisions in the field. “I will back any police officer’s decision, albeit it turns out to be the wrong one, if they made it in good faith and believing that they were doing the right thing.” He advised the conference that NZ Police had avoided the 6 per cent cut suffered by most government departments last Budget on the basis they would produce significant results with Policing Excellence. “I’ve been given a target of 13 per cent crime reduction in the next four years … 19 per cent drop in prosecutions… And a 4 per cent redeployment of Police personnel into the prevention area.” Crime prevention and the justice pipeline Per portion of population, New Zealand’s prison population is not far behind the United States and UK. Commissioner Marshall said one of the tools to decrease the flow through the justice pipeline was alternate resolutions. A 19 per cent increase in alternate resolutions would see a drop of 31,000 cases over four years. He said many people were first-timers A man in a hurry: Police Commissioner Peter Marshall addresses delegates at the conference. and could actually just do with a bit of a warning. It was not desirable to have officers sitting typing a prosecution file, then court staff, prosecutors and District Court judges with the possibility of a defended hearing, all for a minor matter attracting little sanction. SMART mobile policing There are going to be 1000 SMART devices for traffic policing by the end of this year. Work will soon be under way for other SMART devices to be used for the likes of disorderly behaviour, fighting, wilful damage and whatever else can be dealt with by the constable on the street, without them having to prepare a prosecution file. Neighbourhood Policing Teams Thirty Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT) will be in place by the end of the year. Commissioner Marshall said research showed 10 per cent of offenders committed 50 per cent of the crime, with 6 per cent of victims suffering 54 per cent of the crime. “There’s got to be shift from our reactive policing mode to a preventative approach.” Police budget Commissioner Marshall said that Police Minister Judith Collins had “made no bones about the budget”. “We are in tight times” and would need to cover incremental wage increases. There could be no expectation of an increase to the Police baseline, and with 73 per cent of the Police budget made up of HR, with 27 per cent being operational, “there was not a lot of wiggle room”. Police had to work smarter and “rostering to demand” would be hugely important. “We don’t want police officers deployed at times that don’t make sense.” Reviews and reports Police have a Commission of Inquiry review coming; an Office of the Auditor General Firearms The Commissioner said that by June 2011, all frontline vehicles, including the Road Policing units, would have a Glock, a Bushmaster, a Taser and ballistic armour in their vehicles. “I am not going to go down the path of general arming of the NZ Police,” he said. Greater firearms accessibility was a good halfway house. He acknowledged the Association’s view, but believed that by implementing a policy where access to Tasers and firearms was freer and less bureaucratic, there was no reason for absolute arming in the foreseeable future. Staff rotation Using the term “refreshment and rejuvenation” in relation to staff rotation, Commissioner Marshall said District Commanders, Area Commanders and OC Stations should be refreshed and rejuvenated by a rotation of duties after a reasonable period of time. Even Assistant Commissioners would be subject to rotation of duties. “It makes no sense to me to have a person in that position for a 10-year period.” However, he said, he was not going to be unreasonable where Area Commanders and OC Stations were locked into geographical locations and rotation would mean great upheaval. Women in policing Out of the 17 to 18 per cent of female constabulary staff, Commissioner Marshall said that only about 8 per cent were commissioned officers. “We’ve extraordinary women across all ranks but I’m interested in getting police women into the senior Executive.” He said work was being done to develop and identify women who wanted to come through the ranks. Association acknowledged Commissioner Marshall noted how the Association has pushed hard on things like the meth problem, gangs and matters leading to Operation Hope. He acknowledged the relationship Police have with the Police Association as extremely important. December 2011 309 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Dealing with consequences of an open Coroner’s Court Chief Coroner Neil MacLean addresses the conference Letieza Ord, of Ord Legal, also spoke to the conference and agreed there were difficulties for police officers under the Coroners Act. “There have been some disasters where police have been hung out to dry,” she said. How do we protect police officers from the “media dogs”? That was one of the questions put to Chief Coroner Neil MacLean at the Police Association Annual Conference last month, expressing some of the frustration members feel since changes to the law have made the Coroner’s Court more open. As a result, police officers giving evidence have sometimes become the target of criticism, even, in some cases, from the coroner. Among the most vulnerable are officers appearing as witnesses in “police-involved deaths”. Police Association President Greg O’Connor said that because the hearings were in public, there was no protection for officers called to give evidence. Judge MacLean told the conference that it was true that in high profile cases, police officers have felt vulnerable, but the coroner had to do his or her job without fear or favour. Under the act, the overriding factor was that the coroner had to be neutral and not be seen to be protecting any particular person in the courtroom. “We operate in public, which has benefits and pitfalls, but the starting point is openness . . suppression [of names or evidence] should be the exception not the rule.” He suggested that police could have their own lawyer in court to make a case for suppression, but the reaction might well be, It was a good idea, therefore, to identify cases that would have a media profile and get legal advice beforehand. Lawyers could protect officers, prevent names being published and make sure that the questions being asked were fair and that the evidence being presented was expert. Under scrutiny: At the conference, Chief Coroner Neil MacLean had to deal with questions about protection for police witnesses in open court. why should that person be treated differently to other witnesses? The response from one delegate was to point out that a police-officer involved death was an exceptional circumstance and for the officer it would be the most traumatic experience of their life. As far as his ability to direct coroners went, the Chief Coroner said each was an individual judicial officer. The approach to matters of evidence could vary from coroner to coroner, but at the heart of the system was the neutrality and openness of the court. Ms Ord said there was already provision in the act for a coroner to suppress evidence. She also suggested that the Chief Coroner can formulate practice notes for all coroners, and this is already part of the act. Mr O’Connor said delegates must let the Association know as soon as possible about cases that were coming up. “Once allegations are out there, they can’t be put back in the box,” he said. If you are called to give evidence in a coronial inquiry and were closely involved in the death, please contact your local Association Field Officer as soon as possible. It is important that we can assess whether you require representation at the hearing at an early stage. Association sounds cautionary note on Authorised Officer expansion Responses to financial pressures must not lose sight of the potential long term impacts, Police Association President Greg O’Connor told delegates at Annual Conference. “Let’s not make decisions now which create new crises in two, five or 10 years’ time,” he said. For example, Mr O’Connor said, there was a drive to expand the use of Authorised Officers (AOs) – Police employees with limited statutory police powers – with suggestions that up to 1000 constables could be replaced with AOs. While consultants could make seemingly compelling cases about how an AO could do the same job for less money, they were overlooking the fact the generalist constable 310 December 2011 was the backbone of Police flexibility, he said. “Without a large pool of constables, we could not redeploy in response to a crisis or large-scale emergency like the Canterbury earthquakes, or quickly move over 100 staff to Auckland for the Rugby World Cup finals.” “Let’s not make decisions now which create new crises in two, five or 10 years’ time.” Policing was about being able to respond to the unexpected. “In an emergency, a fully sworn Youth Aid officer, or Scene of Crime officer or even a police launch crew can arm themselves and stand on a cordon, or help with crowd control. An Authorised Officer doing the same day job cannot.” Mr O’Connor said there may be a place for AOs in policing, but “we need to be very careful that we are not seduced by the promise of savings, and find ourselves increasingly reliant on the ‘second tier’, to the detriment of overall police capability”. Police Commissioner Peter Marshall told the conference that AOs would not be placed in roles that were fundamental for sworn officers, but rather they would take on watch house, custody and transportation duties. “I’d rather have them [AOs] there and have personnel out on the front line.” New Zealand Police Association The view from abroad International guests at the conference shared some of their thoughts with delegates. Australia Pat Gooley, vice-president of the Police Association of New South Wales, said the last time he had been in New Zealand was when he and executive member Tony Bear joined the more than 300 Australian police officers who helped with the aftermath of the February 22 earthquake in Christchurch. He told delegates it was the highlight of their careers and they realised that: “Coppers are the same everywhere; they do it for the right reasons; they do it hard; they sacrifice a lot. And for the locals, to be able to throw yourself into helping your community when you don’t know what’s going on at home, or you know you’re screwed at home, is a great thing.” Speaking of communities, Colin Johnston of the Western Australian Police Union, said it had been good to hear of the initiatives made in New Zealand in community policing, because their commissioner had pulled them out of that area, saying it wasn’t a policing role. But he warned his Kiwi counterparts: “I hope you have documented it well, because it’s very hard to keep resources like that if you don’t have the stats to back it up.” Some of the Australian delegates were happy to boast that the global financial crisis (GFC) hitting Europe had not affected their organisations and, unlike many other police employee organisations around the world, they reported pay rises for members and increased staffing levels. Andy Dunn, secretary the Police Association of South Australia, said it was politics, not the GFC, that the unions had to be wary of in Australia. Pat Gooley confirmed that in New South Wales the bargaining power of the public sector unions had certainly been eroded. The state wasn’t well off financially, either, but it certainly wasn’t in a “black hole”, he said, alluding to the GFC-imposed restraints in other