Police and civilian receive bravery awards for their - New Zealand ...

The Voice of PoliceVOLUME 44 • NUMBER 7 • august 2011Police and civilian receive bravery awardsfor their actions during the Napier siegeHeroic actionsacknowledgedat Govt Housen Police ready for Rugby World Cupn Overseas deployments to be scaled backn Association supports Law Commission over ‘legal highs’

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceThe Voice of PoliceVOLUME 44 • NUMBER 7 • august 2011188Keeping an eye on the Rugby World CupNZ Police Association Police News is the magazine ofthe New Zealand Police Association and incorporates theNew Zealand Police Journal first published in 1937.August 2011, Vol. 44, No.7ISSN 1175-9445Deadline for next issue Monday 14 August, 2011.Published by the New Zealand Police AssociationP.O. Box 12344, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington.Phone: (04) 496 6800, Facsmile: (04) 471 1309Editor: Steve PlowmanEmail: editor@policeassn.org.nzWebsite: www.policeassn.org.nzPrinted by City Print Communications, Wellington.Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of theAssociation.COPYRIGHT: NZPA Police News must not be reproduced inpart or as a whole without the formal consent of the copyrightholder – the New Zealand Police Association.ContentsFrom the President 187190Rugers and lugers206Rugby league team victorious• Front page: BRAVERY ACKNOWLEDGED: From left toright: Senior Constable Dennis Hurworth, Detective SergeantTim Smith, Len Holmwood, Senior Constable Paul Symondsand Constable Michael Burne recently received the NZBravery Star in a ceremony at Government House. They wereamong 14 people honoured for their bravery during the armedsiege at Napier, which claimed the life of Senior Constable LenSnee and wounded Senior Constables Grant Diver and BruceMiller and civilian Len Holmwood. See story on page 193 -Photo courtesy of The Dominion Post and Kent Blechynden.K9 units go high tech in US and Europe 187Police well prepared for the 2011 Rugby World Cup 188Police Health Plan rule changes 189Make sure your Benefit Nomination Form is up to date 189A day in the life of the Police Armoury Team 190/1NZ Police begin to scale back deployments to the Solomon Islands 192Napier police receive bravery awards/PFCU Board election 193Association supports Law Commission’s recommendations on ‘legal highs’ 194/5Synthetic DNA kit making its mark on school burglaries 195Police Home Loans News – selling (and buying) a home 196Mental health nurses based at Chch Central prove their worth 197Special time for Kiwi officers at Peace Officers’ Memorial Day 198/201The big Canterbury quake – one cop’s experience 202/4Holiday home availability chart 204View from the bottom (I Am Keen)/Memorial Wall 205Sports News 206/8Keen on wine/Copper’s crossword 209Letters to the Editor 210/1Useful information and contacts 211Planning your leave for 2011 212Those wishing not to receive a personal copyof Police News should contact the Editor(editor@policeassn.org.nz) to be removedfrom the distribution list.186 August 2011

