Police News Oct.indd - New Zealand Police Association

NEW ZEALANDpoliceassociationVolume 37, Number 9, October 2004No stone left unturned...• Police officers search every nook and cranny of the Puketitiri Valley property where Hawke’s Bay farmer Jack Nicholas was shotdead in late August. (Photo courtesy of Melanie Glover/NZ Herald).Page 175Association putsproposal onremand prisonerproblemPage 177Commissionof Inquiryin abeyancePage 182Logan’s runcomes to anend after38 years

October 2004Police News The Voice of PoliceIndustrial newsGeneral newsCONTENTSAssociation puts proposal to Police on remand prisoner problem .... 175Typists role an invaluable part of policing ....................................... 176Commission of Inquiry in abeyance ................................................ 177Court will determine Holidays Act dispute ...................................... 186176TYPECASTMedal recognises Solomons service ................................................ 175Body armour - after the trial ........................................................... 177Former officers get awards 40 years on ........................................... 178Government says it will move on ‘compo’ for criminals .................. 179FeaturesLogan Alderson brings down curtain on long career ....................182/317860’S HEROES184HOME AWAY FROM HOMENZ Police AssociationPolice News is thenewsletter of the NewZealand Police Associationand incorporates the NewZealand Police Journalfirst published in 1937.Editor: Steve PlowmanOctober 2004, Vol. 37, No.9ISSN 1175-9445Deadline for next issue Friday October 15, 2004.Published by the New Zealand Police AssociationP.O. Box 12344, Willbank House,57 Willis Street, Wgtn.Phone: (04) 496 6800, Facsmile: (04) 471 1309Email: editor@policeassn.org.nzWebsite: www.policeassn.org.nzPrinted by City Print Communications, Wgtn.Opinions expressed are not necessarilythose of the Association.COPYRIGHT: NZPA Police News must not bereproduced in part or as a whole without theformal consent of the copyright holder - NewZealand Police Association.ColumnsFrom the President ......................................................................... 175Keen on Wine ................................................................................. 179Health Watch .................................................................................. 180View from the bottom .................................................................... 181On The Hill ..................................................................................... 186Letters to the Editor .................................................................189/191Sport/EntertainmentIt’s a Bob’s Life (cartoon) ................................................................. 178Sports calendar ............................................................................... 180Copper’s crossword ........................................................................ 181Dave Smith’s outstanding contribution to Police sport .................... 187Sports News ................................................................................... 188Welfare/NoticesMemorial Wall ................................................................................ 176New holiday homes (Auckland/Greytown) officially opened ........184/5Holiday home availability chart ....................................................... 185Hamilton CIB reunion ..................................................................... 188Useful Information & ContactsAssociation and Police Welfare Fund:Police Network 44446 Website www.policeassn.org.nzFreephone 0800 500 122 Police Home Loans 0800 800 808Police Health Plan/Staffpac Insurance Police Credit Union 0800 429 000Quotes & information 0800 500 122 or (04) 472 9645or Fax (04) 496 6819 Credit Union www.policecu.org.nzStaffpac claims 0800 110 088 GSF information 0800 654 731All enquiries (04) 496 6800 PSS information 0800 777 243Vice PresidentsGeoff Smith (027) 268 9417Richard Middleton (027) 268 9411Field OfficersNorthland and Auckland Districts: Stewart Mills (027) 268 9407Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts: Eric Newman (027) 268 9408Central and Wellington Districts: JJ Taylor (027) 268 9409Tasman, Canterbury and Southern Districts: Dave McKirdy (027) 268 9410Regional DirectorsRegion One Steve Hawkins Whangaparoa (027) 268 9419Region Two Mark Leys Papatoetoe (027) 268 9413Region Three Mel Ridley Tauranga (027) 268 9414Region Four Logan Alderson Napier (027) 268 9415Region Five Stuart Mills Office of Com (027) 268 9416Region Six Craig Prior Sumner (027) 268 9412Region Seven Dave Steel North Dunedin (027) 268 9418174

against packet loss, route changes, and route failures.Packet Loss: Since the framework provides ahop-by-hop protocol, it handles packet losses locally.That is, if a packet is lost on any intermediate link,the node at the receiving side will not acknowledgethe corresponding fragment and the last hop will retransmitthe fragment. If a fragment acknowledgmentpacket is lost and a fragment is retransmitted eventhough the receiver has it in its cache already, thereceiver immediately sends an ACK to the sender. Inaddition, every fragment ACK contains the sequencenumbers of the last received fragments. Thus, ingeneral, a fragment can be acknowledged by multipleindependent ACK packets. The same mechanism isemployed for segment ACKs.It might be argued, that local retransmission isalready provided by most MAC layer protocols andshould not be duplicated at a higher layer. Since thetransport layer protocol has knowledge about thefinal destination of every data packet, it is able toretransmit the packet to a different next hop whenrecovering from a link failure; note that this cannotbe accomplished by the MAC layer protocol.Route Changes: In order to avoid stale packetsfrom congesting the network, every data and ACKpacket contains a so-called final acknowledgmentnumber, i.e, the sequence number of the last fragmentreceived in sequence at the destination. Whenever anode receives a higher final acknowledgment number,it updates its status and flushes all fragments withlower sequence numbers. This effectively controlsthe cache sizes at intermediate hops and provides aredundant acknowledgment channel from the destinationback to the source.Route Failures: Current ad hoc routing protocols,such as AODV [10] and DSR [11], strive toprovide either an end-to-end route or no route atall. As soon as a packet is lost, all routes using theunreliable link are considered to be down. Since hopby-hopprotocols do not depend on end-to-end routes,this functionality is counterproductive. The frameworkprovides a route caching mechanism, allowingit to continue to use invalid routes for a specifiableperiod if the link to the next hop is up.III. EvaluationWe compare the performance of SaFT with TCPNewReno [2] in a messaging application running overa mobile ad hoc network. We run the simulation in“ns-2”; all nodes use the IEEE 802.11 MAC layerrunning DCF with RTS/CTS and the AODV [10]routing protocol. In an area of 1000m × 3000m, nodesmove according to the random-waypoint model [11]at a speed of 1–10m/sec. The connection pattern isas follows: 10 pairs of nodes are chosen randomly.One node of every pair sends 10 messages of 100kBto its peer at uniformly distributed points in timeduring the first 100 seconds (see [12] for a completedescription of the simulation environment).We run experiments for network sizes of 20, 30, 40,and 50 nodes and measure the time until all messagesare transmitted. The average values of 50 seeds areplotted in Figure 2. With SaFT, the average arrivalSpeedup with SAFT43210Key:TCPSAFTSpeedup50Fig. 2.4030Number of nodes20Average message arrival timetime is almost independent of the number of nodes.In contrast, TCP performs poorly with less than 40nodes. For instance in the example network with 30nodes, it takes 17 minutes for all messages to arriveat the destination nodes with TCP. With SaFT, allconnections finish already after 7 minutes.In Figure 3, we show in one instance of the simulationexperiment with 30 nodes, how the connectionsprogress with TCP and SaFT, respectively. InFigure 3(a), the stop-and-go behavior of TCP in thisexperiment becomes obvious. SaFT in contrast transmitsdata more smoothly and much faster, as shownin Figure 3(b). Our analysis of the trace files hasrevealed that TCP sends data primarily on single-hopconnections, and that typically only one connectionis transmitting at a time. In contrast, SaFT starts totransmit data much earlier than TCP and frequentlyuses multiple single- and multi-hop routes. From thisexperiment, we conclude that SaFT is particularlywell suited for networks with low node density.3020100Arrival Time [minutes]