countries. “All around the world governments are using the GFC to hack into people’s wages and conditions, but it’s been proved in New South Wales that there’s no need to do that.” A worse problem was the government’s recent scrapping of members’ extra death and disability cover. Observing: From left, Samoan visitors Lorraine Lees and Sapani Leleimalefaga, from the Samoan Police Association; Claus Redder Madsen, secretary of the Police Union of Denmark; and Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation. Representing the Queensland Police Union of Employees, Darren Lees said it was the first year that the union had not entered into an enterprise bargaining agreement, after the government forced it into arbitration. The outcome was a pay rise, but the increase would have to be absorbed in the budget, with resulting staff cuts. The Australians also praised the New Zealand Police Association for its Bravery Award programme. Darren Lees said it was one of the most moving things he had seen during the conference. Samoa It was “breath-taking” to see how stable and organised the New Zealand Police Association was compared with its sister organisation in Samoa, Lorraine Lees, secretary of the Samoan Police Association, told delegates. She said there were valuable lessons to be learned from the conference. “We started in the 1960s, but we have never been a stable organisation. Two years ago we got a new police commissioner and here we are.” Even though Samoa gained independence in 1962, it still relied quite heavily on Australia and New Zealand, she said. There are 580 members in the Samoan police force made up of support staff and police officers. South Africa Policing in South Africa continues to be a very dangerous job, Mpho Kwinika, president of the South African Police Union (SAPU), told delegates. More than 68 officers have died on duty since 2008. Officers never got any appreciation from those they served, either. It was necessary for police to “carry as much powers as they can, and as much force as they can”, he said. The police were fully armed with rifles, shotguns, pistols: “We choose what type of weapon depending on the skills of the officer.” Thandi Shgimange, the first vice-president of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU), backed up Mr Kwinika’s comments. Her organisation was formed when it became clear that police officers were not even welcome in their own communities, such as the black townships where they were expected to enforce unjust laws. The membership of POPCRU is now 160,000 made up of police, correctional and traffic officers and civilians in the South African Police Service and correctional centres. Denmark Claus Redder Madsen, secretary of the Police Union of Denmark, told the conference that his members found it essential to be an armed police force, despite being close to its Scandinavian neighbour Norway, one of the five unarmed forces around the world, including New Zealand. (The others are Ireland, Iceland and the United Kingdom.) He reported that the Norwegian police had voted against general arming, but that was before the shootings at Utoya in July. Last month the issue was raised again, but a decision has been postponed for one year to give members time to consider the debate. Mr Madsen also presented a frightening array of statistics related to the GFC: a 20 per cent pay cut for police in Ireland and the closure of the police academy; a public sector pay freeze in England; recruitment problems in Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Latvia, where policing is considered low-status work. In Denmark, there had been no wage cuts, but police numbers had been reduced, from 11,000 to 10,600. For the view from Scotland, see comments from Scottish Police Federation General Secretary Calum Steele overleaf. December 2011 311 PoliceNews The Voice of Police UK police pay, conditions, and rights under attack “Let me start by managing your expectations. Developments are normally positive things, but I’ve not got a lot that’ll make you smile.” That was Scottish Police Federation General Secretary Calum Steele’s opening warning as he presented an update on Policing Developments in the UK and Ireland to the Police Association’s Annual Conference in Wellington last month. Mr Steele’s presentation described the police cuts that had already been implemented in Ireland, and were being implemented in England and Wales. Scotland, because its devolved government administration gives it independence on justice and policing, has so far escaped the knife. The Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government elected in the UK in May 2010 faced a worsening financial situation. The first response “whenever a new government comes in, is just to blame the old one”, Mr Steele told delegates. “But blaming the old one only takes you so far, so to avoid making difficult decisions you set up a review, or in the case of the UK policing environment, you set up three.” In the UK, the three reviews have been the Hutton Review, the Neyroud Review, and the Winsor Review. These reviews have called for immediate spending cuts in many areas of public spending, and long-term public sector restructuring. Police face 20 per cent budget cuts, which means about 32,000 police are expected to lose their jobs. Baubles of office: Whoever is wearing this necklace is the person we’ve got to listen to, Samoan Police Association President Sapani Leleimalefaga told Police Association President Greg O’Connor when he presented him with a traditional Samoan necklace during the conference. Mr O’Connor wore the necklace throughout the rest of the conference. 312 December 2011 Key issues in the Hutton recommendations include reduced superannuation across the public sector, including police. The Winsor Review called for freezing pay increments, cutting overtime, and cutting superannuation contributions and entitlements. If fully implemented, the combined recommendations are estimated to cost each officer about £3000-£6000 ($6200-$12,500) a year. Och, naw, ye should’na have: Calum Steele is delighted with his gift from the Police Association, given to him at the conference. It reads: “In appreciation for an insightful presentation on English and Scottish Policing to the NZ Police Association Annual Conference.” To soften the blow, the Winsor Review suggested such morale boosters as medals for Special Constables, who are unpaid volunteers. In Ireland, police numbers are being cut by more than 10 per cent. Those police who remain have been handed 5-10 per cent pay cuts, tax increases, and reduced superannuation contributions and entitlements. The cuts are already generating financial stress as officers struggle to cope with the cost of living. However, it’s not simply a case of balancing the books, Mr Steele cautioned. More concerning has been the attack on collective bargaining rights in both Ireland, where they “have simply been ignored”, and the UK. Part two of the Winsor Review, due to report early next year, is expected not only to propose further pay and career path restructuring, but also a new pay review body. Under this proposal, the unions and employers would be limited to making submissions to a standalone board, which would determine pay and conditions. There would be no negotiation. Similar attempts to remove police rights to collective bargaining are also under way in some parts of the United States, also in the guise of moves to curb public spending. New Zealand Police Association Firearms rollout not ‘pseudo arming’ The rollout of firearms to all frontline vehicles is not “pseudo arming” of police, Superintendent Barry Taylor, National Manager: Operations, told the Police Association Annual Conference last month. In his own contribution to the conference, Commissioner Peter Marshall also reaffirmed his opposition to general arming. The rollout will, however, ensure firearms are available to those who need them most, Mr Taylor said. This means frontline units, including GDB (General Duties Branch), STU (Strategic Traffic Unit), and Highway Patrol are being equipped with at least one Taser, Glock, and Bushmaster rifle, along with two sets of Hard Armour Plate (HAP) body armour. A system of safety seals would be used on individual firearms, so officers could have confidence that a weapon would be ready for use. All vehicles will be fitted with alarms and safes. “We want to avoid carting them [firearms] in and out of police stations,” Mr Taylor said. Superintendent Taylor emphasised that it was not “firearms for everyone”, but no district would have fewer firearms, and in most cases they would have more. By June 2012, 63 per cent of response vehicles will carry firearms, compared with 10 per cent now, he said. Firearm, Taser and body armour stocks were being expanded to allow the rollout. By the numbers: Superintendent Barry Taylor, National Manager: Operations, told the conference that by June 2012, 63 per cent of response vehicles will carry firearms, compared with 10 per cent now. A system of safety seals would be used on individual firearms, so officers could have confidence that a weapon would be ready for use Tactical decision-making With firearms in the vehicle and backed by appropriate policies, Mr Taylor said officers would be able to make their own decisions about the necessary course of action. The policy will include a requirement that, at any incident where a firearm is carried, a Taser must also be carried so as to preserve the option of a less-lethal response. Taser and firearm training is to be aligned to support the policy, to cover lethal and non-lethal options, though details of of the modified training, including use of simulators, had yet to be confirmed. Additional focus was also being placed on Command Capability Development project, Mellow in yellow: South African Policing Union members who attended the powhiri. From left, Tumi Modgodiseng, Kgaogelo Magagula, Oscar Skommere and Mpho Kwinika. and the TEN-R (Threat-Exposure-NecessityResponse) risk assessment tool, to ensure staff are well-equipped to make sound tactical decisions under pressure. Responding to questions from delegates, Superintendent Taylor said the potential for acquiring ballistic helmets had been discussed, however they were not being considered at present and were not part of the firearms and Taser project. Uniforms on track Superintendent Taylor also briefed Conference on progress with safety footwear, and the new Authorised Officer and corporate Police employee uniforms. Footwear was undergoing a further trial, with rollout to the frontline expected by June 2012. The Authorised Officer uniform would be available for order from this month (December) and the corporate uniform from early next year. Hitting the right note: Police College Kaiwawao (mediator) Kim Ratapu welcomed guests and led the Police College Kapa Haka group at the powhiri to welcome international guests. December 2011 313 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Resourcing Excellence Turnaround in Otara The extra staff poured into CountiesManukau, combined with smart policing, are starting to turn around Otara’s reputation as a high-crime neighbourhood, Police and community presenters told the Association’s Annual Conference last month. Otara Community Board member and active community leader Poutua Papalii has grown up and lived in Otara since the 1960s. He has witnessed the changing character of the area over the last 40-plus years, including the development of its popular perception as a high-crime area. Things are now improving, thanks in large part to the