“I'm No Hero” - New Zealand Police Association

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002NEW ZEALANDpoliceassociationVolume 35, Number 10, November 2002Courtesy of the Southland Times“I’m No Hero”New York Cop [pictured with family above]tells Association Conference ... more on page 156Greymouth Police vindicated- but not without cost... page 151The MethEdemicNZ Statistics a wake up call... more on page 155GSF Transfers- Progress at last...page 151New Police Home Loan Agreement- even better benefits for members...page 158149

November 2002150ContentsFrom the President 150Useful info and contacts 150Greymouth Clean Bill of Health 151GSF Transfers - Progress at Last 151America’s Cup Operation 152UK Recruitment Initiative Update 152District Foundation Course 152No Membership- No Legal Assistance 153Code of Conduct Booklet 153Are you Aware? 153Annual Conference Highlights 154Annual Conference Resolutions 154MethEdemic - Statistics Tella Sobering Story 155Politicians Breakfast on Meth 156Safety Screens for Police Vehicles 156I’m No Hero - New York Cop 156Sports News 157Police Home Loans Even Better 158Keen on Wine 158Importance of Estate Planning 159Copper’s Crossword 159View from the Bottom 160Court Date Correction 160Memorial Wall 160Constable Bob 160Who Said Holiday Homesare Always Full? 161Holiday Home Availability 161Remembrance Day 161Letters to the Editor 162Police Health Plan 163Staffpac Insurance 164NZ Police AssociationNews is the newsletterof the New ZealandPolice Association andincorporates the NewZealand Police Journalfirst published in 1937.Editor Tracy HallNovember 2002, Vol. 35, No. 10ISSN 1175-9445Deadline for next issue November 10, 2002.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.New Zealand Police Association Newsletterfrom the presidentWaddaya know. Auckland’sproblems are going to be solved bythe appointment of an AssistantCommissioner who will... who will......well we’re not quite sure whatthey will do.Waddaya know. Auckland’sproblems are going to be solved bythe appointment of an AssistantCommissioner who will... who will......well we’re not quite sure whatthey will do. One cynic asked howmany ‘I’ cars he can drive at once?If it means that Police will defy theillogic of the local bodies in thatcity and have one personoverseeing the competing interestsof the three districts that make upAuckland then it could be a damnedgood idea i.e. a Region Commander.However, since it is a short termtemporary appointment, one fears itis yet another low cost insult to theintelligence of Aucklander’s and willonly result in another report, whichtalks about high workloads, highliving costs, and recruiting andretention problems.Naturally ignored will be the onepractical solution to retaining staffthat is staring police in the face, atthe recent National PoliceAssociation conference a $2,500incentive was endorsed, for staffwho are in the affected districts atthe beginning and end of afinancial year. It is designed to slowattrition while the recruitinginitiatives are implemented.Instead, what do we get? A seriesof platitudes to go with themisleading figures still being fed tothe media, which seems to be the‘lot’ of the dangerously overworkedAuckland Police.Local bodies are loosing faith inboth the Commissioner’s and theMinister’s offices over their failureto act bravely and decisively on thisissue. Lending Auckland one of theeighth-floor heavies is unlikely togive those taking an increasedinterest in the personal safety oftheir ratepayers, faith that thecentral bureaucracy shares theirpriorities.Useful Information & ContactsAssociation and Police Welfare Fund:Police Network 44446Freephone 0800 500 122Police Home Loans 0800 800 808Staffpac Claims 0800 110 088All enquiries (04) 496 6800Police Credit Union 0800 429 000or (04) 472 9645Credit Union www.policecu.org.nzGSF Information 0800 654 731PSS Information 0800 777 243Website www.policeassn.org.nzVice PresidentsGeoff Smith (025)268 9417Richard Middleton (025)268 9411Field OfficersNorthland and Auckland Districts: Stewart Mills (025) 268 9407Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts: Eric Newman (025) 268 9408Central and Wellington Districts: JJ Taylor (025) 268 9409Tasman, Canterbury and Southern Districts: Dave McKirdy (025) 268 9410Regional DirectorsRegion One Steve Hawkins Whangaparoa (025) 268 9419Region Two Mark Leys Papakura (025) 268 9413Region Three Tony Jeurissen Kawerau (025) 268 9414Region Four Logan Alderson Napier (025) 268 9415Region Five Stuart Mills Office of Com (025) 268 9416Region Six Peter Burt Timaru (025) 322 444Region Seven Dave Steel North Dunedin(025) 268 9418

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterGreymouth gets clean bill of health- but not without paying the priceBy Police Association President, Greg O’ConnorWest Coast Police were vindicatedrecently, when they received a clean billof health after the release of theeagerly awaited Greive report.Stuart Greive QC addressed 32allegations of corruption anddysfunction at Greymouth Police, madeby Act MP Ken Shirley after two officerstook their complaints to him. Greivefound 31, relating to the activities ofthe local Police, unfounded. The otherbeing an argument over point of law,whether the two officers who initiallymade the complaints should have beentreated as whistle blowers and theircomplaints investigated in accordancewith that Act.In February of this year, Ken Shirley, ina blaze of press releases, alleged thattwo local staff members had beenvictimised for exposing cover-ups anddysfunction at the station.Investigation of the allegations byDetective Superintendent PeterMarshall and Detective Senior SergeantMike Savage were overseen by Grievewho saw his role as ensuring that allthe matters raised by Mr Shirley werethoroughly and properly investigated.His report was a total vindication of theGreymouth staff. Opinions on thereliability, objectivity and judgement ofthe two officers making the allegationswere expressed in ‘critical’ terms.This paragraph from the Grieve Reportmay best sum up the situation:“Detective Superintendent Marshall’sinvestigations establish that there is noGSF Transfers - Progress at last?By Association Advocate, Greg FlemingFollowing frustratingly slow progress onthe issues of cash transfer from the swornGSF scheme to PSS the Police Associationhas taken a lead role in promoting aviable solution.Members Asked forFeedback on proposalMembers of the GSF Police Scheme arenow being asked for feedback on anAssociation developed proposal, whichhas received tentative support from OoC.We must again reiterate that no decisionhas been made and indeed can be madeuntil the Government considers the meritsof the proposal.With member feedback due by 18November the Association is hopeful thatfoundation for Mr King’s accusations.When confronted with the facts by MrMarshall, Mr King acknowledged that hewas labouring under a misapprehensionas to the facts. The material I havereviewed without doubt substantiatesDetective Superintendent Marshall’sconclusion.This is one of a number of examples ofpersonality conflicts which have festeredfor some time resulting in seriousallegations being made about anindividual, often without firstconfronting the individual concerned andrequesting an explanation. It is surelyregrettable, not only for GreymouthPolice, but also for the community atlarge that things have developed to thisstage. The constables, with the enlistedhelp of the honourable Ken Shirley, seekto lay blame for this state of affairs onsenior police officers at Greymouth.Detective Superintendent Marshall’sreport rejects this contention. I agreewith his conclusions in that regard.”PUBLICACCUSATIONSCREATED HUGENEGATIVE IMPACTMr Grieve also talks of the negativeimpact that the honourable KenShirley’s public statements have had,causing “considerable consternationwithin Greymouth”and that they werebased on allegations, which were“found to be totally unwarranted.”a joint Police Association/NZ Policeproposal could be put before the relevantGovernment Ministers before the end ofthis year for a decision in first half of2003.Members of the GSF Police Scheme canview the proposal by visiting the‘Member’s Only’ section of the PoliceAssociation websitewww.policeassn.org.nz or contactingthe secretary of their local AssociationCommittee.The proposal is presented in an easy toread Question and Answer format.Feedback on the proposal should besent to the Association before 18November via the following email addressgsftransfers@policeassn.org.nzNovember 2002Greymouth staff faced a nightmaresituation for any police trying to dotheir job. Two disaffected officers,aided by a gullible backbench list MP,were responsible for creating anuntenable and surreal workenvironment, which cost the station atleast one experienced and respectedpolice officer.Superintendent Grant O’Fee wasgenerous in his support for local policewhen the report was finally produced.The delays and the challenge of dealingwith the two police officers concernedmade the job of maintaining afunctioning police station a difficultone and he should be commended.GREYMOUTH STATIONSTAFF DESERVE APOLOGYLocal Association activists JohnCanning and Ian Langridge, along withthe committee showed the value ofhaving respected and capable membersacting as advocates when problems likethose visited on the Coast, threaten thestability of a station.The Association on behalf of thiscommittee rightly demanded anapology from Mr Shirley for the publicmanner in which he brought theallegations and continued with them.This was despite advice from the PoliceAssociation in February, when theallegations were first made, that thetwo officers had been fairly dealt with.While it is perfectly appropriate forMr Shirley or any MP to ensureallegations are dealt with, it isentirely inappropriate to bring suchallegations to the attention of theauthorities by press release and bypersonal attacks on individuals.SHIRLEY’S ACCUSATIONSOF WHITEWASHSHAMEFULEven more shameful was Mr Shirley’sattempt at ‘saving face’ alleging, onceagain without a shred of evidence, thatthe Grieve report was a cover-up and awhitewash. We believe timing saved MrShirley from further public questioningover the allegations, by the fact thereport’s release was largely overshadowed by the Bali bombing.Once again, Police come to therealisation that creating a safer NewZealand is a distant second to thoseinterested in the headlines, whichallegations against police bring. Thecost in efficiency and dollars of theinevitable inquiry, which follows andthe loss of public confidence in theirlaw-keepers, is the price the NewZealand public pays for such headlines.151