October 2004Police News The Voice of Police40 years onformerpolice officersreceiverecognition...“Every time there’s ashooting of a policeofficer you think howlucky we were that itwasn’t us.”Forty years after attending an armedoffender incident in New Plymouth,retired police officers Keith Torckler andGeoffrey Black have been recognised fortheir courage.The pair was recently awarded aDistrict Commander’s certificate fortheir dedication to duty on November30, 1962 when, without back up, theyoverpowered an armed offender whohad three firearms and 1000 rounds ofammunition in his possession.The officers had responded to a callfrom a Harbour Board employee whohad reported hearing shots.Holed up in lighthouseThe offender was holed up in MikotahiLighthouse during the siege. Torcklerclimbed up to the lighthouse withBlack following him and as the offenderpointed the firearm at Torckler, thesergeant grabbed hold of it, and withassistance from Constable Black, thetwo men were able to wrestle theoffender to the ground and arrest him.• Geoffrey Black (left) and Keith Torckler with their commendation certificates. (Photocourtesy of The Daily News)Mr Torckler, told New Plymouth’s TheDaily News, that he was “just doinghis job”. “We were the buffer betweenlunatics and the public. If somethinghappened we went and did it, becauseit came with the territory.”Time to reflectDuring the intervening years, bothformer officers have had plenty of timeto reflect on just how lucky they wereto escape with their lives. “The onlytime I felt any concern was afterwardswhen I discovered my knees knockingtogether a little bit,” Torckler told thelocal newspaper.“Every time there’s a shooting of apolice officer you think how luckywe were it wasn’t us,” Mr Black saidrecently.Central District Commander,Superintendent Mark Lammas,presented the two former officers withtheir certificates.Our members voted usfirst for service*for the second year in a row!Police Health Plan offers:• a great range of benefits specificallydesigned to protect the health ofmembers of Police and their families,when they need it most.• levels of cover tailored to your budget.For more information call Police Health Plan0800 500 122or visit www.policeassn.org.nz*Consumer Magazine September 2004When it comes to our members’health, we really do care.IT’S A BOB’S LIFE…By Rohan Stace178

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004Keen On Wineby Ricky CollinsTough times aheadfor New Zealandwine industryNew Zealand’s wine production in 2004 took a giant leapforward in terms of volume. The annual crush of grapessoared to a new record high of 166,000 tonnes, well upfrom the 119,000 tonnes crushed in the last trouble freevintage of 2002. This growth is set to continue into thenext few years at least, with significant plantings still yetto reach production stage. Compared to that level ofgrowth, New Zealand’s average annual consumption ofwine per person has remained relatively static over the lastten years at around nine litres per person.This means that our increased volume of wine will haveto find new export markets. It is true that New Zealandhas done well in exporting its wine to date, however, wecannot rely on our existing export markets absorbingour annual increase in production. There is increasingcompetition for the global wine market, with many otherwine-producing countries also increasing their annualproduction.What does this mean for the New Zealandindustry?Because 2003 was such a poor vintage, with low levelsof production, the domestic and export markets arelikely to absorb this year’s increased volume. However,if production in 2005 is at the same level or higher than2004, we are likely see extreme competition in bothmarkets, with the possibility of some producers notsurviving. The producers who do not survive are likely tobe bought up by some of our larger producers. Australiahas faced this situation over the last few vintages, withseveral of their larger corporations swallowing up many oftheir struggling boutique producers.What does this mean for the consumer?We are likely to see a trend develop where unsold stockfrom previous vintages will be dumped onto our domesticmarket. To an extent this is already happening, withmany on-line retailers and some supermarkets offeringheavily discounted wine. Australian producers alsosee New Zealand as a target market for their excessproduction. Therefore, we can expect to see an increasein cheap Australian wine on sale here. The natural impactof supply and demand is likely to determine a brightoutlook for the New Zealand wine consumer, but not sobright for some of those in the local wine industry.Wine of the MonthTe Mata Estate Rymer’s Change wine rangeTe Mata are widely regarded as one of New Zealand’spremium wine producers. They have recently released anew wine range called Rymer’s Change, which is a valuefor-moneyselection of wines produced from fruit fromtheir own Hawke’s Bay vineyards. Within the range are aSauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Rose, and a Cabernet/Merlot. At $11.65 a bottle direct from the vineyard, theyrepresent excellent value for money. As a new releasespecial, you can order on-line a sample dozen, comprisingthree bottles of each wine for $119.00 plus delivery costs.Just go to their website (www.temata.co.nz).Government says it will move to preventcriminals gaining from state compensationIn the wake of the High Court awarding$130,000 to five prisoners, whowere kept in a prison behaviouralmanagement system, the Governmenthas moved to legislate against criminalsbeing able to benefit from futurecompensation payouts by the state.The issue was raised again recentlyin light of the possibility of furthercompensation claims arising from theuse of police and court cells to houseremand prisoners.Instead, the Government wants toensure that any compensation awardedto criminals by the state has to go totheir victims.Appeal in the windThe Department of Corrections isto appeal the original High Courtdecision, which has effectively openeda compensation minefield for theGovernment. Minister of Justice, PhilGoff, has said he supports the appeal.In a recent statement, Mr Goff said:“I believe most people will feel thatthe real injustice was that those whohad committed such crimes as murdershould be compensated for relativelyminor offending against them.”Police News inquiries with the Minister’soffice confirmed that Mr Goff was“still awaiting draft legislation fromthe Ministry of Justice”, according to aspokesman.Police Association President, GregO’Connor, recently visited many ofthe police stations housing remandprisoners and told Police News he wasgreatly impressed by the “humanityand professionalism” of police officersinvolved in a difficult situation.“Many police officers feel some sympathyfor the plight of the remand prisoners intheir care. However, that doesn’t meanthat they necessarily feel that monetarycompensation for the prisoners is theanswer either,” O’Connor said.Abhorrence at crime“Most police officers feel an abhorrencefor the crimes that criminals commitbut that is not mutually exclusiveand they do feel a certain discomfortat seeing remand prisoners in theseconditions,” he added.O’Connor said that most people wouldfeel a great sense of unease about thegranting of $130,000 compensationto the five prisoners in the behaviouralmanagement case. “Clearly, if there arebreaches of human rights and the prisonhas got it wrong then there has to besome form of sanction put in place - butthat needn’t necessarily be money. Youhave to find a balance because in thesesorts of instances you’re dealing withunco-operative, hardened criminals andyou have to have some sort of behaviouralmanagement regime in place. You needa system where prisoners can earnsomething by improving their attitudesand behaviours,” he said.179