smart deployment of 300 extra police over the last three years. In 2008, the only time you would see police in Otara was when they were chasing or arresting someone, Mr Papalii said. As a result, the community did not know how to relate to police officers, or have any confidence in how to go about asking for help and advice. Since the extra resources have been put into Otara, the everyday police presence has increased. Importantly, and largely due to the NPT working with community leaders like Mr Papalii, it has been a positive presence where officers are engaging with community members as citizens rather than only as victims or offenders. Out with the old: Community leader Poutua Papalii, left, and Constable Aron Singh get to work on helping revitalising a rundown part of the Otara that was dominated by the Killer Beez gang. No-go zone: The Everitt Road shops, where parents were afraid to send their children to the dairy. Chasing tails Constable Aron Singh has also witnessed the turnaround. “When I started in 2008 on response in South Auckland, there were not enough units to respond to P1s (Priority One emergency calls). We had a Sergeant and two I-Cars (Incident Cars) chasing their tails.” on Police’s ability to get on top of crime. “When you are rushing from one job to the next, you don’t have time to lock people up because you’re needed on the street. You don’t have time to take proper statements at the time of the incident, and that creates problems for CIB investigations later on.” As a result, units would constantly arrive late to jobs, leaving the community dissatisfied, and sometimes placing staff at risk. “We would have two officers turn up to a disorder involving twenty to thirty people armed with bats and other weapons,” Constable Singh said. Nuisance crime Before the extra resources were brought in, “nuisance” serious crime would constantly tie up scarce CIB resources. “Things like gang-related serious violence and robberies would mean staff had to be pulled off other files to investigate,” Mr Glossop said. These spontaneous but serious matters meant other files constantly had to be parked instead of being progressed in a timely fashion. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Glossop of Counties Manukau CIB has also seen the change, from both response and CIB perspectives. He pointed out the stress on GDB response units had knock-on effects 314 December 2011 Police were clearly under-resourced, but at the same time, they knew that simply increasing numbers and doing the same things would never allow them to get on top of the problem. There would always be more jobs than they could deal with. Quick wins With extra resources, Counties Manukau police were able to trial new approaches. ‘Quick wins’ were possible because – without reducing existing sections – police were able to set up new teams to open up a second front on crime in the District. These included a Major Crime Team to provide an initial CIB response to the serious “nuisance” crime which would otherwise have forced a whole CIB squad to drop their existing files to investigate. Public Safety Teams (PSTs) were also set up, which were able to respond to the jobs I-Cars couldn’t attend. Combined with New Zealand Police Association Reclaimed land: Police and volunteers worked together to clean up rubbish, remove tagging, repaint and create the mural, below, with the positive message of “Back to Learning”. Constable Singh told the conference that by building trust and understanding their concerns, police had been able to work with the community to take the Otara streets back from the gangs. re-rostering, the PSTs meant the ‘sergeant plus two or three (I-Cars)’ shifts instead had as many as ‘four plus eight’ units available. That meant minor disorders were dealt with before they escalated into serious P1s which would have demanded I-Cars drop other jobs to respond. PSTs were also able to engage in hot-spot policing and self-initiated arrests to remove offenders from the street. This in turn led to a major and immediate reduction in the “nuisance” serious crime. With quick wins under their belt, CountiesManukau police were able to take the next step by setting up Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs). Neighbourhood Policing Constable Singh works on the Otara NPT and has recently been Acting Sergeant on the team. They have focused on getting into the community to get alongside the ‘good people’ who suffer at the hands of the small but intimidating criminal element. By building trust and understanding their concerns, they have been able to get the community working with Police to take the Otara streets back from the gangs. A good example has been the Everitt Road shops. These used to be covered in gang tags and dominated by the Killer Beez gang, to the point where locals were afraid to allow their children to go to the local dairy. Working with the community and supported with materials donated by Bunnings, the NPT has cleaned up the shops and cleared the gangs out. Local youths who used to be responsible for much of the graffiti have instead been engaged in painting murals on the walls. The result: kids seeing for the first time how good their community can look, and community pride instead of fear. “There was initially a feeling it would be a bit ‘tree-huggy’, but it’s not like that. They are solving crime by targeting problems, and delivering excellent intelligence because the community is now engaged and responsive.” Detective Senior Sergeant Glossop Detective Senior Sergeant Glossop admits some of the ‘old hands’ had to eat humble pie after seeing the value of NPTs. “There was initially a feeling it would be a bit ‘tree-huggy’, but it’s not like that. They are solving crime by targeting problems, and delivering excellent intelligence because the community is now engaged and responsive,” Mr Glossop said. No silver bullet However, the extra resources have not been a “silver bullet”, community leader Poutua Papalii cautioned. In 2008, the big crime issues in Otara were youth crime, alcohol, gangs, and domestic violence. Three years on, while big improvements have been made, those are still serious issues in the community. The more important change, however, has been in the Police relationship with and presence within the community. Considerable focus has been put on building Neighbourhood Support Groups. “The community is reporting more, trusting more, and helping more. The people now have a greater belief that Police are there to help them,” Mr Papalii said. As a result, the confidence of the community has been lifted – not only in Police, but also in themselves. Mr Glossop agreed that success in Otara is not just down to the extra resources. While you need to be able to maintain the core and build around that to get onto the front foot, smart policing and leadership which “stepped up” have also been crucial to the “excellent recipe” developed in Counties Manukau over the last few years. “Where we were just mowing lawns, now we’re using Round Up,” Detective Senior Sergeant Glossop said. “But we could not have done it without the staff.” Following the presentation on the Otara success story, Conference passed the following motion: “That this conference recognises and endorses the increase in staff numbers in Counties Manukau, and the strategic use of these staff to improve policing in Counties Manukau. This conference encourages Government and Police to make the same investment in all other Police Districts to enable them to make the same improvements to their communities.” December 2011 315 PoliceNews The Voice of Police A day in the life of a... SECTION SERGEANT The work of a section sergeant is dynamic, reactive and unpredictable. Three officers tell Sophie Erasmuson about their jobs, in which they never quite know what they willl be doing from one day to the next. IAN ROSE – Auckland Central A typical day for Sergeant Ian Rose of Auckland Central begins with a detailed hand-over from the night before, and organising the section tasks for the day. His team is small; just six members who work on a five-day roster with each officer working seven early shifts, and six late shifts every five weeks. The team focuses purely on reactive incidents ranging from serious assaults, to domestic violence, disorderly behaviour and traffic incidents and mainly in the central city. “The challenges facing Auckland Central are mainly caused by people who travel into Auckland on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights to consume large amounts of alcohol,” Mr Rose says. “Intoxication leads to major disorder ranging from assaults, to disorderly behaviour which, due to the huge number of people entering the city, is always a challenge to keep on top of. The nature of our work is always unpredictable.” He has worked as a section sergeant for seven years in Auckland Central and has seen a lot of change in both resources and the nature of crime in the area over that period. “When I first started working in Auckland Central there were a lot of assaults occurring, then the liquor ban came in which was really good for controlling these incidents. Over the years, alcohol has once again become the source of major incidents in the city.” Although frontline policing is always a challenge, a highlight of his job is seeing young constables straight out of Police College grow and become excellent police officers. “You can see them move on to their desired field in the police which is a really satisfying position to be in.” 316 December 2011 Smashing: A section sergeant and his or her team will be called out to attend traffic incidents. KRISTINA ECKHOLD – Hastings Returning to frontline section work after 14 years as a detective in Hawke’s Bay has been both rewarding and challenging for Sergeant Kristina Eckhold. She joined the police 17 years ago, working on section for four years as a constable, before moving on to becoming a detective for 13 years. She has recently returned to managing a section of seven young constables in the Hastings area, a challenge she says she is glad she has taken up. “You deal with so many horrendous and serious crimes on such a regular basis as a detective, you become used to the nature of those types of crimes, and it becomes routine after so many years. I was looking for a new challenge. It’s the instant decision making that happens on section that I am enjoying. It’s a completely different way of thinking,” she says. Ms Eckhold’s day begins with planning based on the number of staff she has rostered on that day, and incidents that have happened in the previous shift. The section works on a six-day roster with Ms Eckhold receiving an intelligence summary based on what has been happening in the city over the past four days while the team has been on leave. The report contains information such as statistics on crime in certain parts of Hastings, and increases in particular types of crimes such as rural burglaries or accidents on a particular strip of road. “I use the intelligence reports to assign constables who are not attending reactive incidents to patrol areas of concern in an effort to prevent further crime. This is the fun part of policing as it is generally positive work that involves talking to people and making the public feel safer through prevention,” she says. Of the changes in frontline policing 14 years on, and the nature of the crimes that sections are dealing with, Ms Eckhold says she had noticed an increase in violence. “The main thing, which is very evident, is how much more violent crime has become. Fourteen years ago, you would