November 2002152New Zealand Police Association NewsletterAmerica’s Cup Operation - A Brief OverviewBy Association Industrial Officer, Kathy DrysdaleDurationPolice operation AmCup 2 (internalname “Operation Marlin II”) started onMonday 1 October and will run for 6months until 9 March 2003.StaffingThe operation is being staffed mainlyfrom outside Auckland. The overallstaffing requirement is around 76 withonly 16 of these drawn from Auckland.The majority of the land-based creware from out of Auckland and most willbe working one 6-week rotation, butabout a third of the land crew havebeen assigned for the full 6-months.Rosters for the land crew comprise amix of 8 to 10 hour shifts.There are also water-based crew madeup from Auckland Metro, and a fewsupplements from outside Auckland.These are members who previouslyserved in the first Americas CupOperation. Coxwains are qualified withcommercial tickets.Accommodation andRecreationLocation, location, location! Out ofAuckland staff are beingaccommodated at the Tamaki NavalAccommodation Facilities, which is aprime position for both the Operationand heart of the city living.Sleeping quarters are comparable withthe Royal NZ Police College.Communal facilities include Sky TV,ready internet access and a sportsfield. There are some limits on accessto the full naval facilities.There are vans for transportation toand from Westhaven, with one vanavailable for recreational use.Meals & AllowancesMembers will be responsible for theirown meals - i.e. no Navy messing.Meals can be prepared in the fullyfitted-out common kitchen.Accordingly, members will receive theirmeals and incidentals allowancesunder clause 4.12.4 of the SwornMembers Agreement.This amounts to $70.57 per day forthe first 2 weeks, then $52.94 plusincidentals of $8.88 per day, with a1% increase in these allowances from1 December 2002.UK Police Recruitment Initiative UpdateBy Association Advocate, Greg FlemingThere has been a regular flow ofemails from experienced UK policeasking questions such as why is therea shortage in Auckland and what arethe pay and employment conditions.In response, the Association has puttogether a summary documentproviding balanced information andanswering many of the commonquestions. This document can beaccessed on the Police Associationwebsite www.policeassn.org.nz.Starting SalariesnegotiatedFollowing discussions between theAssociation and NZ Police, agreementhas been reached on a scale ofstarting salaries to be paid to UKPolice Officers. These salaries reflectthe length of policing experience ofeach UK officer and are comparableto the salaries paid to existing NZPolice with similar service.Every UK officer would commence asa constable with future appointmentsto CIB or Sgt positions being basedon merit as is the case with existingmembers.UK InductionThe UK police induction course of 10weeks is scheduled to commence inApril 2003 with all members beingposted to Auckland City or Counties/Manukau Districts. No relocationgrants have been agreed to by theNZ Police. UK police moving to NewZealand will be required to meet alltheir relocation costs.Take a look at the UK informationpack on www.policeassn.org.nz, ifyou are interested in more details.Visits HomeOne return trip is paid for per 6-weekrotation.Training & InductionMembers are inducted as they comeinto the Operation.Association Contacts for AmCupII:Stewart Mills, Auckland Field Officer025-268-9407Mark Leys, Auckland Director025-268-9413DISTRICT FOUNDATIONCOURSE - A SUCCESSBy Association Industrial Officer,John StuartA district-delivered foundation course forelected Association committee memberswas piloted in Auckland mid-October. Thecourse was very well received.There were 14 attendees, with 7 comingfrom Northshore/Waitakere and 7 fromCounties/Manukau.The bulk were relatively new to the role,although there was also a useful sprinklingof “older hands”, with one older-handcommenting they wished there had beensuch a course 5 or 6 years ago when theywere first involved in Associationcommittee work. Participants agreed thatthe course had delivered what they wanted.The basic, or foundation, course isessentially an induction course for electedAssociation committee members,consisting of 4 modules:1. The role of the Associationrepresentative2. Dealing with common questions andissues3. Helping members with disciplinaryissues4. Dealing with health and safety issuesBased on the success of this pilot, furtherDistrict-delivered basic courses areintended in the future, with the next onescheduled for Christchurch on 5-6December 2002Courtesy of Auckland Police Photography