New Zealand Police Association“There is no better learning than to haveto justify actions later in Court, and thesometimes-excruciating examinationshelp us think beyond the immediatenext time.”The value of experienceThere’s not much that happens inthe world of politics, media, or evendisasters, which doesn’t have a policedimension somewhere.In New Zealand, we have Commissionsof Inquiry underway into both theChristchurch earthquakes and the PikeRiver Mine disaster.Our roles will be under scrutiny, andwith the alleged Israeli espionage issuearound the earthquake dominating thefront pages as I write this, no doubtpolice involvement will be examined.It is a tribute to the professionalism ofpolice that despite the facts having tohave been well known to a significantnumber of officers, nothing leaked fromus.Likewise, I am confident police actionsat Pike River will be shown to have beencorrect and professional.Given the problems our colleaguesin the London Metropolitan Policeare experiencing following the phonehacking scandal, it is timely for us toremind ourselves of one of the bestgovernors of behaviour: asking thequestion: “How will this look on the sixo’clock news?”How often do we ourselves, on readingor hearing of an event unfoldingwhich causes embarrassment, legaldifficulties and scandal for individualsand organisations, say: “What were theythinking?”The reality of it is that often theyweren’t.The best tool we have as cops tokeep ourselves safe, physically and interms of reputation, is to be able tolook beyond the immediate situationconfronting us. Our environmentprepares us for this because so oftenthe situation is subsequently analysedin Court by a judge and jury. Thereis no better learning than to have tojustify actions later in Court, and thesometimes-excruciating examinationshelp us think beyond the immediatenext time.That’s why experience is so important.Unfortunately, in a world where we tryto quantify everything which goes intoCVs, it’s difficult to weigh experience.Lack of experience can be easilymeasured when that is exposed by theinquiries I referred to at the beginning.I’m sure Messrs Murdoch, Whittall,and Netanyahu will all be hoping theyget a chance to apply lessons from thesituations they currentlyfind themselves in.K9 units go high tech in US and EuropeIn a sign of the changing face ofpolicing, with advancements intechnology, the days of the hightechpolice dog have arrived. Inthe USA, Canada and Europe,high-tech armour for police dogsis allowing dog handlers to seewhat their charges are doing and toissue commands by microphone,according to Jane’s Police ProductReview magazine.The dogs wear a protective vestequipped with a wireless camera,built-in speakers and a microphone.The equipment allows the doghandler to see what the dog sees andissue commands through the audiosystem attached to the dog.The K9 Storm vest and equipment iscustomised for each dog and is currentlybeing used by the US Tobacco andFirearms Agency, the Royal CanadianMounted Police, the Italian Polizia andspecial units in the Rotterdam PoliceDepartment.Long range“This will change the way dogs aremanaged in emergencies,” Gloria Slater,Vice-President and co-founder of K9Storm said. “It will extend the handler’srange to 300 yards,” she added.The Intruder is the company’s lightestcamera and audio system and weighsunder 1.5 kilograms and comes with aprice tag of $US20,000 ($NZ25,960).Andy Suyer, a dog handler in theAuburn Police Department in theUSA, said: “A suspect fled a trafficstop, and I sent my dog, with merunning after. As the dog corneredthe suspect, the man turned and firedat least seven rounds from a .45 autoat a distance of less than 10 feet. Atleast two rounds hit the vest. The dogwas not injured and continued tofight, putting the suspect down.”The K9 vest weighs between 1.5 and3 kilograms depending on the size ofthe dog and the vest ordered. The vestcomes in seven different versions andthe weight is evenly distributed acrossthe dog’s body.Article © IHS Global Limited 2010. Reproduced withpermission.August 2011187

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolice well prepared for the 2011 Rugby World CupBy Deb Stringer, Communications Assistant• - Photos courtesy of Al Guthrie.Police will come prepared for all likely scenarios during the Rugby World Cup, thanks to the carefulplanning of Rugby World Cup Police Commander, Superintendent Grant O’Fee and his team.For the past two years, the team havebeen working hard to ensure the smoothrunning of the international event, andlook forward to their hard work comingto fruition when the first game kicks offin September.“We have been pretty happy with howit has all been going, and feel that allthe effort that has been put into theplanning process has prepared us wellfor any situation we may face,” MrO’Fee said.Planning aheadHe said a significant amount of planninghad involved working alongside the 13District Operational Managers, whoare in charge of overseeing securitymeasures at matches.“During these matches police will beactively engaging with the crowd withspecial focus given to onsite liquoroutlets,” Mr O’Fee said.“There will be a couple of times wherewe will have four games on the one dayand will have 700 to 800 staff working.“They will be supported by securitycompanies and other organisations wehave partnerships with.”Strong presenceDespite the strong police presence MrO’Fee said he did not want to discouragepeople from having fun.“We don’t want to turn into the funpolice, because we really do wantpeople to enjoy themselves and have agood time.“However, if someone’s behaviour turnsviolent or we are faced with a situationwhen someone is severely intoxicated to188August 2011the point where it is adversely affectingothers we will be forced to address thesituation,” he told Police News.• Rugby World Cup Police Commander,Superintendent Grant O’Fee.Worst case scenariosAnother area which has undergonesignificant research is planning forworst case scenarios, such as the threatof large scale disorder.“The Police National Intelligence Centrehas done a lot of work on this, andthankfully the overseas research hasshown that this is highly unlikely tohappen.”Nevertheless, Mr O’Fee said contingencyplanning for such an event as well asothers had all been part of the process.“We have been participating in table topexercises with all the other emergencyservices and have plans in place forevery possible scenario you can imagine– big or small.”Police have also confirmed contactingknown protesters to ask whether theyplan to stage any protest action duringthe event.“This is something we always dowhenever a large scale event is held inNew Zealand.“Contrary to popular belief, we have agood relationship with these parties andso far we don’t foresee encountering anyproblems in relation to this”, he toldPolice News.Police Liaison OfficersA new initiative instigated by the teamis attaching a Police Liaison Officer toevery international rugby team.Mr O’Fee believed Police LiaisonOfficers would be highly beneficial forall involved.“Basically, the main function of a PoliceLiaison Officer’s role is to gain theconfidence of the team’s management.“We want each team to feel safe in thearea they will be based in, so the officerwill provide useful information on thearea which is aimed at them getting thebest out of their stay. It will also keepthe communication lines between usand the teams open, so we can addressany problems that may occur as soon aspossible,” Mr O’Fee said.Mr O’Fee said most Police LiaisonOfficers also spoke the language of theteam they would be assigned to.“For instance, the officer in charge ofthe Italian rugby team, who will betravelling to Nelson, speaks Italian, sothis should ease communication andcultural barriers,” he told Police News.