go New Zealand Police Association to assaults where people were using their fists; you are now constantly aware that the person may have a knife. This means you are continually thinking about how your staff should react to a situation which may seem routine, but which could quickly turn very dangerous.” Ms Eckhold says there is a lot of comradeship on section. “It’s a real close bond that you have with your section. When you are working as a detective you have one partner, whereas on section you are working with eight young people who are so willing to learn. It’s the supervisory part of the job which is the great part, they come to you with questions and guidance and it is your responsibility to help them.” MATTHEW ALLEY – Howick (Manukau East) Working on section in Manukau East holds its own special challenges for Sergeant Matthew Alley. His section is based in Howick, one of the four police districts in the greater Manukau area. The day begins at 6am with Mr Alley checking emails and looking into overnight incidents. The nature of section works means that witness statements might need to be taken by the team working the next day. On the spot: Crowd control, day and night, falls to the members of the section sergeant’s team. His team works an eight-week roster where constables are rotated between reactive policing work and preventive patrolling work. Intelligence reports are provided to Mr Alley and constables are assigned to problem areas in Howick so they can decide where to spend their time and what people or areas to look out for. Mr Alley began working on section in April this year, after spending seven years as a detective. “One of the differences between detective work and section work is that with detective work you are not a slave to the radio as such, you have more time to plan your work. At the same time, what I really enjoy about section work is that it is unpredictable. No one day is ever the same,” said Mr Alley. Manukau has been the subject of much media attention over recent years and Mr Alley says changes to resourcing have changed section policing in the area. “It has been an interesting time in Manukau. For so long we were making do with not enough, and the extra staff has made a big difference. There are still massive issues with drugs and alcohol in the region which are causing problems.” A greater emphasis has been placed on community policing and crime prevention in the greater Manukau area. “Seven years ago when I first joined the police, the frontline was quite different. The emphasis now is on prevention and tackling crime at the source of the problem, and that is definitely making a difference,” he says. ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS INCREASE Subscriptions for the Association are fixed from time to time by Conference (Rule 92). The last increase in subscriptions was in October 2010 to account for the imposed 2.5% increase in GST. This increase had no impact on Association revenue streams. Prior to the GST-related increase, the last real increase in subscriptions was almost four years ago in February 2008 and before that in January 2007 and November 2001. Since February 2008, members have had cumulative general increases of about 7.5%. In addition members will have received CSI increases of varying amounts. The principle source of revenue for the Association is our subscriptions. In previous years membership growth has offset increases in our operating costs. Taking all these factors into consideration Conference agreed we increase our subscriptions by 1.3%, this increase to be effective from the Police Pay on 7 December. The impact of these increases on members is outlined in the table below. New Constabulary Members Was Subscription Full Time (4 days – 32 hours plus weekly) 3-4 days (24 – 72 hours weekly) Up to 3 days (up to 24 hours weekly) $18.40 $14.72 $11.04 $18.64 $14.91 $11.18 New Police Employee (non-constabulary) Members Was Subscription Full Time (4 days – 32 hours plus weekly) 3-4 days (24 – 72 hours weekly) Up to 3 days (up to 24 hours weekly) $11.24 $9.00 $6.75 $11.39 $9.12 $6.84 These new subscriptions remain very competitive with other unions and representative organisations. Members will not need to do anything as the new subscriptions will be automatically deducted through the Police payroll system. December 2011 317 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Far left is the Stealth Force 80 full leather V3; Left is the Stealth Force 80 composite and leather footwear. Try our 5 minute quiz Okay, morning or afternoon tea break has arrived. You have your cuppa in hand and you and your colleagues could do with a quick brain workout. So appoint your quizmaster and have a go at these questions. The answers are under the quiz (upside down, no peeking!). 1. How long did Hosni Mubarak rule Egypt before being deposed in a popular uprising this year? 2. Who has been New Zealand’s longest serving prime minister? 3. Who wrote the opera Don Giovanni, and what is the equivalent term in Spanish for Don Giovanni? 4. Is an ugli a type of boot, a native of Greenland, or a fruit? 5. In golf, what is the definition of a bogey? 6. The container ship Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe reef in the Bay of Plenty. Where does the name of the reef come from? 7. What social networking tool would you be using if you saw a “fail whale” message? 8. Who wrote Moby Dick? 9. A person who lives most of his life in heroic daydreams is said to be what sort of character, based on a novel by James Thurber? 10. What was the last name of Judas, one of the 12 disciples? Scoring: 0-2 – Hmmn, room for significant improvement (perhaps next month). 3-5 Not bad, better luck next time. 6-7 – Good effort. 8 – Very good. 9 – Excellent. 10 – Wipe your nose, take a bow and go to the top of the class Einstein. Answers: 1. 30 years; 2. Richard Seddon, 13 years; 3. Mozart, Don Juan; 4. A fruit from the citrus family, created by hybridising a grapefruit, orange and tangerine; 5. A hole played one stroke over par; 6. It was named by Jules Dumont d’Urville after his ship Astrolabe nearly ran aground there in 1827; 7. Twitter – it’s an error message when the system is clogged with tweets (it shows eight orange birds using a net to hoist a whale from the ocean); 8. Herman Melville; 9. Walter Mitty; 10. Iscariot. 318 December 2011 SAFETY FOOTWEAR – finding the best fit for Police The recent safety footwear trial saw 120 staff in Counties Manukau and Taumarunui trialling different types of safety boots or a safety shoe. The overall results of the trial were that the boots/shoes were durable, but not flexible or comfortable enough for the Police working environment, particularly when driving. “A great deal of thanks is due the triallists, particularly the ones who continued to wear the boots when they found them uncomfortable” said Police Association President, Greg O’Connor. Due to the feedback received from the triallists, Police have decided against rolling out this safety footwear to staff. Instead, a new trial began at the start of December for one month. In this trial, 66 existing triallists (the others will be on leave during the trial period) and 20 staff from Northland and 20 from Southland will be trialling safety boots from Magnum. Magnum boots were not previously considered as an option because they did not have safety soles. However, Magnum are now able to place these soles into the safety boots. The same 8-inch boot is being trialled, in both full leather and a leather composite version. A 5-inch boot and a shoe are no longer part of the trial, as very few staff wanted these options from the first trial. The trial will be evaluated in the New Year and if the results are positive, plans for ordering the boots will be on track for the original February 2012 date. Rise in EQC levy will increase premiums The Government has increased Earthquake Commission (EQC) levies from 5 cents to 15 cents per $100 of insurance cover, with an annual cap $172.50 per home and $34.50 per contents policy (including GST). The increase is effective from February 1 next year. Finance Minister Bill English said the rise would help rebuild the commission’s Natural Disaster Fund and more realistically reflect EQC’s operating costs. The levy contributes to EQC’s earthquake insurance, which covers the first $100,000 of house damage, the first $20,000 of contents damage and damage to land, which is not covered by commercial insurers. The EQC levy is collected in insurance company premiums for home and contents insurance. Members with this cover through Police Fire and General Insurance will see an increase in their premiums from the deduction date of February 15, 2012. The Government has said the increase will add about $2.65 a week to most home insurance premiums. For further information see: www.billenglish. co.nz/archives/750-EQC-levies-rise-torealistically-reflect-costs.html What you have to do Members will receive a personal email or letter in the second half of January 2012, outlining individual premium changes. Members who pay premiums through the Police payroll system The new amount will be automatically deducted in the Police pay of February 15, 2012. Members who pay premiums through the Police & Families Credit Union account The new amount will be automatically deducted from your Credit Union account on February 15, 2012. You will need sufficient funds in your account to cover the new premium and automatic payments going into this account may need to be adjusted to cover the increase. New Zealand Police Association Women officers in the 21st century By Sophie Erasmuson Detective Sergeant Marcia Murray has been elected as one of the two New Zealand Police Association (NZPA) representatives on the Police Federation of Australia Women’s Advisory Committee (PFAWAC). Nominations for two roles, one permanent and one rotational, went to the Police Association Board in late October. The Board took factors into account such as the nominees’ role in the Association, the potential they had in terms of future roles within the Association, their ability to represent the Association internationally and the credibility they had among their peers in terms of their policing experience. As part of the Association’s commitment to encouraging more women to become involved with their Association, the newly elected permanent representative Marcia Murray and first rotation representative Senior Constable Teresa McCabe will meet twice annually with their Australian colleagues. The first meeting will be at the PFAWAC Conference in November. The conference will look at issues that face women police officers in New Zealand and Australia and what can be done to address these issues. Current Police HR statistics show that women are a minority group in the Police, with the group making up 17.6 per cent of all constabulary officers. Police Commissioner Peter Marshall told delegates at the Association’s annual conference that only 8 per cent of those constables go on to Commissioned Officer positions. Detective Sergeant Marcia Murray, right, and Senior Sergeant Lucille Hayes have the floor at the conference. Current Police HR statistics show that women are a minority group in the Police, with the group making up 17.6 per cent of all constabulary officers. Although many of the issues confronting members affect people in the same way, there are issues that affect members on a demographic basis which need to be addressed. Ms Murray says, “Women face a number of issues not only in the Police but in the workforce generally. The PFAWAC conference is an opportunity