October 2004Police News The Voice of PolicePolice Health Plan Ltd in conjunction withour Medical Adviser, Doctor Eric Thornton,publishes articles on medical issues thataffect our members.To sleep,perchance to dreamSleep is absolutely vital for our wellbeing.We can only do without sleep for relativelyshort periods of time before the brain beginsto lose some of its functionality. Goingwithout sleep for 18 hours is the equivalentto having a blood alcohol reading of 50mgs, and after 24 hours this rises to theequivalent of a 100 mgs reading.In other words, you function the same asthough you are over the limit for driving.Lack of sleep is often a major factor in roadaccidents.For some people, sleep does not comeeasily. They suffer from a medical conditionknown as sleep apnoea. (Apnoea meansnot breathing). These people go to sleepbut wake frequently as they are unableto breathe properly. Some wake as oftenas every minute. When they wake in themorning they are exhausted. Usuallysleep apnoea is associated with snoring. Ifthey can stop snoring their sleep patternsimprove.SnoringWhile snoring is regarded as amusing orirritating, it affects a very large numberof people. These people may then haveimpaired efficiency and can be prone toaccidents due to being so tired. Tests,conducted in sleep laboratories, candetermine whether a person is just snoringor whether they have sleep apnoea. Healthinsurers will contribute towards the costof the tests but often will not pay for thetreatment of snoring. However, they willpay for treatment of sleep apnoea.Once the diagnosis is made, the treatmentdepends upon the severity of the problem.There are no easy solutions and remediesbought over the counter are usually useless.There are a number of treatments forsnoring. The minor remedies are oftenperformed by GPs and consist of using heatto tighten up a loose, soft palate. This iseffective in only a small number of cases.The majority of patients end up seeing an ear,nose and throat surgeon who will operateon airways. In a few patients, removing thetonsils and cauterising the nose is sufficient.Others require more major surgery to removethe uvula (the dangling bit at the back of thethroat) and to tighten the soft palate. Theseprocedures are effective in 90% of cases buta few patients go on to have second or thirdoperations.CPAP machineFor those who wish to avoid surgery, thereis a CPAP (continuous positive airwaypressure) machine. This device is wornover the mouth and nose every night anddelivers air at a positive pressure. The airpressure stops the sleep apnoea. Manypatients have found their lives greatlyimproved by using this machine. Themachines operate very quietly and peoplesoon get used to them. They are smallenough to be portable.Recent research in Australia has indicatedthat patients with sleep apnoea are beingdiagnosed in such numbers that there arenot enough doctors to treat them. Thesame will certainly apply in New Zealand.The cost of sleep disorders in lostproductivity is huge and is stimulatingfurther research.NZ Police Council of Sport2004 CALENDAR OF EVENTSFor more information regarding any of these events, orincluding other Police national sporting events, contact: AlisonMurray (04) 238 3139; Email: councilofsport@xtra.co.nzOctober4-6 Ski Champs - Turoa. Contact: Neil Warren extn: 7904119 & 20 Sevens Rugby Tournament - Palmerston NorthNetball trials (included at event)Contact: Helen Mahon-Stroud extn: 3790028-30 NZ Police Mountain Biking & Road Cycling Champs - ChristchurchContact: Greg Luxton extn: 3640031 - 2 South Island Golf Championships - TimaruContact: Mike Wingfield extn: 35062November9-11 17th Police Champs Trap & Skeet - WaitemataContact: Paul Burns 021 287 6743. Please note change ofdate from previous listing due to operational requirements.16-21 Police Cricket - Australasian Police Cricket ChampionshipContact: Paul Johannsen extn: 37940, Geoffrey Ringer extn: 9578919 North Island Touch Rugby Championship - Havelock north.Contact: Bryan Smyth extn: 66005.21 South Island Touch Championship - Ohoka, Nth CanterbutyContact: Tony Maw extn: 35783 or 025 200 131119-21 National Squash Tournament - TaupoContact: Sean Millar extn: 74340Avoid the loan sharks.........As a Police and Families Credit Union member you are SPECIAL andwe want to help you achieve your financial goals.If your goal is one of the following, the Credit Union can help youget it, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg.• Retire high interest credit card debt or repay finance companyHP’s;• Buy a new or used motor vehicle;• Take that overseas holiday you always dreamed about;• Do those home improvements that you have been putting off;• Or any other purpose.Police and Families Lifestyle Personal Loans are affordable, and theonly loan you will ever need. All Credit Union loans have a revolvingcredit feature.Police and Families Credit Union can approve loans from$500 to $250,000 (Use GSF or PSS as security).Unsecured loans up to a maximum of $10,000 are available.Police and Families Credit Union normal lending criteria apply.Give our lending staff a call now on 0800 285 626 or contactmember service staff on 0800 429 000 for a loan application form.Auckland members may contact Tony Shalfoon on 025 268 9429.180

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004This column is written by a frontline police officer. It does notrepresent the views or policies of the Police Association.View From The BottomTuff timesStats, stats and more stats sayingwhat a great job we are all doing,with clearly not enough resources. Isay clearly cause you can’t argue withthe stats, apparently, and they do saywe have the second lowest coppersto population ratio in the wholedamn world (slight exaggeration, Iknow, but aren’t some of those statswe’re putting out?).I hear a few of me CIB mates north of the Bombay Hills arebeing used for traffic duties just to get the stats up in the roadpolicing (or is it road volume these days) area and if that’s notmanipulating the situation then I don’t know what is!It’s a cruel worldIt bloody is when you have the ‘Beat Boys’ near the Sky Towerdoing fantastic work and stripping bad guys of their cash(over 600k in fact) and they get an ear full for not issuingenough tickets. Someone needs their head read if they can’tconcentrate on the positive on this one and maybe a bit moretread in the boyz boots would help them pull over a few moremainstream Kiwis to fill the quota. Oops, I said the Q wordthat doesn’t exist in the enforcement vocabulary! Funny howwe set measurements for everything else we do - still, what’sin a name?Whats’ going on here then?Now look, I’m a realist but waddya think about a financesection that doesn’t distribute funds ring-fenced for aspecialist area, for let’s say nine months, and makes thedistricts involved keep digging into their own pockets?Me sources tell me the meth teams still haven’t received thefunding from The Castle though they’ve had it since 1 January.Maybe it’s in a nice interest earning account somewhereto help the teams out? Maybe it’s sitting in a cash tin insomeone’s desk and they just forgot about it? Maybe...maybe...maybe.Red and blackBy Constable Iam KeenWell done the ‘Bay’. You fellas did a wonderful job lookingafter the log of wood for us and it was a pity we had to takeit back but after such a titanic struggle. But it was great to seeher come home. Hasn’t the old NPC been a breath of fresh airthis year after so much disappointment on the internationalscene?Days are getting lighter and the fire’s not being put on so early,so spring is here and summer is on its way. Time to mend afew fences and observe the circle of life doing what comesnaturally in the coming months. Busy at home and busy atwork. Ain’t life grand!See YaCopper’s CrosswordAcross1. Charm of the third month (5)4. Bold statements from him, helpPolice fight crime in the future(5)10. Melon or just another fruit todescibe your cranium (5)11. Lace per drink this substituteinstead (7)12. Fifty pointer combined to makeoverseas Police Agency (8)13. Small brook (4)15. City of Canals (6)17. Two thousand hear this tool atwork (6)19. Yoda ? Yogi ? No a mixture ofboth help to relieve stress (4)20. Metering this band of soldiers (8)23. U-turner who will help foster (7)By Constable Cunning1 1 2 3 4 5 67 8 910 1112 1315 16 1719 20 212223 241825 26September answers:Across:1. Limits 13. Get4. Scored 14. Ager8. Anniversary 17. Rut10. Pardons 18. Non-Life11. Urn 19. Rhapsodises12. Rule 20. Retype24. Subway in Paris (5)25. Nag pa about being a heathen (5)26. To sniff and grunt (5)Down:2. Confess to (5)3. Some Police have one as termsof employment (8)5. Fibres of string (4)6. Thousand audits make up thisarena (7)7. Fortune teller (11)8. Robber, thief or felon (slang) (5)9. Announcement (11)14. An engraved amulet (8)16. Country of Africa (7)18. Revel and use a jemmy bar (5)21. Break and go into (5)22. April sun in this place (4)1421. GrantsDown:1. Learner Driver2. Manipulator3. Tavern5. Classy6. Decentralises7. Crookedness9. Young Person15. Encamp16. BinderEaster ballot form in this issueIn this issue of Police News you will see an Easter ballot formfor the holiday homes, which are heavily booked at this timeof year. The fairest way to allocate accommodation over thisperiod is by ballot. If you wish to be in the ballot you need tocomplete this form. The ballot only applies to serving swornand non-sworn Association members and graduate recruits.Association secretaries andchairpersonsIn the last issue of Police News there was a transposition ofpositions for office holders in the South Taranaki listingwhich appeared in the Association’s list of secretaries,chairpersons and delegates. The chairperson for SouthTaranaki (based in Hawera) is Nicola Davies and thesecretary for South Taranaki, also based in Hawera, isAndrea Burling.181