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNo Association Membership- No Legal AssistanceRecently a police officer applied to theAssociation for financial aid to helpfund his defence on an assault charge.The application was initially favourablyconsidered until a routine check atNational Office revealed that the officerwas not a member of the Association.The officer will now have to meet hisown costs, which could be in thevicinity of $20,000.This story underscores a vital fact:You must be a member ofthe Police Association toaccess the benefits of theLegal Assistance SchemePolice staff who join the Associationwithin three months of joining thePolice are eligible for legal assistance.However those staff who do not joinwithin that three month grace periodcannot receive legal assistance untilthey have been a member for sixconsecutive months.In other words, if you wait until youhave a reason for wanting Associationhelp before you join, you are ‘stooddown’ from assistance until you havebeen a member for six months, (Rule7(a)).How do you classAssociation membership?Membership of the Police Associationmeans financial membership in terms ofpayment of the Association’smembership fee - $16.50 per fortnightfor sworn and $10 per fortnight fornon-sworn members.A proportion of this subscription is setaside each fortnight for the LegalAssistance Fund, from which financialpayments are made to lawyersdefending members against chargesarising from their employment in Police.There is no adequate substitute for theAssociation’s Legal Assistance Schemeexcept self-insurance. If you are richenough to pay your own legal costscome what may, this may be a viableoption. However, for many this is notan option they can take their chanceswith, especially with the nature ofPolice work and the Administration’scrusade for the Police organisation tobe seen as ‘whiter than white’.No substitute for LegalAssistance FundFrom time to time the Associationexamines alternative ways of fundingthe Legal Assistance Scheme, such asan occupational insurance typearrangement. Every time suchalternatives have been looked atthey have turned out to be muchmore expensive than the currentarrangements.The reason for this is simply thenumber of uncontrolled anduncontrollable variables, which enterinto the policing occupation, makingit especially subject to judicial risk.These make the odds very hard tocalculate.A doctor in the operating room cansee to it that all the variables areknown and as many risks anticipatedas possible. So can a fire-fighter, orparamedic, or even a lawyer. Inother words, the legal risks for theseAre you Aware...- Ill on Holiday?November 2002occupations can be reasonably wellcontrolled.A member of police attending anincident or going about his or herwork cannot control their legal risksin exactly the same way. Splitsecond decisions are required insituations where there are bound tobe aggrieved individuals. Situations,which appear ‘normal’ can quicklychange into highly charged and evendangerous events and thesepossibilities do not cease for swornofficers when their work hours end.In short, so far no substitute hasbeen found for the Association’sLegal Assistance Scheme, whichremains a key benefit ofAssociation membership.Code of Conduct Booklet Signed-offBy Association Industrial Officer, Kathy DrysdaleIn late September the Board of Commissioners endorsed the Sworn Code ofConduct Booklet. After much consultation with members on the draft throughJune of this year, the booklet was also ratified by the Association’s Board.Where to now?The change to a Code of Conduct system still depends on 2 things:• Completion of the Code Procedure Manual (the detailed guidance onoperating the Code system). We have received on-going guarantees thatthe project is not complete till the Manual is finalised.•The passing of the Police Amendment Bill. The Bill is currently at secondreading stage and is on the Parliamentary Order Paper. Police hope to havethe system “ready to go” when the Bill is passed.Association staff, are busy working on the Code Manual and when a draft hasbeen completed the key points will be circulated to members for feedback,before anything is agreed.We will also plan the implementation of the Code, as it may require trainingand information for both managers and members.For an overview of the Code of Conduct process and analysis of thefeedback on, see our website: www.policeassn.org.nzWith the Christmas holiday period approaching, some members will belucky enough to have been granted leave.Remember if you are on annual or shift leave and fall ill, you are entitled tohave the period from which you notify Police of your illness up until yourrecovery, counted as sick leave.It is important to note that you can’t just tell Police of your illness uponreturn to work and expect to have your annual leave reimbursed. You mustinform Police of your predicament at the time of your illness andproduce a medical certificate in due course.153

November 2002These are the key resolutions. They do not include all theresolutions nor the administrative resolutions. For a fuller list ofthe resolutions, see our website www.policeassn.org.nzAUCKLAND STAFFING ISSUEMOVED Mr Matthews seconded Mr Cornell that this Conferencecalls upon Commissioner to adopt a $2500 retention allowancepayable from July 2003 to existing Police Officers in AucklandCity and Counties/Manukau Districts in recognition of:1) The working difficulties of living and working in thesedistricts.2) The need to ensure that the existing low level of operationalexperience is not further reduced.The ongoing payment of the retention allowance to be assessedannually. Conference also calls upon the Commissioner to assessthe current state of North Shore/Waitakere Districts in relation tothe Auckland City and Counties/Manukau Allowance. CARRIEDThe minutes are to reflect that North Shore and Waitakere Districtsvoted against this motion.IDENTITY PROTECTION FOR POLICE OFFICERSMOVED Mr Rowe seconded Mr Lochrie that this Conferenceinstructs National Office to lobby government for the necessarylegislative protection for police officers involved in the use oflethal force and/or serious injury to protect their identity and toprotect them from private prosecution where a properlyconducted enquiry has found they acted lawfully. CARRIEDSTAFFING LEVELSMOVED Mr Lochrie seconded Mr McFadyen that the PoliceAssociation establish a strategic plan to research andinvestigate to establish an adequate number of staff required topolice this country and plan a strong and sustained publiccampaign timed to coincide with the build up to the 2005general election.CARRIED154New Zealand Police Association NewsletterAssociation Annual Conference 2001-2002“Crime Costs”The Police Association’s 67th Annual Conference opened withMP Winnie Laban, speaking for Police Minister, GeorgeHawkins who had been detained in the House. The greatachievement of police over the past year resolving a numberof high profile cases was acknowledged, along with the tragicloss of Duncan Taylor, the issues surrounding Auckland andthe burgeoning methamphetamine problem. Conference wasadvised a report on Auckland had been requested from theCommissioner and that the Government shared Associationconcerns over methamphetamine, with legislation changesunderway to reclassify the drug as class A.Police Association President, Greg O’Connor, followedsaying after the Association warning of the methamphetamineproblem since 1997, he was pleased that the resolutionconference passed last year to lobby to have the drugreclassified allowing for increased penalties and searchwithout warrant, looked likely to come to fruition.Greg also attributed the current method of funding Police,with top-down imposed output demands, as a real problem,challenging the government to invest in police, but to givethem the flexibility to spend the money in areas where it isneeded most. On their part, Police administrators needed astrategy to reduce crime, focusing on crime prevention andreduction and avoiding investment in philosophies and fads.Commissioner of Police, Rob Robinson, ticked-off a numberof things that had been or were being worked on includingthe sworn code of conduct, which he said would assist staff to9-11 October 2002ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONSbe clear on the standard expected of them and where theystood, should they not come up to scratch. He alsoacknowledged that the difficult and drawn out saga withConstable A, reassuring delegates that where an officer actslawfully, in a similar situation every type of support would beforthcoming. When questioned regarding legislativeprotection of an officer’s identification and protection fromprivate prosecution, the Commissioner said he believedofficers deserved some protection, which included legalchanges. The law paper prepared by the Association on thisissue and provided to police was acknowledged.Andrew Grant, leader of McKinsey and Coy NZ, spoke todelegates of how police needed good leaders and what madegood leaders. He discussed the three components being: Anability to staunchly accept reality; A way to find a deepersense of meaning in the work you do and pass this on toothers; Being prepared to improvise.Dr Chris Wilkins, from the centre for Social and HealthOutcomes Research and Evaluation (SHORE), MasseyUniversity, presented some startling statistics onmethamphetamine and amphetamine type substances (seepage opposite).Tim Mueller, New York and Jersey Port Authority PoliceOfficer, brought home to Conference Delegates thedevastation and loss of New York World Trade Centre terroristattack. The New York and Jersey Port Authority, lost 37 policeofficers in the terrorist strike (see page 156).SAR & SPECIALIST SQUAD MEMBERSMOVED Mr Prior seconded Mr Hall that this Conference directsNational Office to assist immediately Search & Rescue and otherspecialist squad members in resolving their claims surroundingeligibility for standby entitlements in order to gain parity withAOS/STG/PNT in respect to the competency payment. CARRIEDRURAL HOUSINGMOVED Mr Price seconded Mr Aberhart that the issue of PoliceHousing is urgently reviewed by the Department in consultationwith the members affected and the Association, to focus onequality and fairness.CARRIEDRURAL SURVEYMOVED Mr Price seconded Mr Stokes that this Conference callsupon the Office of the Commissioner to expedite the analysis ofthe rural survey and addressing, in a practical way, the issuesraised by the survey as soon as possible.CARRIEDGSF TRANSFER PROPOSALMOVED Mr Ridley seconded Mr Rudolph that :• Conference endorses the proposal in principle.• The GSF transfers proposal as tabled at the 2002 AssociationConference be circulated and consulted amongst affectedmembers with District Committees to provide feedback by11 November.• Conference requests that the NZ Police and Governmentafford the highest priority to the resolution of this longstanding but important issue.CARRIEDANONYMITY PROTOCOLMOVED Mr Lek seconded Mr Ridley that Conference instructsNational Office to continue dialogue with the Department to putin place a protocol to guarantee anonymity of members betweenthe time they first become the subject of a criminal investigation,up until the time of their first appearance at court. CARRIED