New Zealand Police AssociationPolice Health Plan rule changesBy Chris Pentecost, Police Association CEOThe introduction of the opportunityfor members to elect membership ofPolice Health Plan with a $500 excesson surgical procedures has proved verypopular, with over 1,100 membersalready selecting this option.The $500 excess has meant the Rulesof Police Health Plan needed to beamended to reflect this change, andthis occurred at the July Board meeting.At the same time, the Board took theopportunity to make a number ofother changes to the Rules to clarifyboth their status and consistency ofapplication in a changing environment,including obligations imposed by newlegislation and regulations.Specific definitionThe Rules now include a specificdefinition for the Excess Option andPolicy Excess, and Rule 7 has beenamended to reflect the underlyingconditions associated with selecting toapply the excess option. In summarythese are:• Where the Excess Option is selectedthe excess applies from the date theExcess Option is notified to theCompany;• Where a member chooses to changefrom the Excess Option to no excessthe enhanced cover will not apply for90 days from the latter of notifyingthe Company of the removal or anyrequired premium is paid; and• Where you switch from a voluntaryexcess to the no excess option, a90-day stand down period willapply before cover with no excesscommences. All conditions thatwere existing under the voluntaryexcess option will still incur thevoluntary excess if any procedureon this condition is carried out afterswitching to a no excess cover.Formal complaints procedureUnder the new legislation all insurancecompanies are required to have a formalcomplaints procedure. Police HealthPlan is a member of the Insuranceand Savings Ombudsman scheme anda new Rule has been introduced toafford members, who have a complaintnot dealt with to their satisfaction,to take that complaint up with thisorganisation.Other changes to the Rules include:• Clarifying the definition of what is aCosmetic Treatment;• Introducing a new definition forHealthcare Services;• Introducing a new definition forHealth Screening;• Clarifying the definition of the Policybetween the Plan and Members;• Clarifying the definition and coverfor a Pre-existing Condition;• Introducing a new definition forProphylactic Healthcare Services;• Clarifying the definition and coverfor Unapproved Healthcare Services;• Clarifying the definition of Usual,Reasonable and Customary (URC);and• Consolidating the provisions in boththe Rules and the Brochure in termsof where no benefits will be paid.A full copy of the new Rules of PoliceHealth Plan are on the Associationwebsite at www.policeassn.org.nzor are available through the MemberServices Centre by emailingenquiries@policeassn.org.nzWhy your Life Insurance BenefitNomination Form should be up to dateUnusual findIn the event of your death, whom wouldyou like your life insurance paid to?This is the question that haunts the PoliceWelfare Fund Insurances section.If you or your partner have any of thefollowing:• Sworn Group Life Insurance• Non-sworn Group Life Insurance• Police Life Insurance ExtraThen you need to make sure that PoliceWelfare Insurances holds a current BenefitNomination Form for each policy.What is a Benefit Nomination Form?A Benefit Nomination Form allows you todecide who will be the beneficiary of your lifeinsurance payout in the event of your death. Ifyou have a New Zealand Police Sworn GroupLife policy, it also asks you to provide thedetails of your partner whose life will also beinsured under the Partner Life Benefit.Why should you complete a BenefitNomination Form?This form is held independently from your willand estate. The policy owner (Police WelfareFund Insurances Limited) will pay the benefitto whomever you specify on the form, insteadof your estate.If we do not hold a form, any benefit underthe Policy will be paid to your estate. In theabsence of a will at the time of death (if youdie intestate), it can take some time to finaliseestate issues. In this event, Police WelfareFund Insurances Limited will not be able toassist with any initial life benefit payments toyour surviving partner.Not sure if you have completed a form?Easy, log on to www.policeassn.org.nz andon your ‘My Profile’ page you will be able toview whether we hold a form for you.If you haven’t already filled one in or need toupdate this you can print one from the Formsand Documents section on our website.• The police officer who sent this photo toPolice News made the comment that hedoubted Police would celebrate their next150 year anniversary by brewing a specialcommemorative beer as they did in 1986.This unopened bottle of beer was foundrecently underneath a Waiheke home thatwas being searched pursuant to 18(2)(3)of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.August 2011189