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004isolation, rough weather, rough seas andtough fisherman, who worked hard andplayed harder, presented its own uniquepolicing challenges. Alderson’s time therewas to prove no exception.“In my first three weekends there, I was inthree fights,” Alderson says.New game in townThe locals were inclined to try the newpolice officer out. “I think they were playingthe game called bait the new cop,” Aldersonsays. “I made 10 arrests that first year butthings got better - “there were only fourarrests the second year” - and by the time heleft, in his third year, there weren’t any.One of the things that may have helpedgain the respect of locals was a particularlyviolent encounter with a local who, by allaccounts, could makethe hair on the back ofyour neck stand up justby coming into yourpresence. Aldersonvariously describes himas “tough and evil”.They had a wee run in, the result of whichAlderson says, with a wry grin: “Restoredthe respect for the Police”.“From then on I never had any trouble,” hesays.Eight months later, the pair met again butthe circumstances were somewhat different.A bloke from the mainland was cutting uprough in the pub and Logan had him tippedupside down with his face in the dirt whenhe discovered that he’d left his handcuffs inthe truck. Just then he heard a voice behindhim say: “Do you need a hand?” He did.It was his former adversary, who obligedby getting the handcuffs from the truck forAlderson and then said: “Can I put them onhim?” And he did.The circle of respect was complete that day.Winning respectAlderson says that winning the Islandersrespect was a big thing. “They’re a hardpeople. If they respect you, you’re okay, ifthey don’t you may as well pack your bagsand go home on the next plane out.”The Chathams was undergoing a hugetransition at the time Alderson was there.The ship, “The Holmdale” left and wasreplaced by barges, the Argosy plane serviceceased and the manual telephone servicewas replaced by satellite phones. Aldersonremembers the ship-to-shore telephonecoverage well. “If atmospheric conditionswere bad it was like putting your head in afour-gallon can and talking to yourself,” hesays. A further complication was that theexchange ceased operating at 10.00 pm anddid not resume until 7.00 am the followingmorning. “So if an emergency happenedoutside those hours you physically had togo up to the radio station and get them toopen all the lines, which could take up to anhour,” he adds.Alderson wore four hats on the Chathams- Registrar of Courts, Police Prosecutor,Probation Officer and local constable- and he gained a fifth job when he wasresponsible for organising the Bicentenary ofEuropean discovery, which still ranks as thebiggest function ever held there - effectivelydoubling the population.He then went to Christchurch where hegained his sergeant’s stripes. He describesthe experience as “a huge culture shock”. “Ipreviously had to live by my own decisions“In my first three weekends there, I was in three fights.”- Logan Alderson on the Chathams ‘experience’.in small country stations and suddenly Ihad 20 staff I was responsible for,” he says.He felt like a fish out of water.“The adjustment was massive because I hadto get my head around being a supervisornow rather than one of the boys,” he says.The transition didn’t take too long. “Youhad to learn to trust your staff and that wasgood,” he adds.Move to ProsecutionsAbout 12 years ago, while still inChristchurch, Alderson moved into the roleof a Police Prosecutor. A couple of judges heknew encouraged him to apply for the jobbecause they felt he had a natural aptitudefor it.A couple of cases stick in his mind.One was the Police vs Wilcox and otherscase. It revolved around priests and otherswho had allegedly trespassed on thegrounds of the Lyndhurst Abortion Clinicin Christchurch. Experts were called to giveevidence about a foetus being a humanbeing and the protesters thereby claimed‘self-defence of another’. But Aldersonreasoned, rightly as it turned out, that therehad to be someone present at the clinic forthe self-defence argument to have credenceand since the protesters had arrived priorto the women attending the clinic thentheir defence fell down because there wasn’tanyone present to defend. The protesterswere duly convicted. They appealed but theappeal was thrown out too.Another was Police vs Tolhurst. This caseinvolved an incident on the Takapau Plainswhere a horse, who habitually jumpeda faulty fence ended up colliding with acar late one night. A passenger in the carwas killed. The Police originally lookedat a prosecution under the Fencing Actbut eventually got a conviction againstthe farmer involved under the rarely usedsection 156 of the Crimes Act, whichrelates to the duty of persons in charge ofdangerous things.Alderson says the best thing about theprosecutor’s job is “getting criminals wherethey should be, behind bars”. And the worstthing? “Presenting a case that you knowthe evidence is there and for some reason ajudge decides that it’s not.”Alderson says his heart goes out tocomplainants in such circumstances.“They drag themselves to court, the lastplace they want to be, and for some reasonthey end up basicallybeing victimised by thesystem all over again...that can stick in yourcraw and be prettydishearteneing,” he says.During his lengthy career, Logan Aldersonhas seen many changes and one of the mainones is police radio. When he first started,he had a “telephone handset stuck on thedashboard of the car and the boot wouldbe full of radio equipment because youcouldn’t put it anywhere else”. Cars anduniforms are amongst other major changeshe mentions but he says that stations haven’treally changed much over nearly four decades.ReflectionsWhen he reflects on the Police as anorganisation he says: “We do circles. Wecentralise, we decentralise, we do all thatsort of stuff. Same old, same old, it’s just gota different coloured hat on it, that’s all.”And what of the future?“A new start in Australia,” he says. “I amlooking to close a chapter in my life andmake a completely new start.”Before he joined the Police, Alderson gainedhis heavy trade licence and worked for alocal transport company. He says he maygive that another shot on the other sideof the Tasman. “It’s something I’ve alwaysthought I might have a go at again - drive aroad train or something like that.”Would he do it all over again? He hesitates,before answering with typical humour.“Yep, I would, but there’s one thing I’dchange.”And what might that be?“This time around, I’d get a lobotomy andcome back as a commissioned officer,” hechuckles, as he walks out of my office anddown the road to retirement.183

October 2004Police News The Voice of PoliceNew holiday homesofficially openedAuckland Mayor, John Banks, officially opened the first of twonew holiday homes, located in Newmarket, Auckland on 8September.Local police staff, Association representatives and neighboursattended the opening.While completing the fit-out of the first home, the opportunityto purchase a second apartment in the same complex arose. Thishome was available to members from 1 October.“The existing Auckland apartment is already very popular andthe second apartment, located directly next door, will ensuremore members have access to this desirable location” said PeteHayes, Police Welfare Fund Manager.Greytown openingWellington District Commander, Superintendent Rob Pope, didthe honours at the opening of the new Police Association holidayhome at Greytown recently.Local kaumatua, Jimmy Hemi, blessed the site and Associationstaff, local police and members of the local iwi were all on handto officially open the new facility.The modern house sits in a prime location, close to local shops,parks and cafes and is the perfect spot for a relaxing weekendgetaway or longer holiday.Important note:It is imperative that members using the new Auckland andGreytown holiday homes take the confirmation of bookingcorrespondence with them as this contains specific instructionsregarding the key pick up and security measures.Mayor Banks does the honours• Auckland mayor and a former Minister of Police, John Bankscuts the ribbon while Association President, Greg O’Connor,looks on.• The pool complex, which is available for use by holiday homeoccupants.• The lounge of one of the two Auckland apartments.• A landscape profile of the modern Greytown home.184