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002MethEdemic - the statistics tell a sobering tale• In the first six months of 2002, Customsseized double the amount of ecstasythat was seized during the whole of lastyear.• By the end of August 2002, Police haddetected nearly double the number ofclandestine drug laboratories producingamphetamines compared to last year.• Non-cannabis related drug offences,which include Amphetamine TypeSubstance (ATS) offences, increased by34% compared to the previous year.The statistics presented by Dr ChrisWilkins from the Centre for Social andHealth Outcomes Research and Evaluation(SHORE), Massey University to the recentAssociation National conference, tell asobering tale.What Are AmphetamineType Substances?Amphetamine Type Substances (ATS) arederivatives of amphetamine, likemethamphetamine, crystalmethamphetamine and amphetamineanalogues, such as ecstasy.Methamphetamine, (commonly knownas ‘speed’ or ‘meth’) is a powerfulpsychostimulant with characteristics andeffects that closely resemble cocaine.Dr Wilkins said that there had been testswhere heavy cocaine users had beengiven methamphetamine and were unableto distinguish the difference.The onset is slower and duration is longerthan the amphetamine sulphates (mostlydiet pills) which were commonlyencountered in the 1970’s.Crystal Methamphetamine, (commonlyknown as ‘ice’ or ‘crystal’, known in NZ as‘pure’ or ‘P’) is the crystallised form ofmethamphetamine equivalent to crackcocaine. Like crack, the crystallised formincreases the speed the drug is absorbed,and the intensity and duration of theeffects.MDMA; MDA; MDEA, (commonly known‘ecstasy’, ‘X’, Adam, Eve) have bothamphetamine properties andhallucinogenic characteristics like LSD.Risks and HarmsDr Wilkins described the problemsassociated with amphetamine typesubstances especially methamphetamine,as:• Dependency;• Psychosis; and• Violence.He said as Australia has hadamphetamine type substance problemslonger than New Zealand, theyhave better research and 85%of users who usedmethamphetamine monthlyreported at least onepsychological problem. Theseranged from depression,anxiety, paranoia,hallucinations, suicidalthoughts and violence. Peoplewho had used ecstasy (someonly three times in the lastyear) reported experiencingone or more of the following:insomnia, irritability, depression,confusion, hallucinations and suicidalthoughts. Dr Wilkins said problems fromuse, can often turn up after a long periodof controlled use and he expected thatthe real problems would turn up in NewZealand in a few years, as they had inother countries. These problems will haveimplications on our society, he said.National DrugSurveyComparison 1998& 2001 FindingsDr Wilkins was the projectmanager for the New ZealandNational Drug Survey whichinterviews a representativenational sample ofapproximately 5,500 peopleaged 15-45 years about theiralcohol, tobacco, marijuana,and other drug use, using aComputer Assisted Telephone Interview(CATI) system.Key findings related to AmphetamineType Substances:• Last year, of those surveyed, use ofamphetamine/methamphetaminealmost doubled, increasing from2.9% in 1998 to 5% in 2001.• Last year use of ecstasy increasedfrom 1.5% in 1998 to 3.4% in 2001.• Last year use of crystalmethamphetamine increased from0.1% in 1998 to 0.9% in 2001.Challenges of DesignerAmphetamines for Policeand PublicDr Wilkins said that a number of features ofsynthetic drugs make them more attractive forclandestine production than the traditionalplant based drugs.Although it takes a little more organisationthan simply growing a plant, the production ofsynthetic drugs is not limited to any specificgeographical region nor affected by seasonalcycles or weather conditions. The scale ofproduction of synthetic drugs is also veryflexible.Dr Wilkins advised clandestine laboratories canproduce a number of different types of drugsand it is only the end product that is illegal.This means the chemicals used to make thedrugs can be kept legally by ‘clan lab cooks’and police raids must have their timing right.Modifications can also be made structurally tosynthetic drugs. This exploits the existing laws,which are very specific as to what is a class Aor B illegal synthetic drug. Any deviation instructure means the drug is classed as C, withlesser penalties.Why are they so popular?Dr Wilkins said that while statistics showcannabis popularity remaining static ingrowth, several features of synthetic drugsmake them more attractive to drug users thanthe traditional plant based drug. Syntheticdrugs can generally be taken orally andconsequently users can avoid the social stigmaand health risks associated with injection orsmoking and they are (naively) perceived tobe safe, non-addictive and productive. Theyalso have been associated with affluence andsuccess, technological advancement, andmodernism.Dr Wilkins said that in three yearsamphetamine type substances had movedfrom being the third to the second mostpopular drug in New Zealand, reaching groupsof society that were not normally associatedwith regular drug use.What needs to happen legislatively?continued page 156155

November 2002New Zealand Police Association NewsletterContinued from MethEdemic Page 155…What needs tohappen legislatively?We understand that legislationclassifying methamphetamine asclass A and therefore, increasingpolice powers to search withoutwarrant, is in the wind.“Presumption of supply” also needsto be addressed within the Misuse ofDrugs Act, along with theclassification of both parent drugand it’s analogues, where they arecomparable. For example, there is nopresumption for methamphetamineso it defaults to 56gms before it canbe presumed it is in possession forthe purpose of supply. A single gramwould provide many doses, with amere 5gms of ‘meth’ having a streetvalue of over $500.I’m No Hero - New York cop tells Association ConferenceTim Mueller, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Police Officer thinks he’s one of the luckiest men on earth.Tim had only recently transferred outof his squad, stationed at the WorldTrade Centre, into a new squad. Allmembers of his original squadincluding their Sergeant were killed inthe September 11 bombing.The Port Authority, which owns thePort and New Jersey area includingthe land the World Trade Centre wason employs the Port Authority of NewYork & New Jersey Police to police thearea and the PATH Train System, acommuter transport rail between NewYork & New Jersey. The PATH TrainSystem had a major station at theWorld Trade Centre.37 Port Authority police officers werekilled in the terrorist attacks. It wasthe single largest loss of policeofficers killed in the line of duty atone time, in the history of the UnitedStates.Both a Rescue and a Recovery Workerin the aftermath of the attack Tim,brought home to ConferenceDelegates the destruction andconfusion in those first hours of theattack. His wife Mary, with tears inher eyes, nodded as she heard herhusband describe the devastation andloss. He said people called themheroes but they didn’t feel like156Politicians breakfast on methRecently the Association hosted abreakfast presentation byinternationally known drugsawareness speaker GaryShimabukuro from Hawaii. Thepresentation was packed-out bymany politicians, senior governmentofficials and other business leaders.Gary Shimabukuro, whose trainingprogrammes have been endorsed bythe FBI and US Drug EnforcementAgency, was touring the countrytalking to police detectives,customs officials and communitygroups.Gary informed the breakfast thatHawaii has been having hugeSAFETY SCREENS FOR POLICE VEHICLESIn response to questions at the Association Conference Peter Stokes, delegatefrom Northland noted that they had piloted a safety screen which fits into bothHolden and Ford police vehicle, providing a protective barrier between the frontand the back seats. The cost was minimal (approx $800) verses the safety factor.Peter advised that a report had gone to OoC some time ago, however nothingseems to have moved on this. The Association will follow-up the matter with OoC.heroes. “The heroes were our friendskilled while getting people out.” Timsaid there were mornings when hedidn’t think he could get up and do itagain and times when he and hiscolleagues felt like they had becomeprofessional mourners. They would goto three or four funerals a day thengo back to digging the site thatnight.Tim, Mary and their childrenAndrew (8) and Katherine(2) were overwhelmed bythe warmth and generosityof people here in NZ,especially members of thePolice and PoliceAssociation. They are thefirst family to enjoy aholiday in NZ, thanks toeveryone who donated tothe New York BenevolentAppeal, set up in the wakeof September 11.The Mueller’s enjoyed a“dream holiday” in NewZealand. Tim said, “This isthe longest time we’ve beentogether since thebombing.” The loss of somany officers and theterrorism alert meant longerproblems with methamphetamine,in particular ice, which is known inNew Zealand as pure or P. He said ifNew Zealand’s speed problembecame as large as the one inHawaii, New Zealand could expectto see an increase in sexualassaults, domestic violence andviolent crime including very violenthomicides, with users alsocommitting fraud and burglary tofund their habits.There have been other huge costsassociated with speed in Hawaii,with it costing up to NZ$3.4 millionto treat a baby born to a regularspeed user.With New Zealand’s increasingnumber of speed laboratories, Garysaid law enforcement agencies andlegislators should be worried andneeded to work together to passlaws and find solutions that wouldhelp deal with the problem in NewZealand.working hours. “We are all stillworking 12-hour shifts because youcan’t just go out and employ newcops off the street.”“I feel like the luckiest man in theworld I got picked [to come to NewZealand], but I feel so guilty cominghere when the other guys all deserveit, too”From the balcony of the Police Welfare FundHoliday Home in Queenstown, New York policeofficer Tim Mueller and his wife Mary,enjoying their New Zealand dream holidaywith their children, Andrew (8) and Katherine(2) clasping the Kiwi gifted to her byAssociation members.Courtesy of The Southland Times

