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

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