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004“I declare this home officially open”• Wellington District Commander, Superintendent Rob Pope, cuts the ribbon at theGreytown holiday home while Association vice-President, Richard Middleton, looks on.Time for a break away fromthe hustle and bustle?As can be seen from the table below, there are many vacancies available invirtually all homes leading up to the Christmas ballot period. As summerapproaches and the weather improves this time of the year is often ideal tohave a break without the normal hustle of holidaymakers.Holiday hometariff increaseThe Board of Directors recentlyapproved an increase for the holidayhome overnight tariff from $45 to$50 per night.This will take effect for all bookingsmade after 1 November 2004.Any existing bookings or those madebefore 1 November, and where therequired deposit(s) has been paid,will remain at the existing rate of$45 per night.“This increase is the first increasesince 1997. The increased incomewill assist in meeting the increasedoperating costs of the homes, suchas rates, insurance and electricity.As well, half the increase will be putaside for on-going holiday homemaintenance and refurbishment,”said Pete Hayes, Police Welfare FundManager.“As occupancy of our holidayhomes is in excess of 85%, and insome homes is as much as 98%, theneed for ongoing maintenance toensure the homes are kept to a highstandard is imperative. Even at $50per night, our high quality homesare tremendous value compared withother alternative accommodation,”Mr Hayes added.HOLIDAY HOME AVAILABILITY– for bookings see: www.policeassn.org.nzOctober November DecemberPaihia 13, 21 3-4, 7-9, 29-30 5Stanmore Bay 7, 10, 11-14, 15-21, 25-29, 30-31 1-4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-30 1-2, 5-9, 12-16, 23Auckland 7, 8-25 2-11, 15-20, 28-30 1-9, 12, 22-26Whangamata 7, 10-14, 19-22, 26-28, 29, 31 1-4, 8-9, 14-18, 21-25, 29 5-10Mt Maunganui 10-14, 18, 20, 25-28, 31 1-3, 4, 8-11, 15-16, 23-25, 28, 29-30 1, 14-15Ohope 7, 10-14, 17-22, 25-29 1-4, 7-11, 14-16, 18, 23-25, 29-30 1, 6-9, 17-18, 23Rotorua 7, 10-12, 14, 17-21, 25-31 1-5, 7-10, 14-18, 23-25, 29-30 1-2, 6-16, 19Taupo 9-12, 14, 16, 19-21, 25, 27-28 8-11, 15-18, 19, 21, 25, 28-30 1-2, 5-11, 13-14, 19, 23-26Turangi 8, 13-15, 17-21, 24-29, 31 1-4, 6-11, 14-25, 28-30 1-9, 11-26Napier 13-14, 17-21, 26-28, 31 1, 5, 7, 17-18, 21-22, 24-25, 29-30 1-2, 6-9Greytown 11-14, 18-22, 25-28, 31 1-4, 7-11, 14-18, 22-26, 28 1-2, 5-10, 12-16, 18-20, 23-26Paraparaumu 8-20, 26, 31 1-4, 7, 9-10, 14, 16-17, 22-23, 26 4, 12-13, 21Wellington 7-14, 18-20 2-3, 22-25, 28-30 15, 26Nelson 8, 14, 17, 19-20, 21, 25-28, 30-31 1-10, 16-17, 24-26 1-2, 8-11, 14-15, 22-23Hanmer Springs 20, 25-26 1, 4, 9-10, 15-16, 19 3, 5, 9, 12, 24Christchurch 14, 17, 18-20 4, 23, 25, 29 13, 15, 19Tekapo 7, 10, 13-14, 20, 25 8-11, 15-16, 24, 30 3, 5-6, 20, 23Cromwell 7, 11-12, 15, 16-21, 28 9, 12-18, 22-23 5, 9, 21-22, 25-26Wanaka 11-12, 13, 18-19, 21, 28 1, 8, 15-19, 30 1-3, 5, 8-9Queenstown N/A 4, 7, 15-18, 21-24 12Te Anau 7, 10-12, 17-21, 22, 25-28, 31 1-3, 4, 7-8, 10, 11, 16-18, 21-23, 28, 30 2Dunedin 12 7, 14-15 N/A185

October 2004Police News The Voice of PoliceCourt will determine Holidays Act disputeBy Stephen Ross, Association Legal OfficerThe issue of whether Police are topay its employees time and a half onpublic holidays is still in dispute and isto proceed to court for determination.However, the timing of when thismatter can be heard by the court hasbeen stymied by the introduction ofthe Holidays Amendment Bill. As aconsequence, it cannot be litigated untilthe Bill is passed into law and its impacton us (if any) can be properly assessed.The Holidays Amendment BillThe Holidays Amendment Bill had its firstreading in Parliament on 7 September2004. The Bill follows discussions onthe ‘unintended consequences’ of theHolidays Act 2003 (the Act) by a workinggroup convened by the Minister ofLabour. The working group comprisedrepresentatives of employers and unions.The stated aim of the Bill is to correctthe ‘unintended consequences’ thathave arisen or may arise in applying theAct and to ensure ‘fairness’ to both theemployer and the employee when payingtime and a half to an employee whoworks on a public holiday.Essentially, the Bill proposes to:• Change the time and a half provisionsby excluding penal rates designed tocompensate an employee for workingon a ‘particular day’ (such as a weekend)Criminal Procedure BillThe Association supported our writtensubmission by making oral submissionsto the Law and Order Select Committeein mid-September. The Select Committeeis due to report back to Parliament on 28December.Children, Young Persons, andTheir Families Amendment Bill(No 4)This Bill proposes amendments to youthjustice processes. These include newpowers to exclude people from familygroup conferences, where a risk to thesafety of the young person is perceived,new powers to hold young people inpolice custody if bail conditions arebreached and a new procedure for alloffences, related to a purely indictableoffence, to be dealt with together. TheAssociation has a number of concernsrelating to the proposed amendmentsand has made written submissions tothe Select Committee. The Bill is dueBy Chris Aitchison,Association Research Officerto report back to the House on 15November.Holidays Amendment Bill 2004The Association has made submissions onthis Bill. Please refer to the article writtenby Stephen Ross, which appears above.or a ‘particular type of day’ (such as apublic holiday) from the calculation of anemployee’s ‘relevant daily pay’ before timeand a half payments are made.• Amend the sick leave provision by makingit clear that an employee, who is to workon a public holiday, but does not work,because the employee is sick or bereaved ispaid only their ordinary pay for that day.• Allow employers to demand proof ofsickness or injury within the current threeconsecutive calendar day rule, if they havereasonable grounds to believe that the sickleave is not genuine.The Government aims to push theAmendment Bill through the selectcommittee process with a view ofamending the Act before Labour Day onOctober 25.Select committee submissionsWhile the Police Association supports thenecessity to clarify genuine ‘unintendedconsequences’ it does not support, andhas made written submission againstthe majority of proposed changes. Inparticular, the Association does not accept:• That an employee who receives penal ratesfor working on a weekend should have thisrate deducted from their ‘relevant daily rate’simply because a public holiday also fell onthat day. Nor does the Association acceptthe rationale to change the current threedayrule in respect ofproof of sickness.The Association alsosubmitted that the Billfailed to address issuesof ‘fairness’ in respect to those employeeswho will be financially disadvantagedas a result of them being required to startwork (for example, being called back towork) on a public holiday.Currently, an employee who starts workor is called back to work on a publicholiday must be paid time and a half forthe hours they actually work. Thus,if the employee works less than theirordinary hours, e.g., if they work forthree hours they will only receive theequivalent payment of 4.5 hours oftheir ‘relevant daily pay’. In contrast, anemployee who does not work on thatpublic holiday will receive their normaldaily payment. Clearly, an employee whois required to work in these circumstancesis financially disadvantaged, as theywill receive less remuneration for thatweek, or if this occurred over a numberof public holidays, then less totalremuneration than an employee who hadthose same public holidays off.If you are interested in the policy behindthe proposed changes to the Act you canview the Bill at: http://www.knowledgebasket.co.nz/gpprint/docs/welcome.htmlInquiry into hate speechThe Government AdministrationCommittee has begun an inquiry intohate speech. The inquiry is to look intowhether further legislation is required. Ithas come about as a result of issues raisedin submissions to the Select Committeeon the Films, Videos and PublicationsClassifications Amendment Bill.Submissions to the Hate Speech Inquiryclosed on 1 October. The Association,at the time of writing, was consideringwhether or not to make submissions onthis matter.Have you moved recently?If you have or perhaps you’re about to,please let us know so we can update yourrecords. You can do this by:• writing to us at PO Box 12-344;• calling on freephone 0800 500 122;• faxing us on (04) 496 6819;• or emailing us at:membership@policeassn.org.nz.You need to let us know your membershipnumber, new address and if you’re aserving member - your new station.186