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002Police Council of SportSPORTS NEWSTo contact the Police Council of Sport, call Linda Duncan at the RNZPC. Ph: (04) 238 3139Police Council of Sportintroduce New MembershipCategory for Retired EmployeesAs part of a number of new initiatives being undertaken by the ManagementCommittee to promote and develop the Police Council of Sport, a newmembership category has been introduced for retired Police employees. It wasfelt that a discounted membership should be made available to encourage retiredmembers to participate in a variety of codes at both district and national level.The new retired membership will cost $25.00 a year, renewable 1 April in everyyear. Applications for membership will be subject to approval by themanagement committee under the terms of the existing rules and members willreceive a membership card on approval of their application.Retired employees who wish to take advantage of this offer should visit thePolice Association website www.policeassn.org.nz for the application form oremail the National Manager, Linda Duncan at councilofsport@xtra.co.nz formore information.2002 POLICE ASSOCIATIONSNOWBOARDING CHAMPSSubmitted by Ian Tuke, ‘Blue Hogs Secretary of State’The “Blue Hogs” Snowboarding Club ranits 4th annual nationals at Cardrona inthe first week of September - and for thefirst time under the title of NZ PoliceAssociation Snowboarding Champs. Theevent coincided with the world juniorchamps being held in NZ for the firsttime.The competition kicked off with the funevent known as the Cardrona cannonball(pictured) involving more than 30officers from around the country having ano rules, ‘first to the bottom’ race down anarrow track. This provided a veryphysical opportunity for members toacquaint themselves with theiropposition for the following couple ofdays. Surprisingly the only injury was apsychological one - with Detective PatMulrooney (Christchurch) defending hislast placing from 2001.Last year’s champ, Constable RegBoucher (Invercargill) won the eventdespite being ‘monstered’ by hiscolleagues at the start.It was then down to serious competitionwith the two titles of ‘Cheapskates TopSow’ & ‘Canterbury Draught Top Boar’ upfor grabs. The Half Pipe with 10-foothigh walls of ice saw 4 officers getting airoff the lip and landing with little tricksthrown in - which was fantastic towatch. Constable Garrod Russell(Huntly) managed a 360-degree spinhigh up in the air and landed it.The Giant Slalom saw very closecompetition across the board with lessthan a second separating contenders.The ultimate event for most was the‘Boarder Cross’ race on the same courseas the World champs. Four police menand women, shoulder to shoulder, racingover a steep motor-cross style coursewith big bumps and banks that thecompetitors flew around quicker by farthan previous years (often in white-outconditions). Constables JacquiLambeth (Christchurch) and EmmaFleming (Wanaka) raced with the men,both managing to beat Club PresidentSgt Greg Murton (Christchurch) in aboarder cross heat.Overall results:‘Cheapskates Top Sow’ - ConstableJacqui Lambeth (CHCH)2nd Constable Emma Fleming (Wanaka)3rd Lynn Donaldson (Wanaka)‘Canterbury Draught Top Boar’ -Constable Regan Boucher (Invercargill)2nd Constable Nic Wenborn (CHCH)3rd Constable Garrod Russell (Huntly)Constable Cam Sigley (Wanaka) did wellto win the ‘Cheapskates’ Spot prize - anew ‘Option’ snowboard.Police Ski ChampsFloor to ceiling blue sky, sun and snowmarked the first days of the NewZealand Police Association Ski champsthis year.Racing and training was held on MountRuapehu at the Turoa ski area, untilhigh winds on the final day saw theracing transferred to Whakapapa, wherean excellent Giant Slalom was set upunder the pinnacles in the Te Hou HouValley. The full-length Giant Slalom, waschallenging and testing for most withfurther excitement added by the passingcloud that blanked out the course fromtime to time.The overall mens’ champion was ScottPitkethley (Gisborne) for the secondyear in a row, with very stongcompetition from overall second placegetter Dave Cowie (Invercargill) whowon the Giant Slalom by just 0.29 of asecond. Local skier Mark Farrell alsogave an excellent performance, placing3rd in this event. However Scott hadbuilt up such a solid lead in thetechnical slalom that he maintained aclear margin to take the overall 1stplace. A consistant performance byJohn Daunton gave him 3rd overall.Overall womens’ champ, Michelle Collis(New Plymouth) took out every race tobe the clear winner from DebbieWeston (Wellington - Fingerprints) andTyra Jacobson (Hamilton).The new sponsorship arrangementbetween the Police Association andPolice Council of Sport, provided forprizes and a final night function. Theprize giving followed by function andmeal was held at the NZ Police Ski ClubLodge at Raetihi.Four of the more than 30 officersjockeying for position in the Cardronacannonball - a fun, no rules, ‘first tothe bottom’ race down a narrow track.Visit policeassn.org.nz for updated contact details for thePolice Council of Sport management committee, District Sports Officers and the latest schedule of events.157

