Total recorded assaults on Police - New Zealand Police Association

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceFirm deterrent needed for thosewho attack police officersBy Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsConstable John Connolly was recently left in a coma after a cowardly attack by a group of up to15 teenagers who kicked and punched him while he lay on the ground.Within two hours of the attack on Mr Connollyin Tuakau, two officers in Whangareistopped a suspected drunk driver, whichresulted in a violent altercation, leaving oneofficer with serious facial injuries. The officerhad his lip bitten off. Colleagues scrambledon their knees to try and find it so as it couldbe re-attached.The Whangarei officer has very serious facialinjuries and will need reconstructive surgery.Mr Connolly is recovering from seriousinjuries.Several vicious attacksThese incidents followed several vicious<strong>assaults</strong> on police officers around thecountry. In their wake, Police Minister JudithCollins said the Government would beexploring tougher penalties for assaulting apolice officer.Prime Minister John Key suggested recentlythat the Government might have to make aspecial category of offence for assaulting apolice officer. Suggestions followed that theGovernment may also look at making such<strong>assaults</strong> part of the so-called ‘three strikes’legislation.Police Association President Greg O’Connorsaid there was “a burgeoning culture ofcontempt for police and the rule of law,”which leads a growing minority to think thatpolice officers are “fair game”.“That contempt begins with the abuse,insults, hiding in a crowd and pelting policewith bottles, spitting and physical <strong>assaults</strong>routinely inflicted on police on a daily basis.Conduct such as leaning into an officer’sface and snarling “F. . . you pig” is tolerated.The public, the media, and judges write itoff as essentially something police have toput up with and not serious enough for legalsanction,” he said.Support neededMr O’Connor said police officers neededsupport from the public, the media,politicians, and the justice system - thejudiciary and the Independent PoliceConduct Authority - to begin to impose someconsequences for the low-level behaviourthat breeds the worst <strong>assaults</strong>.Mr O’Connor called upon the Policeadministration to make guns in patrol carsmore readily available and to hasten therollout of Tasers.Taser rolloutThe current Taser rollout is based ona formula, which takes into accountgeography, staff numbers, and a review oftactical options reports previously submittedby staff. The Taser rollout received a $10million injection in last year’s Budget– a total of $5.3 million in operatingfunding provided in 2009/10 to completedeployment of Tasers throughout thecountry, with another $4.2 million spreadacross the following three years to meetongoing costs. An additional $521,000 incapital funding was set aside for the 2009-10 financial year for computer systemssupporting the deployment of Tasers.“We have to fix the <strong>assaults</strong> problem andits underlying causes. Part of that lies withthe judiciary and making any assault, verbalor physical, on a police officer an offencethat offenders are going to think twiceabout committing because of the penaltiesinvolved,” Mr O’Connor said.Coercive arm of the stateMr O’Connor said that since police officerswere the coercive arm of the state then itcould be argued that an attack on any policeofficer is at its core a total disregard forthe laws of the land and an attack on thestate itself. “What we have to ask ourselvesas citizens, is are we prepared to let thathappen because if we are then we as asociety had better be prepared to live withthe consequences of that apathy? How canthe community feel safe if we don’t believepolice officers are safe?” he said.“A respectful, professional and tolerantPolice is the ideal, but a tentative oneserves no-one’s interests. Forcing police,society’s last line of defence, to fear theconsequences of getting it wrong so muchthat they no longer take the initiative tointervene and quell threats early, can onlyempower the lawbreakers. Then, serious<strong>assaults</strong> and shootings of police, as we haveseen recently, become an inevitability. Weneed to take a broad view of the problem,and the solution. Deterrent sentences alonewill not fix the problem,” Mr O’Connor said.Ms Collins agrees. She says a “clearmessage” needs to be sent to criminalsthat an attack on police is an attack on “ourentire system of law.”SanctionsMr O’Connor said a start would be a justicesystem, which must be prepared to imposesanctions for overt abusive language andbehaviour directed at police carrying outtheir duties. The system must also support- rather than criticise and condemn - policewhen they have to take decisive action,such as using reasonable force or the othercoercive powers they rely on to keep thepublic safe. This also meant an acceptancethat sometimes officers who need to makedecisions in a stressful situation will makemistakes.“Only then will we instill in offenders arealisation that society will not tolerateattacks on its protectors,” he added.Greater availability of guns?Police Commissioner Howard Broad, whois opposed to arming the Police, has evensoftened his stance after the spate ofhorrendous attacks – saying that moreofficers may have to carry guns.“These officers’ injuries are a harshreminder of the challenges police officersface on a daily basis. The risks they faceduring work are always there, even as theyserve the public off-duty,” he said.“I am supportive of the need to ensurethe courts have sufficient powers toimpose sentences, which are a meaningfuldeterrent. To that end we are workingclosely with the Minister of Police to explorelegislative options.”66April 2010