October 2004Police News The Voice of PoliceGolf champs at TemukaThe New Zealand Police Association SouthIsland Golf Championships will be held atthe Temuka Golf Course, Timaru, from the31 October-2 November, 2004.Entries are now being taken and will closeonce the field reaches 120. The cost is$100 for the five rounds of golf plus prizesand dinner. For an entry form or moreinformation contact: Dylan Murray extn35053 or Mark Sewell extn 35050.Police Sailing Assoc. AGMThe Police Sailing Association will holdits AGM at the Maritime Rescue Centre,Auckland, on the 28 October at 10.30a.m. An election of office holders willbe held, along with a discussion aboutproposed events. All enquires to CraigHughes at the above address or ext93570.Hamilton CIB reunionHamilton CIB members are invitedto a reunion to be held in Hamiltonover Labour Weekend (October23 and 24) 2004. Over 100registrations have been received,but organisers want more.The organising committee is urgingearly registration, especially fromout-of-towners, as accommodationhas been reserved at the KingsgateHotel in Te Rapa.For registration contact MurrayBardsley at PO Box 4298,Hamilton East, or Pete van deWetering at Hamilton Central(ext 79477 or via Lotus Notes).The reunion is open to all past andpresent CIB members, all supportand non-sworn staff and partners,and spouses of deceased members.Planningfor yourlife afterwork.Shooting champsnow 16 and 18 NovThe 2004, 23rd RNZAF Interbasetournament, in conjunction with the 17thPolice Champs and the 12th Joint ServicesChamps will be contested at Waitemataon 16 and 18 November, 2004.All interested shooters should notethe date change from those previouslyadvertised. The change is due tooperational requirements.All interested shooters please contact PaulBurns at Polsport@clear.net.nz (SouthIsland competitors) or Roger Bright onLotus Notes (North Island competitors).Paul can be also be contacted by phoneon: 021 2876 743NZ Police rugby league team namedThe following players have been selected for the first rugby league test against GreatBritain Police at the Royal NZ Police College on Friday, October 8 2004. Coach GaryAllcock believes it to be the strongest side ever assembled by NZ Police, with themajority of players having played professional or representative rugby league.Congratulations to all those selected.The team is as follows:Coach: Ken LabanAssistant coach: John LomaxManager: Gary AllcockAssistant manager: Dexter TraillSenior officer: Graham EmeryCouncil of Sport rep: Harry QuinnPlayers:Auckland: Bevan Dick, Junior Fui, Karl Knight,Bryan Laumatia, Solomon Kiri, Taavili Leaunoa,Allan Lio, Tony Tatupu, Robert Toelau, CharlieWaide, Gavin Bailey, Lee Tamatoa.Wellington: Kane Haerewa, Brendon Mears.Christchurch: Steve Whiteside, Donavan Aitken.Dunedin: Donovan Clarke.Mountain Bike & RoadCycling ChampionshipsEntry forms are now available for theNew Zealand Police Association &Council of Sport Police Mountain Bike &Road Cycling Championships to be heldin Christchurch from the 28-30 October2004.Forms are available by Emailing: AlisonMurray at councilofsport@xtra.co.nzor the event organisers Gregory Luxtonor Gregory Hume via Lotus Notes.Each road race category is likely to beshortened by one lap from that given onthe entry form. Also, should numberssupport it, the women’s road race maycontain a Veteran class (35+).Reserves: Anaru Pewhairangi, Morgan De LaRue, Viiga Lima, Brad Dowson, Shaun Ryan,Sione Tangi.Roger Mattson, Jason Kaulima, Fagaesea Siakiand Wayne Bailey were unavailable for selection.The NZ Police will play the Great BritainPolice team in a three match series onsuccessive Fridays - in Wellington (8Oct, 3.00 pm at the Royal NZ PoliceCollege), in Rotorua (15 Oct, 3.00 pmat the Rotorua International Stadium)and in Auckland (22 Oct at 2.00pm atEricsson Stadium No.1 - home of theWarriors). Please note the Aucklandgame starts an hour earlier than theother two tests.Are you a member ofthe GSF or the PSSand nearing retirement?If so, it is important youunderstand yourchoices and the impactthese could have onyour financial future.Getting advice on howmaximising your PoliceSuperannuationentitlement can benefityou, and your family,both now and in thefuture, is critical.To arrange a free noobligation consultationwith a Police FinancialPlanner call0800 ON BEAT or0800 662 328.188