for police women to come together and address issues from an Australasian perspective, and more importantly to share ideas and initiatives to address the issues faced by women.” When asked about Ms Murray’s permanent appointment Association President, Greg O’Connor said, “Marcia is an experienced Detective Sergeant who has an innate and personal knowledge of the factors which can inhibit women from putting themselves forward for selection to higher positions in the association. By her example, mentoring, and advice, we hope Marcia will be instrumental in ensuring women are well-represented within the Association,” he said. Reunion for MOT women Calling all former Ministry of Transport women who worked as traffic officers, parking meter officers, traffic education instructors or road traffic instructors – a reunion is being held at the Royal New Zealand Police College, June 29, 30, and July 1, 2012. Contact details for women who worked in these roles and who resigned or retired before the MOT/ Police merger in 1992 are being sought. To proceed with the organising of the reunion, information and expressions of interest are needed by the end of December 2011. Any memorabilia and photographs for use during the reunion would be greatly appreciated and will be returned at the end of the event. Please email Glenda Donnell at [email protected]. December 2011 319 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Police forensic photographers capture death and destruction For Christchurch Police forensic photographer Phil Little, photographing gruesome and distressing events is simply a part of the job. Constable Little was one of seven Christchurch photographers and 14 out-of-district police photographers in Christchurch after the February 22 quake to assist the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) teams. Photographs taken by the officers have now been reproduced in a book, Christchurch 22.2: Beyond the Cordon. Constable Little, who has been a police photographer for six years, said he and the team were sent to some of the hardest-hit buildings, such as the CTV and PGC buildings, the day after the quake. Their role was primarily photographing the DVI team’s recovery of bodies, which were then taken to makeshift morgues. They also photographed the destruction and “history” that was unfolding around them. They photographed the work of overseas search and rescue teams who gave their time to the recovery operation. In the thick of it: The photos in Beyond the Cordon cover the days and weeks after the February 22 quake, showing the devastation and the work of police and search and rescue teams in the worst affected areas. Left, thick smoke from a fire that followed the quake remained a hazard at the CTV site for several days. They also took aerial photos and videos to document the extent of the damage in the greater Christchurch area. Mr Little described discussions about a book as an afterthought in the weeks following the quake. “The idea of a book came a few weeks after the quake. We felt that the photos we had taken represented a unique police view of the events due to where the photographs were taken in the red zone and where people lost their lives, and their purpose in terms of rescue and recovery”, Mr Little said. The 208-page, hard-cover book has 256 colour pictures accompanied with captions and brief comments from the photographers. Mr Little said response to the book had been very positive and it had been a top-seller over the past months. Christchurch 22.2: Beyond the Cordon (Hatchette NZ, RRP $49.99) is available in book stores. Proceeds will be donated to the Christchurch Family Help Trust. Catering for the quake: recognition for cafe staff In October, the NZ Police Association’s Board of Directors travelled to Christchurch to present a plaque to the cafeteria workers at Christchurch Central Police station to acknowledge their dedication and hard work during the February 22 earthquake. Association President, Greg O’Connor said it was important that the Board meet in Christchurch from time to time, as the long-lasting effects of the quake would continue to impact on decision-making in the future. On behalf of the Board, Mr O’Connor presented cafeteria staff at the station with the plaque of appreciation on behalf of members for their dedication and courage at the time of the quake. He said the catering staff had done a fantastic job, “at a time 320 December 2011 Flower power: Cafe staff at the Christchurch Central Police Station; from left, Linda Wilson, Trish McLachlan, Jeanette Barrott, Naomi Topp, Kate Christie and Bev Broomhall. where very few other people were keen on going in the building”. aftershocks despite having no direct escape routes and being underground. “The catering staff were producing food for people and keeping a sense of normality at a time where eating was not a priority for staff,” he said. “There will be a Christchurch factor in every level of decision-making for some time to come. Therefore it is vital that decision-makers have a thorough understanding of the extent of the physical damage and the stress people are under in Canterbury”, Mr O’Connor said. Mr O’Connor also spoke of the bravery of watch house staff in Christchurch who continued to work through Police Council of Sport To contact the Police Council of Sport, call Sharon Gold at the RNZPC. Ph: (04) 238-3139 (Ext: 43139) Runaway success Senior Sergeant Brendon Keenan led from the start in this year’s 160-kilometre Round the Mountain race in Taranaki and crossed the finish line in a record-breaking 15 hours 58 minutes 16 seconds - a remarkable achievement considering he had taken up running only 20 months ago. The 37-year-old practice leader at the Police College says he became hooked on running after completing a half-marathon. “I’m an all or nothing type person and once I found running, I got into it,” he told the Taranaki Daily News after his win. He told Police News he hadn’t expected to break any records when he took on the legendary endurance race, so it was a real bonus on top of the win. He topped the previous record of 16hr 16min 41 sec set last year by Bryan McCorkindale of Christchurch. Mr Keenan won a $1000 sports grant for his efforts and says he will definitely be back next year. He runs to and from work every day, clocking up 180km in a week. He definitely gets a “runner’s high” and says he feels well suited to the endurance side of running. He’s also done the Tarawera 100-kilometre run and the Auckland marathon this year, but the Round the Mountain race was his biggest challenge. “There was a bit of pressure on me to stay in front,” he says. “I had an upset stomach early on but that cleared once I had some solid food. The only thing I lost was a toenail… I didn’t realise that till the end.” Next on the running agenda is the Tarawera 100k ultra marathon from Rotorua to Kawerau in March. OFF THE BEATEN TRACK: Constables Debbie Harries, right, from Howick Police, and Constable Sharon Macpherson, from Nelson Police, walked the Tongariro Crossing on November 19. The two women, who met at Police College, completed the crossing in eight hours, climbing to 1900 metres. “We experienced all weathers, including being snowed on for a few minutes,” says Debbie. “We feel very proud of the fact that we completed it given that we are two fulltime working mums.” He made it: Senior Sergeant Brendon Keenan seconds from the finish line and about to claim his Round the Mountain win. Photo: Taranaki Daily News/Fairfax Media Tag football tournament A one-day police tag football tournament, organised by Constable Richard Kata, is being held in Auckland on January 21. The closing date for registrations is December 31. Mr Kata said there had been a lot in interest in holding a tag tournament and the Navy would also be entering teams in the event, which will be held at the College Rifles Park, 33 Haast St, Remuera. The entry fee for each team is $100 and there will be prizes and trophies at the end of the day. The Police & Services One Day Tag Football Tournament 2012: for more information and a registration form contact: Richard Kata, ph 027 455 774, email [email protected]. Visit 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. December 2011 321 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Being part of equestrian history Constable Kieryn Walton, of Taumarunui, was part of an equestrian team that made history in September when they became the first New Zealand dressage team to qualify for an Olympic Games. Constable Walton, on Saranceni, was the travelling reserve with the team of five who went to Sydney to compete in a qualifying leg for the 2012 Games. Dressage to thrill: Constable Kieryn Walton and Saranceni in As well as competing in some action. She switched from eventing to dressage in events in Sydney, Constable 2000 and won the National Amateur Rider Walton’s role was to be on standby in case title in 2001. The trip to Sydney was her first of accident or injury to other team members. selection for a national dressage team. An avid and experienced self-taught There are still hurdles to cross on the road horsewoman, Constable Walton, 41, had a to the Olympics. Each rider has to get successful eventing career before she went individual qualifying marks to meet national through Police College training in 2007. She and international criteria, she says. That says she had always wanted to be a police process continues up till just a few weeks officer, but the old height restriction had out from the Games. proved a barrier when she was younger. The Sydney riders are not necessarily the Now she is part of the team at the combinations that will go to the Games, but Taumarunui Police Station, where working Constable Walton is ready for the call. And shifts allows her plenty of time for her she says her colleagues at Taumarunui have sport and caring for her 11 horses, five of been really supportive of her, which has which she uses in competitions, including helped her pursue her sporting interest. Saranceni. SOUTH ISLAND POLICE GOLF CHAMPS Overall Gross Overall Nett Burglaries Trophy Left Hander’s Vet’s Nett SENIOR Gross Winner Gross Runner Up Gross 2nd R/Up Nett Winner Nett Runner Up Nett 2nd R/Up INT. A Gross Winner Gross Runner Up Gross 2nd R/Up Nett Winner Nett Runner Up Nett 2nd R/Up INT. B Gross Winner Gross Runner Up Gross 2nd R/Up Nett Winner Nett Runner Up Nett 2nd R/Up JUNIOR Gross Winner Gross Runner Up Gross 2nd R/Up Nett Winner Nett Runner Up Nett 2nd R/Up 322 December 2011 Geoff Rudduck Chris Ellis Vinnie Munro Bryan Price Roy Powell 314 277 63 Nett 286 291 Richard Morgan Keith Shipston Bob Burns Allan Trow Peter Crins Grant Alabaster 320 321 328 293 c/b 293 296 Craig Barker George Rutledge Peter Waldron Kevin Hawkins Bryan Gillespie Grant Russell 342 343 351 290 c/b 290 293 Kevin Hooper Murray Dylan Jock Glennie Vinnie Munro Arnold Hooykaas Chris Moore 357 366 369 288 292 c/b 292 John Hodgen Bryan Price Roy Powell Peter Jackson Kirsten Price Preston Shaw 373 374 375 283 288 292 From the aquathon to the tug of war The Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games, to be held in Lower Hutt from March 2-9, 2012, are designed to cater for athletes of all abilities. Forty-one sports will be on offer, ranging from angling to an aquathon, swimming, track and field to tug of war. While there are medals to be won for the top performers, and some elite competition is expected, the focus for most people who enter is participation, says Games director Alison Murray. Entrants in individual events will compete in age groups, and in many team