November 2002By Ricky CollinsNew Zealand Police Association NewsletterPOLICE HOME LOANS - NOW EVEN BETTER !A new contract to supply Police HomeLoans was signed with National Bankin early October this year. This isgood news for members, as we wereable to negotiate to retain theincreased discount on the floatingrates. Standard floating rate andrevolving credit mortgages willcontinue to be discounted by 0.35%from the National Bank’s advisedrates. What this means to an average$100,000 mortgage holder at today’sstandard floating rate, is a saving of$22 per pay.There is no application fee and oneaccount free of bank fees. Membersshould note that National Bank aremore than willing to negotiate andwill do their best to meet any writtenquote from a recognised bankinginstitute.Since January 2000, moreand more members havebeen taking advantage ofthe benefits of PoliceHome Loans with theportfolio growing from 732mortgage holders to 1229in September this year, a40% increase.Find out more about howPolice Home Loans canhelp you by calling alending specialist on0800 800 808, orvisiting our websitewww.policeassn.org.nz -Use the handy Home Loancalculator to work outhow much you would savetoday!Keen on WineNew contract with the National Bank, means evenbetter savings for Police Home Loan Mortgage holders.From Left to Right: Police Welfare Fund Board memberRichard Middleton signs the new agreement; with DanMurphy from the National Bank; Greg O’Connor, PoliceWelfare Fund Chairperson; and Logan Alderson, PoliceWelfare Fund Board member (not pictured).NZ Wine industry has a lot to offer tourismMuch has been made in the news over the last few years of New Zealand’s growing tourism industry.As a country we have a lot to offer the overseas tourist, and our quick recovery from the fallout ofSeptember 11 has proven that. While our exchange rate, our eco-friendly image and our safety record are majordrawcards, there are also other attractions making us a smart choice as a destination. Wine tourism in New Zealandis now a growing attraction to the wealth of wine collectors around the globe.New Zealand still can’t satisfy overseas wine buyersNew Zealand is one of the few wine countries in the world that can still sell all the wine it produces. While the worldis heading for a major wine glut, there are still more buyers wanting to take our wine than we can satisfy. There is agrowing awareness of New Zealand’s premium, boutique wine producers and a growing international appreciation ofour flagship wines. Names such as Te Mata, Neudorf, Ata Rangi and Dry River are now mentioned with interestaround the globe.For the wine buffs of the world there is nothing more pleasurable than opening a bottle of rare, high quality wine forfellow wine lovers. Many of our premium wines are extremely hard to access, often only available via mail order liststhat are not open to the public. This adds to the attraction of a New Zealand wine tour. It can be a bit like a winelover’s version of big game hunting; the chance of snaring that often admired, but extremely rare MartinboroughPinot Noir or Waiheke Island Cabernet.Cellar door facilities of international classA significant effort has been made by many New Zealand producers to provide cellar door facilities of internationalclass. Producers such as Sileni Estates in Hawkes Bay and Gibbston Valley in Central Otago have made the cellar doora point of difference for their business. The quality of tasting rooms, often with restaurant and sometimesaccommodation facilities at many New Zealand wineries have added significantly to our wine tourism potential.Why leave all these great facilities to the overseas tourists to enjoy?A New Zealand holiday in one of our wine regions is well worth a thought. The Association has holiday homesscattered throughout our wine regions, and what you’ll save on accommodation, you can put towards that specialrare New Zealand wine you might find that you can pull out to show off at a later stage.Wine of the MonthHardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay 2001 $12 RRPWhile not a NZ wine nor exactly in the class of what has been discussed above, this is a very tasty little Chardonnay.At the recent International Wine Challenge in London, this Australian wine won a gold medal and was voted “BestValue Wine in the World”. This is no mean feat, as it headed off nearly 1200 other Chardonnays in the best valueclass. There are lovely clean forward fruit flavours of melon and peach, supported by moderate oak influence andbalanced acidity. Well worth a try, and readily available.158

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002The importance of estate planningEstate planning is fast becomingone of the most important areas offinancial management.Many people think estate planningdoesn’t apply to them - the word‘estate’ often carries connotationsof vast acres of land, sprawlingmansions, and millions of dollarsin the bank. While this definitionmay apply to some, for themajority, estate planning will beon a smaller scale and may be assimple as having a valid and upto-dateWill.Estate planning is a logicalextension to the financial planningprocess. Estate planningdetermines how your assets areused to support you and yourfamily now, and how they will bepassed on after death. Having putyour financial plan into place toensure your family’s futurefinancial security, it doesn’t makesense to leave that security opento the interpretations of taxationlaws or having your estatedisbursed in a way that youwouldn’t have wanted. Forexample, with the introduction ofthe Property Relationships Actthere is the potential for yourwealth to be affected by second orthird marriages and/or de factorelationships, particularly whenthere are children from both presentand previous relationships. Thefamily structures that developrequire careful consideration of theownership of family assets and theconditions of a Will.Everyone can benefit from estateplanning, regardless of familystatus or current wealth. No matterwhat your personal circumstances,estate planning aims to place yourfinancial affairs on the strongestpossible foundation to ensuremaximum effectiveness in thetransfer of wealth to yourbeneficiaries.More complex estate planning caninvolve setting up an ownershipstructure for your assets, examiningthe taxation position of familymembers, and developing asuccession plan for ownership offamily businesses. A formalisedasset protection plan will helpexamine your current position andidentify key risks to which yourmajor assets are currently, or couldpotentially, be exposed. It will alsocover tax issues and available legaland financial tools that deal withthese risks.If you are thinking about the bestway to secure your assets both nowand in the future, or feel that yourcurrent plan no longer reflects yourcircumstances, you may benefitfrom talking to a financial adviser.An adviser can help determine theestate and asset protection yourequire. They may also entrust manyof the more complex legal areassuch as trusts and enduring powersof attorney to a lawyer to ensureyou have full protection in theseareas.For further information, pleasecontact Police Financial Planning0800 ON BEAT, 0800 662 328Are you on Email?If you would like to keep intouch by email,please tell us your emailaddress via:membership@policeassn.org.nzCopper’s Crossword By Constable CunningAcross1. Rip contour apart and avoidthis in the NZ Police (10)8. Nothing (3)9. Indebtedness (9)10. Some murders may be ofthis tendency (10)12. Said many a time to yourchildren perhaps? (4,3,6)14. Curious tie continuallygoing around (10)17. Degree leaving this yachtable to be steered (9)18. One mixed up over longperiod of time (3)19. Funnily red afterunneighbourly meeting (10)Down1. All one hundred beckon (4)2. Judges ones should beadhered to (5)3. Aptly follows numbers thatcan’t be added up (13)4. Famous Libyanbattleground (7)5. Chemicals mixed withoxygen? (8)6. Inducting or combining tomeet someone (11)7. Breaking up wordsperhaps? (11)11. Unable to change or casedismissed (8)13. Most junior (7)15. Tip upside down (5)16. Depend on (4)1 2 3 4 56 78 9111012 1314 1517 181916Across1. Smash and grab8. Often9. Newsmen10. Mugged11. Idea13. No ones idea of15. Yank17. Scrips19. Retrial20. Argue21. Bodily fluidsDown1. Scotland Yard2. Attempt3. Handguns4. Nonsensically5. Gown6. Armed7. Unlawfulness12. Admit All16. No Two18. Mini159