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004Letters to the Editor 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 theright to edit, abridge or decline letters without explanation. Write to: editor@policeassn.org.nzor post it to the Editor at PO Box 12344, Wellington. Letters under 400 words are preferred.Media interest inpolice shootingsI find it hard to believe that the mediainterest in the latest police shooting inAuckland is nowhere near as intense as theprevious shooting in Waitara four and a halfyears ago.I have noticed, with great interest, that thelatest event struggled to make a mentionafter two nights, and then got only a fewminutes of airtime.I can remember the Waitara shootingoccupying a major part of the evening newsand The Holmes Show for days, and possiblyweeks, after the event. What has happened?Have the Police finally worked out how tomanage the media, or is there too muchnews around now, that police shootingshardly rate a mention?My sincere thoughts also go to the officerconcerned and to his family. I do hope theyget the support they so dearly need at thistime.Keith Abbott(Address withheld)Adequate resourcingis the keyI read Matt King’s letter (September issue,Police News) with interest and wondered ifhe was sitting at the desk next to mine. Idon’t look at the statistics with anythingmore than a healthy dose of cynicism. All Iknow is that as a detective I am busier thanever and it’s getting worse.You want statistics? Here are a few at thebasic end. In the nine years I have been inthe Police crime has risen on average 3%.That is a 27% increase in crime. I’m notsure at what rate the population has risenbut I guess it is 1-3%.Have Police numbers risen appreciably inthat time? I think not. That we get anyresults at all is a testament to the dedicationof our staff. The time has come forgovernments and administrations to stoprelying on our willingness to do the joband catch the bad guy as an alternative toinvestment in infrastructure and more staff.Does it not make sense to have a permanentannual process for increasing staff, to allowfor these predictable and inevitable increasesin population and crime? I am talking areview every year, not knee-jerk electionyear “flood the streets with cops” promises.It does get frustrating when you feel thatcrime is being paid lip service. Recently,I left the station to arrest a seriouspaedophile. My offsider and I jumped intoour borrowed, eight-year-old car that wasjust “holden” together. We had to wait forseveral minutes as brand spanking new carafter brand spanking new car left to policethe country’s roads.Please, this is not a dig at the Road Policingor Highway Patrol. On the contrary, theappreciable results in crash and road tollreduction are a shining example of what wecan do given a clear goal, a workable planand adequate resourcing. Let us roll thismethodology over into crime. We can makecrime the new road toll and get it down too.I also note, with interest, the safety issuescurrently in vogue, stab-proof vests andthe like. I was recently fortunate enoughto go on an exchange through the Rotaryprogramme to the Southern USA. Onething I noted was that, even the verysmall departments of one or two sheriffs,had better safety equipment than we did.Barriers between front and rear seats werein every single vehicle. Vests were standard.Most departments told the officer to getwhat they wanted and it was paid for.Although, one sheriff I spoke to, may havebeen taking things a bit far. He carried anissue 10mm Glock, his own.357 revolver,a 12-gauge shotgun, an AR15 and a WW2vintage M3 submachine gun. Maybe heneeded to work on his communicationskills.However, in New Zealand, we have totrial and evaluate and talk and trial again.The information is out there. Surely theLAPD or London Metropolitan Police haveconducted similar trials. It’s time we stoppedstuffing around and got barriers and vests.Al Symonds(Papakura)Corrections respondsto ‘a hoary old chestnut’The Police News article headed ‘Pass theprisoner - a hoary old chestnut’ raisesgenuine concerns held by Police, but it doesPolice and your Justice sector colleagues ahuge disservice by ignoring the facts andseeking to paint the police officers as solevictims and Corrections as the guilty party.Let’s start with some facts. It is notCorrections “who created the problem inthe first place”. Inmate numbers result fromcomplex interplay between a large numberof variables including Police clearancerates, Police bail recommendations, judicialdecision-making, Government sentencingpolicies, Parole Board decision makingand of course, the underlying crime rate.None of these is under the control of theDepartment of Corrections.It is the Ministry of Justice, not Corrections,that forecasts prison numbers for planningpurposes. It takes between 6 to 18 monthsto build new prison facilities on existingsites; years to build new facilities. InDecember 2002, the Ministry of Justiceforecast the August 2004 prison populationat 5992. In fact, 6868 were incarceratedon 30 August; another 100 since. That’s adifference of almost 1000 inmates. This ismore than the capacity of our largest prison.Of that increase, Corrections’ contingencyplanning has already coped with almost 500inmates. We have done that by doublebunking,using our operational buffer, andutilising beds usually reserved for situationslike these. We have also converted a 60-bed unit for use by women inmates andadded an additional 20 beds to match theunprecedented increase in the number offemale offenders.We are managing up to a further 100in court cells. With additional fundingapproved by government and subjectto union agreement, nearly 200 moreare planned. In total that’s nearly 800more than we were told to plan for. Weare very grateful for Police assistance inaccommodating the 150-odd additionalinmates, for the flexibility often exercisedabout the MoU maxima, and for thevery considerable support we have hadnationally and in most regions from thePolice.Can I take this opportunity also to stick upfor my own staff? It was with a wry smilethat I read the litany of issues reported bysome officers and the apparent nervousnessexperienced by Police in coming in closeproximity with inmates. Some of thoseissues are unique to the present situation.Most represent risks faced, and faced down,by Corrections officers every day. Perhapsone silver lining in the current numericalblack cloud may be that your members,indeed the public generally, may cometo understand and appreciate the quietheroics that go on, every day, in every prisonaround the country. Since August 1989 theprison population has grown from 3768- that’s an increase of more than 80 percent.Police officers around the country haveplayed a vital role in responding to thecurrent muster situation. It goes withoutsaying that Corrections greatly appreciatestheir contribution and recognises the189

October 2004Police News The Voice of Policeadditional pressures placed on Police by theincrease in inmate numbers. But you arenot alone in this. The situation has placedpressure on all Justice sector agencies, andthe most effective way to resolve it is bythese agencies continuing to work togetherto develop solutions.Phil McCarthy(General Manager, Public PrisonsService)Thanks for your letter Phil. It is hearteningto see you sticking up for your staff.Hopefully, that concern will convert itselfinto providing more Corrections officersin future, given that there is an estimated10% shortfall in staffing numbersat present, which, of course is also acontributing factor in respect of the addedpressures that prison officers face whenmusters go up so dramatically. The articlehighlighted the Association’s concernsabout the invidious position our membersfind themselves in, through no fault oftheir own, due to prison overcrowding.As you so rightly point out, this affecteda number of other staff from variousagencies - but they have their ownrepresentatives to speak on their behalf.The Police Association’s job is to representthe interests of police officers and that isexactly what the Police News article wasdoing.Professionalisation ofpolicingI read with considerable interest “theprofessionalisation of policing” (Police News,July) and the claim that it was a naturalprogression that would benefit both thecommunity and the Police.The quest for professionalism is multifacetedand many occupational groupsclaim to be professionals but the term ismuch over used and has pretty much lostits original meaning. Professionals usedto include a limited range of practitionersin occupations such as law, medicine andaccountancy but the terms are now muchmore widely used and include manyother high skill and expert knowledgeoccupations. However, its more generalusage today extends well beyond that andincludes a wide assortment of self identified“professionals” such as used car salesmen,real estate agents, cleaners and, yes, even sexworkers.It is completely inadequate to blandly talkabout higher education, a unique body ofknowledge and a self-regulating code ofethics. If the Police want to be known asprofessionals they must carefully distinguishthemselves from all other professions, bothtraditional and contemporary. That willrequire the careful definition of the specialistskills and the unique body of theoretical andapplied knowledge, often research-based,that encompasses the practice of policing.Training and education must reflect that andpolicing practitioners have to demonstratenot only that they have mastered theexisting and evolving body of knowledgeand that they are contributing materially tofurthering it. It doesn’t end there though,practitioners must then be able to show howthe skilful application of that knowledgebenefits the community - they have to get“runs on the board” as it were.For example, there is much rhetoric aboutscientific policing that is well informed bygood intelligence and based on theoreticaland applied research drawn from the mostlyoverseas literature on Crime Science andCriminology. It all seems very rational andhighly practical and is likely to have a majorimpact on volume crime. But it has notprogressed far as very few have masteredthe unique body of knowledge and none,as far as I am aware, have contributedthrough replication, experimentation orsome other form of applied research tofurthering that knowledge. This is thegut of professionalism. From the Policeperspective, the pursuit of higher educationfor its own sake is meaningless! The Policemust accept that while they might claim tobe professionals as car salesmen might, suchstatus is not awarded lightly and, further itis awarded from without not within.However, a far more fundamental questionis why the police would want to claimprofessional status in the first place? Itis doubtful that it is driven by externaldemands so the real thrust has to beinternal. Probably, its proponents expectthat benefits will flow from this - higherstatus, better conditions, higher wagesand greater job mobility. If so, wouldcommunities be prepared to pay for thatas without doubt there will be additionalcosts? (For example, new recruitswould be seeking higher pay to pay offtheir student loans that they needed toobtain their degrees.) Possibly, but a likelyconsequence is increased privatisation ofpolicing services, the use of less skilled andlower paid people for some policing jobsas has already happened in accountancyand law and a lessening of employment of“professionals”.I agree with the reservations expressed byCommissioner Robinson and AssociationPresident, Greg O’Connor. With duerespect to Chief Commissioner Nixon andher colleagues this has all the hallmarks ofsomeone’s “good idea” and that is the veryantithesis of professionalism. New ZealandPolice have a history of being exposed toinadequately reasoned and poorly thoughtthrough “good ideas”.Finally, in closing, I wouldn’t have thoughtthat nursing was a particularly goodexample to illustrate the difficulties involvedin becoming a profession. Nursing is muchmore advanced than policing and severaltertiary institutions have their own nursingschools with advanced nursing degrees andsome, I understand, have Chairs of Nursing.However, I note that in many institutionsprofessional nurses and their medicalcolleagues are now managed by nonmedical“professional” managers. Couldthis be the fate of a “professionalised policeservice”?Don Hamilton(Rotorua)Oaths that bindThis letter is in response to the discussiondocument circulated by the Ministry ofJustice that proposes a review of oaths inNew Zealand.The oath that is most binding, and thatcarries the most authority is the Police oath.The New Zealand Police derive their veryauthority from this oath, as the oath formsa direct contract with the reigning, and anysubsequent, monarch. This contract giveseach individual police officer the powerto act as an agent in keeping the Queen’speace.The authority is original, direct from theQueen; it is not a delegated authority. Thishas a follow-on effect making the Policeapolitical in nature.The oath itself, although perhaps long, isnevertheless written in plain, unambiguous,language. The oath clearly states whatis expected of a police officer during thecourse of his or her duties. If any changeis proposed to the oath, which is purelysemantic, then the question arises, whychange it?Any change would need to clearly maintainthe line of authority between the monarchand the oath taker. A failure to do so wouldremove the authority of the Police to act.Any such change would necessitate acomplete revision of the Police Act 1958, aswell as numerous other Acts and Statutesthat confer specific powers on policeofficers.A change that altered, or removed, thereference to the monarch, or indeed anychange that stated, for example, “has aduty to uphold the laws of New Zealand/Aotearoa”, would seriously compromisePolice independence from politicalinfluence.There has already been concern, bothpublicly, and within the Police, over thedegree of political interference in operationalPolice matters.An oath is defined in the Oxford EnglishDictionary as a “solemn promise, ofteninvoking a divine witness as to the truth ofsomething, or as a commitment to futureaction”.190