sports mixed and social divisions will be available. “We have included as many sports as possible in the 2012 schedule, which is a mixture of individual and team sports. The key thing is that the Games will be enjoyable for athletes of all levels. “The sporting timetable has been designed to allow Games participants to get involved in multiple sports” she said. Peter Crins The full list of sports is: Angling, Aquathon, Basketball, Cricket (Indoor), Cricket (T20), Cross Country (Running), Cycling (Road Race), Cycling (Time Trial), Darts, Duathlon, Golf, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Longest Day, Mountain Bike (X-Country), Mountain Bike (Downhill), Netball, 10km Road Race (Run), Indoor Rowing, Rugby 7’s, Shooting (Large Bore), Shooting (Small Bore), Shooting (Trap), Shooting (Skeet), Shooting (Pistol), Soccer (Field), Soccer (Indoor), Softball, Squash, Stair Race, Swimming (Open Water), Swimming (Pool), Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Touch Football, Track and Field, Triathlon, Tug of War, Volleyball (Beach), Waka Ama. For more information visit: www.apandesgames.com Overall winner Geoff Rudduck New Zealand Police Association Police Home Loan Package Avoiding a budget blow-out this Christmas Enjoy the Christmas season– but don’t let the festivities create a financial hangover that can last well into the New Year. Here are some suggestions to help you have a great Christmas without blowing your budget out of the water. Christmas gifts Spend less and make your gift-giving more meaningful this Christmas: • Make a list – having a list of what you will get for everyone before you go shopping – and sticking to it - helps you avoid impulse buys where your budget can go out the window. • Set a limit – figure out what you can afford to spend on gifts and still stay within your budget. Make everyone aware of your limit so you set expectations – you may well find that other family members are actually relieved as it means they can put a limit on their spending too. • ‘Secret Santa’ – instead of everyone buying presents for everyone else in the family, put all the names into a hat and have everyone draw out one person to buy for. Everyone will only have one present to buy, and they’ll get one good present instead of lots of little ones. • Get creative – it really is the thought that counts. A fishing trip with your kids can mean much more to them than any toy. Use you talents and skills - a gift of baking, preserves, food or plants you’ve grown in your garden, or a voucher for babysitting adds a personal touch that makes it special. • Shop around and bargain – there are often lots of sales and bargains to be had over Christmas as retailers are keen to move stock. Compare prices before you buy and don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson if they can give you a better price – after all you have nothing to lose! Christmas dinner and festivities If you’re having Christmas dinner or celebrations at your place, you don’t have to prepare – and pay for – everything yourself. Ask everyone to look after one thing each – e.g. vegetables, dessert, decorations, etc. Having everyone contribute will make it a more communal celebration – and ease the pressure on you. Money management • Have a budget – know what you can afford to spend and stick to your budget. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. Christmas isn’t about spending money. It’s about spending time with family and friends. • Don’t load up the plastic – avoid putting gifts and other Christmas expenses on your credit card unless you plan to pay it off straight away. It only delays the problem – and extra interest payments can make the real cost much higher. • Put money aside during the year – although it may be too late to do it for this Christmas, it can be a good idea in future to put a little money aside each week for a ‘Christmas fund’, to ease the pressure on your day to day finances. Save money on your home loan Of course, one of the best ways of providing for Christmas spending is to save money from somewhere else. For most people, home loan repayments are usually one of the major outgoings, so it’s also a good time to review your mortgage. The big question for homeowners is whether they should continue to take advantage of current low floating interest rates, or look to fix some or all of their home loan. Unlike many other banks, at ANZ there’s no fee to fix your home loan interest rate. That could save you thousands of dollars over the term of your loan, and gives you the flexibility to switch from floating to fixed when you want to. And don’t forget that with the Police Home Loan Package, you can also take advantage of discounted home loan interest rates whether you choose to fix or float. If you’d like more information about the Police Home Loans package, you can visit the Police Association website, or email us: [email protected] or come into any branch. Special offer Six months free Home Insurance Buying a new home or refinancing can be an expensive process, even with today’s lower interest rates. We aim to make it easier on Police Welfare Fund members’ pockets. So for the time being those drawing down a new Police Home Loan will be eligible for six months free home insurance through the Welfare Fund’s Police Fire & General Insurance*. Members eligible for the free cover should contact our Member Services Team on 0800 500 122. You will need a copy of your loan document from The National Bank or ANZ. Police Home Loan Package ANZ or The National Bank – it’s your choice Whether you’re refinancing, buying your first home, selling, investing in property, building or looking for ways to manage your current home loan – a Police Home Loan through The National Bank or ANZ may be able to help. The Police Welfare Fund Home Loan package provides attractive benefits to Police Welfare Fund members and their immediate family, like: •No Home Loan application fee •A contribution of $500 towards legal fees For borrowing 80% or lower of a property’s value: •Discounted floating rates •0.50% pa off the standard National Bank or ANZ Flexible Home Loan interest rates •0.25% off the standard fixed interest rates Our Police Home Loan package is highly competitive and flexible. For more information or to apply for the Police Home Loan Package visit www.policeassn.org.nz We’d like to wish all Police Welfare Fund members and their families a very happy holiday season and all the best for 2012. This material is provided as a complimentary service of ANZ National Bank Limited. It is prepared based on information and sources ANZ believes to be reliable. Its content is for information only, is subject to change and is not a substitute for commercial judgement or professional advice, which should be sought prior to acting in reliance on it. To the extent permitted by law ANZ disclaims liability or responsibility to any person for any direct or indirect loss or damage that may result from any act or omissions by any person in relation to the material. Package details are subject to change. Interest rate subject to change. Lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. For borrowing 85% or more of a property’s value, a low equity premium on a graduated scale will apply. ANZ National Bank Limited. The National Bank and ANZ’s lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. A low equity premium may apply where a loan amounts to over 85% of the property’s value. A registered valuer’s report will also be required for lending over 80% of the property’s value. Eligibilty to apply for a Police Home Loan package is at the discretion of the Police Welfare Fund Limited and applicants must be current members of the Fund. This home loan package is not available for low documentation home loans or loans approved through a broker. For a copy of The National Bank or ANZ Disclosure Statement and full details (including terms and conditions) contact any branch of The National Bank of New Zealand (part of ANZ Bank Limited) nor the ANZ. *Police Fire & General Insurance will be subject to the standard underwriting terms and conditions and is provided through the Police Welfare Fund not by The National Bank or ANZ. Members are eligible for one period of six months free Police Fire & General Home Insurance premium only, per member, regardless of the term of Police Home Loan taken. Police Fire & General Insurance is underwritten by Lumley General Insurance (NZ) Limited. 11-2011 December 2011 323 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Guest column by Luke McMahon Summer’s finally arrived, and for me there is no better summer wine than a nicely chilled riesling. But, like any grape variety, there are both good and bad examples on the market, so it‘s useful to have an idea of what to look for in a riesling. If you dismissed the variety after being served an uninteresting, slightly sweet white, you’d be missing out. The best New Zealand rieslings come from regions where cool nights help the grapes retain the acidity critical to the variety. Central Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, and even Martinborough produce fine examples of the three main styles of riesling made in New Zealand. The most common style is usually simply labelled ‘riesling’. These follow the original German style, preserving some unfermented sugar in the grape juice, but also retaining a balancing crisp acidity. So, while the wine may be ‘off dry’ or sweeter, the wine never tastes cloying. Instead, it should be crisp and refreshing, reasonably fullbodied, with apple or crisp stone-fruit and citrus notes, and a subtle mineral quality something like damp river stones. The best may have notes of honey, beeswax or ginger. With rich flavours, body and high acidity, good rieslings deliver a long luscious finish that will have you reaching for more. Because not all the sugar has been fermented, rieslings of this style typically have lower alcohol than most (dry) wines. It’s not uncommon to find examples with less than 10% alcohol by volume (abv). Combined with its sheer mouth-watering deliciousness, this makes riesling excellent for a lazy summer lunch or afternoon cheeseboard – a sharp blue, perhaps with some dried figs or apricots. Its acidity and residual sugar also make it a great accompaniment for Thai and similar food. The benchmark for this style is set by the Mosel region in Germany. Closer to home, Marlborough winemakers Framingham produce an excellent Classic Riesling (12% abv) for about $25. Spätlese is a subcategory of the Mosel style. Marlborough’s Fromm make an excellent Spätlese Riesling (7% abv), which retails for about $28. Forrest Estate’s The Doctors’ Riesling is also excellent, but usually slightly less intense, at $22 (8.5% abv). Framingham’s Spätlese is their classy Select Riesling (8.5% abv), at about $38. The second main New Zealand style is dry riesling. This is less common, so to distinguish it on retail shelves, it is often labelled ‘dry riesling.’ In this style, virtually all the sugar has been fermented into alcohol, and the aromas while young tend to be more citric and sometimes floral. Often dry riesling is not released until a few years after bottling, to allow some age characteristics to develop. Riesling ages well, developing complexity to rival fine reds. A quality riesling can go 10 or 20 years, in the right conditions. Flavours mingle and become more complex, and the wine develops subtle kerosene-like aromas, which are highly valued by riesling fans. Spätlese literally means ‘late harvest’, but most New Zealand wine labelled ‘late harvest riesling’ is instead sticky ‘dessert wine’. This is the third main style, and is sometimes labelled ‘noble’ or ‘botrytised riesling,’ after the ‘noble rot’ botrytis. This sucks water from the infected grapes, leaving concentrated sugars behind. This style is unmistakably sweet, with complex characters of honey, candied orange or grapefruit marmalade, but they still retain a cleansing mouth-watering acidity. They make excellent dessert or cheeseboard wines, but are also dangerously addictive – one small glass is seldom enough! Just as well this style is sold in halfsized bottles. 