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002Memorial Wall, RNZPCWho said Holiday Homes are always full?“The most consistent concern I have from members is that they say it is difficult to get into our Holiday Homes”, saysPete Hayes, Manager of the Police Welfare Fund. “However when you look into their concerns a little more deeply, manymembers leave it to the last minute”.“There are plenty of vacancies in the homes through November and December, up until the first ballot week, whichbegins on Sat 28 December. There are also many vacancies from the end of the Ballot period, 25th January rightthrough into March and beyond”, says Pete.Many members can have an affordable family holiday in some of New Zealand’s best locations during summer.Get on the net and check out the vacancies (www.policeassn.org.nz, or if you do not have access to the web, ringthe Customer Service Centre on 0800 500 122 (Police Network 44446).HOLIDAY HOME AVAILABILITYNovember December FebruaryPaihia 6, 18, 20-21 1, 10-12 7, 9-10, 14, 20-24Stanmore Bay 1, 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-29 1-4, 6, 8, 11-12, 15-20, 22 1-14, 16-19, 27Whangamata 4-7, 17, 24-28 1-6, 8, 15-17 2-3, 12-13, 16-19, 23Mt Maunganui 5-6, 11-14, 17-21, 24-26 11 8Ohope 1, 3-7, 10-14, 18-21, 23-28 1-5, 8-12, 16-19 1Rotorua 3-7, 11-13, 18-19, 22-24, 27-28 1-15, 17, 22 1, 3-12, 16-17, 23-27Taupo 3-4, 7, 12-14, 18-21, 25, 27-28 1-6, 8-10, 17-22 4-7, 9, 12-13, 16-18Turangi 3-7, 10-15, 17-21, 24-28 1-5, 8-27 1-13, 16-26Napier 10-13, 20-21, 24-30 1, 5, 23 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 26-27Paraparaumu 1, 17-19, 25-28 1-3, 17-18 4-6, 9, 11-17, 26-27Wellington No Dates Available No Dates Available 5Nelson 1, 4-7, 20-21, 28 1-5, 22, 26-27 2, 20Hanmer Springs No Dates Available No Dates Available 2-7, 17, 19-20, 23Christchurch 3, 5, 9-12, 17, 21, 26 1-4, 18 4-5, 10, 19-20, 24, 26-27Tekapo 7, 13, 20-21, 26,28-29 8-10, 16 1-2, 5, 23Wanaka 1-6, 11-12, 17-19, 25-29 1-5, 8-10, 12, 16 2-7, 9, 11-12, 23, 26-27Cromwell 2-6, 12, 17, 21, 25-28 1-12, 16 3-5, 9-10Queenstown 7 No Dates Available 10, 18-20, 24, 26Te Anau 5-7, 13-15, 18-20, 25-28 1-4, 8-12, 20 4, 7-11, 16, 19-20, 22REMEMBRANCE DAY 2002Remembrance Day held at the PoliceCollege honoured those Police memberswho have died while in service in NewZealand, Australia and the SouthPacific. The numbers that attendedwere significant, signifying respect andsupporting those family, friends andcolleagues who grieved.Police commemorated serving policeofficers killed while on duty throughoutNew Zealand, Australia and the SouthPacific and members of police, swornand non-sworn, serving and retired whodied in the year past.Superintendent Alistair Beckett,welcomed those present, mindful that itwas only a few weekssince the memorialplaque for DetectiveConstable DuncanTaylor was unveiledand that September2002 marked the firstanniversary of theterrorist acts in theUnited States thattook so many lives. He said, that thesenseless deaths reminded us of thefragility of our own lives and reinforcedthe need for police to consider theirown safety. He said Police provide awealth of vital services 24-hours-a-day,but more importantly they are preparedto lay down their lives in that service,“in my mind nothing can be morenoble than to perform our job well.”Inspector Robert Duindam read thenames of the New Zealand sworn andnon-sworn members who died while inservice over the last year as follows:• Detective Constable Duncan JohnTAYLOR (Feilding)• Aleksander Andrzej ROSNER(Wellington)• Senior Constable David JohnMERRIFIELD (Foxton)• Detective Sergeant Peter JamesEVANS (Waitakere)Inspector Duindam, also read thenames of 7 members of police slain onduty from Australia, Fiji and Papua NewGuinea.With the recent sad passing of Rik Bos,President of the Wellington RetiredPolice Club, Mr Lawrie Philpot from thesame club was asked to read the namesof 49 retired police members, who haddied in the past year as the serviceremembered them also.Chaplain Winton Davis words rangout, “May our loneliness be eased, ourhurt healed and our hope rekindled,as we know that death is not the end,but rather the completion of our livehere on earth.”161Remembrance Day 2002

November 2002New Zealand Police Association NewsletterLetters 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 bepublished unless there is a good reason for anonymity. All letters are edited”.WAR AND TERRORISMEXCLUSIONS A CONCERNI am concerned about the definition ofthe ‘act of Terrorism’ as outlined in therecent mail out to members concerningthe new War and Terrorism Exclusionsapplying to our insurance. As it standsit seems to me that the destruction ofproperty caused in the name ofprejudice against a political party,religious beliefs, social ideology andracial differences, will deem the damageexcluded from cover. What exactlydoes the phrase ‘...or similar purposesor reasons...’ include? Does this includeother prejudices such as gender crimes,or hatred of Police? Who determineswhat acts of destruction will fall underthis section of the definition? Theinsurance company I suspect.Will we see incidents of fire bombedpolice stations, or police officers privateproperty become uninsured because thelocal gang has an ‘ethnic’ or‘ideological’ gripe against thegovernment and/or it’s agencies?Similarly, what now of the situationwhere animal rights activists damage asupermarket because it sells toothpastethat has been tested on animals? Isthis damage now excluded from cover?Since September 11, the insuranceindustry has exploited this tragedy andused it as a justification not only toincrease premiums outrageously, butalso implement strategies, which will ineffect, prevent legitimate claims.Rob Aitken, AshburtonPete Hayes, Manager Welfare Servicesreplies...“Rob is not the only member who hasconcerns with this clause. We havedealt directly with another member whohas raised similar concerns.The “War and Terrorism Exclusion”clause as it is commonly known, wasintroduced universally by all insurancecompanies following September 11.Although many of us feel that theSeptember 11 excuse has now wornthin, it has and will continue to have, asignificant effect on insurance for someyears to come.I can assure Rob and all Staffpacmembers that their insured propertywill be covered by criminal acts asoutlined in his letter. We have askedthe underwriters, Lumley Insurance, tore-write this section to ensure membersconcerns are resolved.Rob’s letter mentions members’personal property at police stations. Itwas for the very reason Rob highlights,that last year, Police Welfare FundInsurances introduced cover for up to162$1,000 of a members personal affectsstored at their place of work. As far aswe are aware this cover is not availableon other contents insurance policies.Those who do not have their contentsinsured with Staffpac should check ifyour existing policy has this cover.WHAT WAS ALECWAUGH’S SERVICEORGANISATION DOING?It was interesting over the past few daysto watch and read the commentary onthe criminal charges laid against ex-Superintendant Alec Waugh, and hislater ultimatum to resign.At the time he was before the court overthese charges it seems that he could notget any sound advice on hissuperannuation rights.It begs the question both for thatadvice, and help with his legal costs, asto what his service organisation - thePolice Managers Guild was doing.I’m sure that if he had been a memberof the Police Association the correctadvice and legal assistance would havebeen available.This could happen to anyone, anytime.Non-Police Association members shouldtake notice.Kevin Allen, Palmerston NorthTHANKS TO POLICEHEALTH PLAN TOOI have recently undergone a kneereplacement operation.I also wish to express my gratitude tothe Police Health Plan staff (re: GerryCuneen’s letter in the October 2002Newsletter).Their wonderful assistance during thewhole process, taking care of all the‘housekeeping’ issues, enabled me tofocus on getting back on my feet. Afteronly four weeks since my operation, Iam going from strength to strength.I thank them wholeheartedly.Pat Highsted, ChristchurchPUBLIC SHOULD BE TOLDNOT TO DONATE TO GUILDFUND RAISING FIRMIt was very pleasing to me to read aletter in October 2002 NZPA PoliceNews, regarding the raising of moneyfor the Police Officers Guild Fund.Some months ago a friend of mine, themarketing manager of a shoppingcentre came to me complaining of thestand-over tactics used by male personsraising money for the Police Officer’s[Guild] Fund.These two persons came to her at herplace of business mentioning the Policeand asked her to sign an invoice thatthey had for $500 as a donation. Sherefused in no uncertain terms and laterreceived a telephone call from themanger of this fund raising firm and heabused her for wasting his firm’s time.At my request she made a writtenstatement of complaint, which Iforwarded to the Commissioner ofPolice. I received a telephone call fromthe Commissioner’s office thanking myfriend for her statement and that stepswould be taken to stop this method ofraising funds using the name of Police.A statement from the Police Manager’sGuild telling the public not to donateto this fund raising firm would bewelcomed.A F Edwardson, OrewaCONSTABLE APROSECUTION - WHYHASN’T THE GOVERNMENTSAID ENOUGH IS ENOUGHThe Constable A trial has raised it’s uglyhead in the papers again. Having beena member of the AOS and the [then]ATS for many years, Constable A has mytotal sympathy.You would think by now, with all thescrutiny of his actions and having thembeen found justified, that somegovernment official should have said‘enough is enough’ and no more processwill be taken on the matter or are allpolice shootings going to beprosecuted retrospectively.We now live in an era that thepolicymakers think it is okay todemilitarize NZ, so it is not too hard toforesee in the future, a total disarmingof the Police. Then the squads setupand the personnel trained to protectthe very people who are prosecutingConstable A, will be history.God help usTerry Moyse (retired), ChristchurchMINISTER SAYS UKRECRUITING NOT HISINITIATIVEI am writing to clarify perceptions ofmy involvement in the United Kingdomrecruitment programme as suggested ina letter to your October journal.I want to make it clear that the UKrecruitment programme is a Policeinitiative.I would appreciate this letter beingpublished in your next issue.Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Police