New Zealand Police AssociationOctober 2004The Police oath is therefore a solemnpromise of commitment sworn against aperson’s highest belief or value.In a non-sectarian, non-secular nation suchas New Zealand, an affirmation is takenby a small minority of Police officers as analternative to the oath taken on the Bible.If the manner of taking the oath waschanged to include other religious beliefs,as an alternative to the affirmation, someextreme situations could conceivably arise.There are few people in New Zealand whowould object to an oath being taken on theKoran rather than the Bible. There would,however, be extreme concern amongst thepublic, should it become known that apolice officer took an oath before Urius, achannelled being of light, that is popularamongst many ‘new age’ spiritualists.Such an event may seem ridiculous to mostNew Zealanders, but with the proliferationof alternative religions there is a very realpossibility of this occurring unless theoath taking was restricted to ‘recognised’religions. This stance may have Bill of Rightsissues that effect it’s implementation.In summary, there is no need, norrequirement to change the Police oath.Any change could have serious, unforeseenconsequences, to the operationaleffectiveness, and public confidence in thePolice.The current oath is binding and it does notrequire any change.Brendan John Stewart(Henderson)Out on the roadIsn’t it funny, when you think things can’tget any more ludicrous (no link betweenburglaries and drugs, yeah right!), theytake things further?The latest crazy idea to hit us, thatsomeone has come up with to justify theirexistence, is that the Police have too manycomputers.As a result, we have to get rid of some.About 26 have to go for the Eastern bay,I believe.How this cuts budgets I don’t know. Nodoubt, the resale for these will be great; acouple of hundred dollars each, probably.If we can’t find some sucker to buy themno doubt we will find some space forthem to gather dust.“It will encourage you to go out and beproactive” I have heard management say.Right, let’s be proactive. But hang on.How will we complete the extra files?We will be missing some computers. Nodoubt a bulk order of carbon paper willsolve this problem.Next, they will remove our coffee area sowe won’t stay for a cuppa and therefore beon the road longer. Oops. Too slow, theyhave done that.Give that man a pay rise.“Byte time”(Whakatane)Children allowed to vote?One of my children, who is now 11 yearsold, has had a credit union account forthe past six years. Each time there isan election of officers she receives herown letter containing a voting paper.Several years ago I rang the credit unionto recommend they save the trees andpostage by removing children from theirmailing list for matters such as elections.The response was that the databasesoftware didn’t allow it.Recently, my daughter again receiveda voting form from the credit union.Perhaps my letter to this forum will drawa response from the credit union on amatter that is not only a waste of moneybut also one that appears to allow somemembers, those with children who holdcredit union accounts, the ability to castmultiple votes.Andrew Collins(Wellington)Brian Sprowell, Manager of the PFCUreplies: A change to Credit Union rulesmay be required to exclude childrenfrom the voting process in the future.The Credit Union Board will considerthis matter at its October meeting.Grading of pursuit driversIn response to Jo Fox’s letter regardingthe grading of pursuit drivers (September,Police News).I have no problem with people voicingtheir opinion or even venting theirspleen, I do however, take issue withviews, which appear to be completelyuninformed.Have you taken the time to read RogerCarson’s “Pursuits, the Case for Change.”If you had, you might not have been soquick to criticise? Judging by your letter,I would guess not.For years, Police have had to survive atbest, on very limited driver training atthe start of their careers and that wasit - period, the rest was learned on thejob with no chance of extra training orupskilling.Ask anyone who has had the unfortunateexperience of having a crash during apursuit or urgent duty drive and at worst,having a driving charge levelled againstthem because they ended up drivingoutside their ability.I know of at least one constable whowished the clock could be turned back,and the innocent person who died couldstill be here, and that the rest of us couldlearn from this mistake.At last we have the chance to have ourdriving assessed and the opportunity toupskill.Sure, some of us may not be flash drivers,and some never will be, so why shouldthose people be putting themselves, shiftpartners, or the public at risk by gettinginto a pursuit in the first place?Surely, if you were sitting in thepassenger’s seat during a pursuit, youwould like to know the cop driving isactually a good driver and makes gooddecisions so you will get home after yourshift, not be injured/killed or end upgiving evidence because of someone else’sdeath.How do you rate your chances of gaininga place on the Armed Offenders’ Squad(AOS) if you can’t handle a firearm safely,the Dive Squad if you can’t swim orSearch and Rescue (SAR) if you knownothing about mountain safety?Being in a pursuit or driving fast isn’t ajoke or a right, “just cause we can”. Whenthings go wrong people die. The result isfinal. There are no second takes.So before you start running things downJo, how about a little thought as to whythis “crazy idea” may be necessary.Seven people (not all baddies) died as aresult of pursuits last year. Remind meagain how many innocent people wereshot by police officers - none - becausewe are disciplined and trained in usingfirearms.The days of go hard or go home are gone,welcome to the new era.Grant Pollock(Wellington)Whangarei’s ‘rookie’I-car teamIn last month’s issue we posed thequestion as to whether ConstableJeff Gordon and Senior ConstableBrian Parker were the longest-servingI-car team in the country and, in theabsence of other contenders havingcome forward it seems they hold thishonour - with 56 years service betweenthem.However, we also posed the questionas to where the youngest (in termsof service) I-car team might be and,going on information received so far,it seems that Whangarei’s Section OneGDB team of Scott Tyrrell and CarolynTaylor may be able to claim theshortest-service between them. Tyrrellgraduated in November 2002 andTaylor in December 2003.191