1234567 89 Clues: Across: 1. Remark (7) Down 1. Pursue (5) 5. Form of identification (5) 2. Following a homicide (6,7) 8. Confirm (5) 3. Result from (9) 9. Type of gem (7) 4. A plan to succeed (6) 10. Before (3) 5. Attempt (3) 11. Set time for Prosecution (5, 4) 6. Over indulgences (13) 13. Manila folder for creature (6) 7. Aides (7) 14. Wall paintings? (6) 12. Washer of money? (9) 16. Asked for (9) 13. Spray can (7) 17. Part of a play (3) 15. Give evidence (6) 19. School subject or part of forensics? (7) 18. Tries out (5) 21. Speeds (5) 20. Neither (3) 23. Pushes through (7) 324 December 2011 101112 1314 15 161718 192021 2223 Answers: Across: 1. Comment. 5. Teeth. 8. Agree. 9. Crystal. 10. Eve. 11. Trial date. 13. Animal. 14. Murals. 16. Requested. 17. Act. 19. Science. 21. Races. 22. Layers. 23. Thrusts. 22. Layers. 2. Thrusts. Down 1. Chase. 2. Murder inquiry. 3. Eventuate. 4. Tactic. 5. Try. 6. Extravagances. 7. Helpers. 12. Launderer. 13. Aerosol. 15. Attest. 18. Tests. 20. Nor. 22. Tiers of hens? (6) New Zealand Police Association doing it in the office, right under the boss’s nose. Years of training kicked in and I immediately contacted my source. My investigations have led me to the Youth Aid and Education section under the auspices of Sergeant Simon King. It appears that a disagreement in the office about preferred methods of lawn maintenance has led to each staff member being dispatched their own personal tray and seed mix. The rest is up to the individual staff member and the race is on to grow the best miniature lawn. Virtual Reality As the Government plots its new seating arrangements, the Police Human Resources unit is doing some chair-shuffling of its own. Apparently HR is destined for a makeover, enabling staff to operate in a “virtual” work environment. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean painting themselves blue and talking Na’vi, but it does mean more work on computers, with remote access to the workload. I’ve no doubt this is the way many offices are headed, but fingers crossed that we’ll retain a decent staff presence on site. Sometimes the only way to get a thing actioned is to deal with a real person. In person. This much we know: we’ll be getting three new HR managers in the Upper North, Middle Earth and South. The managers will then make their assessment of staff requirements in each of their respective areas. I’m pleased to see that Headquarters are taking their time on this one. Getting the structure right will make or break the revamp, and advance warning of the rollout might allay the fears of staff who are justifiably worried about their jobs and workplaces. Greening the Team. I didn’t want to believe it when I heard that Officers of Her Majesty’s Service were taking part in a secret grass-growing operation in (ironically) the Big Smoke. Not only that, but they were said to be They must have pretty exciting conversations in the Youth Aid and Education section, and now the place will be even livelier as they roll out the deck chairs and settle down to watch the grass grow. Armed with nail clippers and Barbie picnic sets, the tension will be palpable and the temptation to partake in a bit of skullduggery will be strong. My source tells me, in fact, that they have recently seen a bloke in the lift with a small jar containing what looked suspiciously like grass grub. One of our best Last month my missus had the pleasure of attending a celebrity gala dinner in Wellington in honour of one of our own good ol’ boys, Dean Gifford. Dean has a brain tumor that doesn’t seem to want to go away. Both Dean and his wife Penny (also a police officer) are a credit to our organisation. Dean has undertaken extensive charity work since he was first diagnosed in 2006, supporting Wellington Hospital Children’s Ward and arranging tonnes of necessary supplies for delivery to the Solomon Islands. Dean’s generosity has touched many lives. Apparently Dean has said that his illness is “just another adventure in life”. What a guy. All the best to Dean and family. From all of us, keep the faith, go strong. See ya. DecemberJanuary February PAIHIA............................................ 6-10...............................................................2-8...........................................................................26 STANMORE BAY.............................. 16,18-19,21,29-30.........................................30............................................................................2,6-8,19-20,25,29 AUCKLAND..................................... 15...................................................................23-26.......................................................................26 WAIHEKE ISLAND...................................................................................................30-21.......................................................................1-2,6-8,12,26-27 WHANGAMATA.......................................................................................................8..............................................................................12 MT MAUNGANUI............................. 16...................................................................................................................................................2,9,26 OHOPE............................................ 9,14-15..........................................................2-3,8,23-25..............................................................3,26-29 ROTORUA....................................... 15,17,21-23...................................................22,27-31..................................................................1-2,13-14,17,19,27-29 TAUPO............................................ 11,14,18.........................................................31............................................................................1,12-115,19,23, TURANGI......................................... 12-15,18-21,24-25........................................31............................................................................1-26-9,13-14,20-24,26-29 NAPIER........................................... 12...................................................................30-31.......................................................................7-9,12-115 PARAPARAUMU............................... 13,15,20.........................................................................................................................................1,12-14 GREYTOWN..................................... 9-10,12-15,20................................................31............................................................................1,6-7,13-16,19-23,26-29 WELLINGTON.................................. 18-19,21........................................................30-31.......................................................................1,5-8,10,14,19,26, NELSON.......................................... 9,19,-23.........................................................................................................................................6,12,26 HANMER SPRINGS.......................... 24-25.............................................................................................................................................19,21-22,29 CHRISTCHURCH.............................. 22...................................................................2-8,10-22,30-31......................................................7-9,14-15,17-21,23,27-29 AKAROA.......................................... 11-12,15,24-25..............................................30-31.......................................................................1-2,6-9,12-16,21-22,26-29 TEKAPO.......................................... 11-17,20........................................................30............................................................................6,14,16 WANAKA......................................... 8,12,13,22-25................................................16-17.......................................................................8,21-24 CROMWELL.................................... 14-16,19-25...................................................30-31.......................................................................22-23 QUEENSTOWN.......................................................................................................................................................................................19 TE ANAU......................................... 7-9,11-14.......................................................30-31.......................................................................6,8-9,16,24 DUNEDIN........................................ 17-18,22,24-25,26-31...................................1,30-31....................................................................1-2,13-14,22-23,25,27-29 Whitianga..................................... 18-21.............................................................................................................................................8-9,12,15-16,19,23,27-29 December 2011 325 PoliceNews The Voice of Police Write 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 good reason for anonymity. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or decline letters without explanation. Email to: [email protected] or write it to the Editor at PO Box 12344, Wellington. Letters under 400 words are preferred. Life savers This year, almost 100 lives have been saved on the roads. The road toll is shaping up to be one of the lowest we have ever had and is now nearly 100 lower than at this time last year (at the time of writing) - an astounding statistic and this is no accident. This has come about as a result of several interrelated factors, but it is obvious to me that our consistent and intense pressure on keeping speeds down has been really significant. The introduction of lowered speed tolerances at holiday weekends created the focus we needed on reducing speed; one outcome is the saving of so many lives. This huge reduction in the sorrow and suffering that crashes cause throughout the whole community is something we can all be proud of. I am writing to Police News because I know this goes to your homes and I wanted to share my appreciation with you and your families. As we look towards the Christmas holiday period, I would like to personally thank you all for your commitment and support. We have shown that by working together we can make a real difference. Thank you again, and I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday period. PAULA ROSE National Manager- Road Policing The importance of a proper loo It is early November and it has been a long time since I wrote about being passionate not disengaged; it has also been nine months since Christchurch’s tragic event where we appeared in Police News working from our temporary station – the garage. We are still in the garage and it is now like home, we are quite happy there. We only have one problem - basic