New Zealand Police Association NewsletterNovember 2002IS THE EXPERIENCE OFPOLICE OFFICERSVALUED?I have just read an article about the NZpolice recruiting staff from the UnitedKingdom. It states that they will haveto do a shortened ten-week course atthe Police College and then start workon the basic constable’s salary.I find it ironic that we can recruit nonswornstaff into senior managementpositions and pay them an exorbitantamount of money and use the excusethat they are experienced in their fieldsto justify it. Yet when it comes tofrontline staff, who apparently are themost important people within thepolice service, we don’t apply the sameargument.It appears that unless you have aglossy certificate on your wall then noamount of service within any policethroughout the world is worthanything. The New Zealand police havetaken it upon themselves to hirestrategic analysts and pay them$75,000 a year. Some of these peoplehave no experience of police work atall. I appreciate that they are animportant part of the way the policeservice is heading but surely whenrecruiting frontline staff we can use thesame argument.I remember a few years ago that wewere told raising the importance ofstaff at the sharp end, was a priority.The New Zealand Police by their actionsdo not appear to value the experienceof police officers. Perhaps this is thereason why so many of our experiencedstaff are still leaving disillusioned.Michael Cartwright, AucklandStaff Retention inAuckland/Sth AkldThis is about the three-ring circuscurrently being conducted in theAuckland & Counties/Manukau areas. I’vespent 16 years in Counties/Manukau as asworn officer, so I reckon I’ve earned theright to have my say.Staff in this region, are taken for grantedat every opportunity. Managementcontinually plays on our loyalty andgoodwill to keep this Districtfunctioning, albeit only just.I want to be clear - I’m not having a goat the staff who have come from otherDistricts, but the decision to pay cops anextra $70 - $80 a day to come and“make up the numbers” is a huge slapin-the-facefor Aucklander’s, stillexpected to do the very same job for thesame price. No extra benefits for us. Westill have to pay our heavy mortgages,over-inflated cost of living and deal withdaily stress inflicted on our families byan unforgiving work environment. Wedon’t get any extra cash - no it goes tosomeone else instead.So they will be clearing all of these extrafiles? SO WHAT!! Long after ourcolleagues have gone we will still havethe same problem - too many files andnot enough cops to deal with them. It isthe nature of the beast that is Auckland& Counties/Manukau. George Hawkinsshould know - he did enough whingingabout it, when he was in Opposition. Hisown electorate, Manurewa, is probablythe worst crime spot in the country.What I can’t understand is that it’s notgood enough to pay us an allowance forliving and working in Auckland, (whichhas in essence become “a hard to fill”area) yet they will fork out all thismoney to pay other cops to come workhere and fly them in from around thecountry. Gee, thanks - shows just howmuch you value us here in Auckland,obviously not much.I’m sorry, I sound like a grumpy oldcopper, but the way that this is beinghandled is disgusting. Whether you wantto believe it or not South Auckland staffare not happy and paying out-of-towncops an extra $500 to $600 a week to dothe same job only serves to lower moraleeven further.Time for management to come up with areal solution to the problem, otherwisethe drain on experienced cops from ourpatch is not going to stop.Steve Andersen, OtahuhuGod works inMysterious WaysI was on my usual Wednesday “loiteringwith intent” around the police station.I had stopped to prop up the doorarchway of Break Squad.We exchanged our usual forgettablepleasantries when I heard, “Elizabeth,I’ve a question I’ve been meaning toask you.”I froze, I quivered!! In that half secondI thought, I’ve cracked it!They do take me seriously! Thank you!!I put on my best pastoral face andapproached the officer gently (I’vegiven them name suppression).The eyes looked at me with totalconfidence and expectation. I felt quiteoverwhelmed. Then I heard, “Elizabeth,how do I get rid of stains? Look atthese. It’s one of my favouritesweaters.”Elizabeth Mansill, Chaplain, Waitakerep.s. I was able to answer thequestion. My advice was taken. Itworked. God acts in mysterious ways.PoliceHealth PlanCover you and your family cantrust, when you need it mostPolice Health Plan offers a greatrange of benefits to help protectthe health of Police membersand their families, with levels ofcover tailored to your budget.You can select different levels ofprotection for each familymember, depending on theirneeds.Choose from:• ‘In Hospital’ cover which providesfor the costs of surgery;• ‘Basic’ which covers the cost ofsurgery and basic general medicalcosts; or• ‘Comprehensive’ which coverssurgery, general medical costs andoptical, dental and audiologytreatment*.Other benefits include* ...• Public Hospital cash benefit.• Funding for overseas organtransplants (for heart, lung, liver).• Sterilisation - available after 3 yearsof continuous cover.• Acupuncture, Physiotherapy,Chiropractic, Osteopathic andPodiatry treatment(comprehensive only).• Cover for CT, MRI scans and otherimaging performed by a medicalpractitioner (some limits apply,depending on the plan taken).• Infertility treatment - available after 3years of continuous cover(comprehensive scheme only).• Paying for a maximum number ofchildren per family with the restcovered at no extra cost.• Friendly personal service.• Efficient claims turnaround.Health Plan Limited is non-profit and allsurpluses are put back into ensuring thatmembers have access to one of the bestvalue health insurance policies available inNew Zealand.For more information call the Police Health Plan0800 500 122or visit our website:www.policeassn.org.nzHealthPolicePlanLtd163

STAFFPAC INSURANCENovember 2002New Zealand Police Association NewsletterProtection for your possessionsWhen it comes to insuring your possessions, Staffpac provides theprotection that’s right for you - whether you need completereplacement cover, or just the bare essentials.Motor VehicleHomeContentsPleasurecraftThree Levels of cover to suit your needsYou choose the perils that you want to beprotected against, and tailor yourinsurance coverage accordinglyCover for Accidental Damage or Restricted CostsLets you take to the water without worry.Protects you against loss or damage resultingfrom an accident164For more information, contact thePolice Welfare Fund Customer Service Centreon 0800 500 122