hygiene. We live with portaloos, no running water other than a garden tap where brown water flows and no shower or kitchen facilities. We were told months ago we were getting a temporary station. We even saw plans, then it was going to cost too much. We said “the garage is okay, just get us a flushing toilet and shower”. What we got were more plans for a smaller temporary station. Recently, we had some great news. Engineers say our historic station, built in 1880, can be saved. Guess what we have now? Plans for a revamped station to comply with modern policing, soft and hard interview rooms the works. Our station has 12 staff, nine (six Lyttelton, three Sumner) GDB, but the plans don’t include a general duties muster room or locker room. Guess what we don’t have? Flushing toilets, a shower or running water. What happens when someone gets covered in an offender’s blood or bodily fluids or gets some cross contamination from OC spray? Should we be jumping in the sea? Who will suffer when some unscrupulous offender decides to sabotage the portaloo with acid on the seat or similar? Our sergeant and inspector have been working hard for us, but seem to be bashing their heads against something now uncommon in Lyttelton - a brick wall. The funny part is we were told that shower /toilet porta-coms were hard to source; I saw six on the news at a hotel the day of the gas leak in the North Island. By the time you read this, Murphy dictates the problem will be sorted and this letter won’t mean anything; let’s hope so. Memorial wall Our sympathies to all our members’ families for those who have passed away in recent months… We remember… Who passed away… HOSKING, Peter Roy 31-Jul-11Retired memberChristchurch GALLAGHER, Elinor 16-Aug-11SpouseChristchurch POOLE, Robin Graeme 18-Oct-11Resigned memberAuckland WAY, Frank Phillip 22-Oct-11Retired memberTauranga HOPKINSON, Stephen Charles 23-Oct-11Retired memberAustralia GIBSON, Eion Neil 25-Oct-11Resigned memberChristchurch HOEK, Leendert 28-Oct-11Retired memberUK STRONG, Ian 30-Oct-11Retired memberDunedin JENSEN, Keith 4-Nov-11Retired member 326 December 2011 Mt Maunganui We don’t like to complain, we really aren’t complainers, but, along with summer and flies, our frustrations are coming on fast. MATT HILL Christchurch North and South story I wish to congratulate Greg O’Connor and Commissioner Peter Marshall on their comments relating to the North & South magazine article “When good cops go bad” regarding former association member Ross Meurant. (October 2011 issue). Thank you for publishing those comments. What is particularly distasteful to me about Ross Meurant’s comments is that they are derogatory, baseless statements impugning the integrity and character of persons now deceased and, therefore, unable to defend themselves. The making of such statements appears to be becoming a ritual both from exmembers, possibly with an axe to grind, and some other influential persons outside of the Police. R A (Bob) Meikle Christchurch Supervisory allowance During the Rugby World Cup, I worked at the Auckland Waterfront for seven weeks as a sergeant supervising six staff. I was engaged in frontline shift work duties in the same work group with other sergeants who, by virtue of their regular positions, were receiving the supervisory allowance. As my permanent position is district headquarters based and does not involve direct supervision of staff, I applied for the supervisory allowance under the Conditions of Work Agreement, prior to commencing duties on the World Cup operation. The application was returned marked “not approved” and no reason was given for it being declined. In the past, I have relieved in a senior sergeant’s position and received a higher duties allowance. I contacted the Police Association and I was given to understand that there may be a qualifying period of duty for eligibility for the supervisory allowance. If this is the case, it would be helpful to have the position clarified. NIGEL ROE Counties Manukau This letter has been abridged Police Association Industrial Advocate Greg Fleming responds: Section 4.14.11 of the Constabulary Collective details the provisions around the Supervisory Incentive New Zealand Police Association Allowance. Police applied the provisions correctly in your case. The allowance is intended to be an incentive to attract quality supervisors to frontline roles on a permanent basis and recognise the additional responsibilities of year-round performance and leave management in those roles. It is not intended to recognise shorter-term relieving hence the relatively long qualification period for relievers to become eligible for the allowance. Obviously, constables relieving up will still receive higher duties allowances, just as sergeants relieving in senior sergeant roles would. While the supervisory allowance is not perfect and has some flaws in its construction and application it is generally considered appropriate. Bravery recalled Retired members of the Police and those that can cast their memories back to the 1960s will recall the tragic deaths of four police officers all within one year. Two officers, Chalmers and Power, were shot and killed during an incident in the Waitakere Ranges in Auckland while trying to apprehend a lone gunman who had already shot and killed an innocent local man and seriously wounded another. Later that year, officers Richardson and Schultz were shot and killed in their patrol car as they arrived at a domestic matter in Lower Hutt. This brings me to tell you of Raymond (Ray) Piper who died recently in Auckland. Ray Piper was an ambulance officer who attended the Waitakere shootings. Upon his arrival, he was briefed about the situation, and although shots were still being fired by the offender, Ray crawled on his hands and knees up the access road, under fire, in an attempt to render assistance to the fallen officers and citizen. Unfortunately, all were unable to be saved. As a result of his brave actions, Ray was awarded the British Empire Medal for bravery. Some time later, he was mentioned again when he saved the life of a man trapped by falling earth in a drain collapse in Glendene in Auckland, Ray having jumped into the drain to dig the man out. There was a large turnout at his funeral and many of his former colleagues were in attendance. I was proud to represent Police on the day and acknowledge his contribution on that fateful day in the Waitakere Ranges. It was as a result of those Police deaths that year that the Armed Offenders Squad came into being. Sadly, another chapter of police history has passed into memory, but Ray Piper will always be remembered for his brave actions, although he never discussed the subject. Our sympathies are with his wife and extended family. GRANT KRISSANSEN Henderson Field Officer Pending Vacancy Due to the pending retirement of Dave Steel, the Police Association is looking to appoint a Field Officer to service Association members in the Southern Police District. The position is likely to be vacant in April 2012 or soon thereafter. This is a part-time (4 days per week) position that requires the successful applicant to be based in Dunedin. Reasonable transfer costs would be paid. The majority of time in this role involves the provision of industrial advice and representation to Police Association members. You will also be expected to promote and deliver the services of the Welfare Fund and the Police Credit Union to members. Applicants should have: • A solid understanding and empathy with Police and the environment in which they work; • Familiarity with employment rights, agreements and principles; • Proven negotiating and facilitating skills; • Advanced inter-personal skills; • Self-motivation/management, initiative and good organisational skills; and • Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel and Office products. This will be a challenging and rewarding role for the successful applicant. The successful applicant would be required to maintain an office at their home. An office allowance and vehicle will be provided. Initial enquiries including requests for a job description can be directed to [email protected] Written applications marked confidential and including a CV should be sent to Marsha Mackie by email or as below: NZ Police Association PO Box 12 344, Wellington 6144 Attention – Marsha Mackie Applications close 13th February 2012. Useful Information & Contacts New Zealand Police Association: For immediate industrial & legal advice (on matters that cannot be deferred such as Police shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths in custody) ring 0800 TEN NINE (0800 836 6463) – 24 hour/seven days service Police Network 44446 Websitewww.policeassn.org.nz Freephone 0800 500 122Police Home Loans 0800 800 808 Police Health Plan/Police Fire and General Insurance Police Credit Union 0800 429 000 Quotes & information 0800 500 122 or (04) 472 9645 or Fax (04) 496 6819Credit Union www.policecu.org.nz Police Fire and General Insurance claims 0800 110 088GSF information 0800 654 731 All enquiries (04) 496 6800PSS information 0800 777 243 Vice Presidents Stuart Mills Luke Shadbolt Regional Directors (027) 268 9416 (027) 268 9411 Field Officers Auckland District:Stewart Mills Waitemata and Northland Districts:Steve Hawkins Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts:Graeme McKay Central and Wellington Districts: JJ Taylor Tasman and Canterbury Districts:Dave McKirdy Southern DistrictDave Steel (027) 268 9407 (027) 268 9406 (027) 268 9408 (027) 268 9409 (027) 268 9410 (027) 268 9427 Region One Jug Price Whangaparaoa Region TwoDave Pizzini Counties-Manukau Region Three Wayne Aberhart Waikato Region FourEmmet LynchNapier Region FiveCraig Tickelpenny Wellington Region SixCraig PriorSydenham Region Seven Brett RobertsDunedin (027) 268 9419 (027) 268 9413 (027) 268 9414 (027) 268 9415 (027) 268 9417 (027) 268 9412 (027) 268 9418 December 2011 327 Save on sunglasses and headwear Great rates for personal car hire Discounts on Building Supplies Wellington: Save on city parking SAVE on duty free shopping Discount on gym membership Discounts on all beverages from the menu board Oamaru: Discounts on food and beverage Discount on frames and lenses Save on selected Bridgestone and Firestone branded tyres and service Discounts on clothing, boots and other supplies Discounts on eco-friendly cleaning products Save on Toll and Land-to-Mobile calls Discounts on hire equipment Discounts on safety equipment Discounts on movie tickets Discounts on clothing, boots and other supplies Discounts on selected paint and decorating supplies Special Call Plan and offers on mobile phones Discounts on high performance outdoor clothing Save on Plasma and LCD screens, Home Theatre and Audio Discounts on clothing, boots and other supplies Chch: Discount on dental treatment Discount on products for children Discounts at RipCurl stores Save on portable navigation units Discounts on NZ and Aus Hire Rates Save on student tuition fees Discount on subscriptions Save on 12-month memberships Discount on men’s and boy’s clothing Discount on dive gear and PADI Discount on hire items Ferry tickets at special rates Discounted magazine subscriptions Discount on cafe purchases Save on tiles Discount – Noel Leeming and Bond & Bond Save on entry fee Discounts on pizza Members - don’t miss out on great discounts For more information on these discounts and other great savings members can make, simply login to www.policeassn.org.nz and select “Member Discounts” from the “Products & Services” menu.
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