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceA day in the life of the...By Deb Stringer, Communications AssistantOn 16 February 1994, father and son financiers Eugene and Gene Thomas were fatally shot at theirworkplace in the Invincible Building on The Terrace in Wellington.In 1995 John Barlow was eventually foundguilty of both murders after a third trial(the first two resulted in hung juries). Hewas sentenced to life in prison with a 14-year minimum non-parole period. He wasreleased in August last year.The key piece of evidence that workedagainst the accused was his pistol - a CZ27- which police unearthed at the Happy Valleyrubbish dump in Wellington.It was this find that led the Police ArmouryTeam to match the accused’s weapon withthe bullets found in the murdered victims,hence securing the guilty verdict.Recalling the caseSenior Police Armourer Rob Ngamoki, whohas been in the job for 30 years, remembersthe case well.“It always takes a bit of work to get yourmatch, but it is something that you workhard to achieve.“Thanks to our arms reference library wewere able to match the victim’s bullets withone of our pistols, which was a match to MrBarlow’s pistol.”Each time a bullet is fired it is left with amarking from travelling through the bore ofthe weapon it was discharged from – leavinga unique identifier which links it back to theweapon.Other memorable cases Mr Ngamoki hasworked on over the years include the trials ofDavid Bain and Antonie Dixon.Increasing workloadMr Ngamoki said the team’s workload hasbeen steadily increasing in recent years.Some cases are far more time consumingthan others.“One of the longest cases I have worked oninvolved an investigation into a dodgy armsdealer from the Waikato.• Police Armourer Terry Quirke spends a lot of time fixing weapons sent in from stationsaround the country.• Police Armourer Dan Millar using his skills to fix a broken Taser.190August 2011

New Zealand Police Association• TOP GUN: The most recent addition to the arms reference library - a .50 calibre rifle.“Police confiscated 235 firearms off theoffender, so needless to say it took us quitea long while to go through all the evidence.“That is one of the things I like most aboutthe job though – being about to finish a jobknowing that your problem-solving skillsand attention to detail help secure a guiltyverdict,” Mr Ngamoki said.Team effortThe team is housed at Upper Hutt PoliceStation, north of Wellington. The team hasfour members. An additional officer is set tojoin them in the next few months.“Although a big part of our job is to helpPolice solve homicides, we are alsoresponsible for appearing in Court, dealingwith all weapons confiscated by Police andCustoms, running information courses forPolice Specialist Squads and repairing andmaintaining the 4,000 weapons currentlyheld by the NZ Police,” Mr Ngamoki toldPolice News.To keep track of such a large array ofweapons, Mr Ngamoki established adatabase a few years ago and every yeartwo members of the team travel around thecountry to ensure each station is wellequippedand all its weapons are in goodworking order.“It’s quite a big job and can take two staffmembers away for two months of the year.Aside from this, we are also in charge oftesting and repairing any weapon which issent to us,” he added.Sophisticated weaponsMr Ngamoki said one of the biggest changeshe has seen over the years has been thegrowing sophistication of weapons.“When I first started, the weapons we wereseeing were pretty amateur. However, weare now seeing weapons, which are farmore advanced.“It seems criminals are becoming more andmore sophisticated. To combat this we runcourses on the types of weapons police maycome across when faced with an armedoffender,” he said.The Internet has proved a very useful tool forthe Police Armoury Team.“We use it a lot to carry out research onany weapons that come in. The Internet hashelped us become more efficient with ourresearching processes.”A further area of growth has been the armsreference library.“We have built up this collection to nearly3,500 weapons and in future years we mayhave to look at relocating them as spaceis becoming an issue to fit them all in,” MrNgamoki added.Try our 5 minute quizOkay, morning or afternoon tea breakhas arrived. You have your cuppa in handand you and your colleagues could dowith a quick brain workout. So appointyour quizmaster and have a go at thesequestions. The answers are under the quiz(upside down, no peeking!).1. In which of the followingcountries was canola oil originallyproduced? (A) Greece. (B) China,(C) New Zealand. (D) Canada.2. What modern vehicle was inventedto circumvent trench warfare?3. In which decade of the 20thcentury were the Oscars (Academyawards) born?4. What does the B stand for inSCUBA diving?5. Who won the Nobel Peace Prize in1964?6. What sport used the term “homerun” long before softball?7. Under which name did Americanauthor Samuel Langhorne Clemenswrite?8. A fluke is what kind of creature?9. What computer term was coinedwhen a trapped moth caused anearly computer to crash?10. What’s the largest country in theCommonwealth of IndependentStates?Scoring: 0-2 – Hmmn, room for significantimprovement (perhaps next month). 3-5Not bad, better luck next time. 6-7 – Goodeffort. 8 – Very good. 9 – Excellent. 10 –Wipe your nose, take a bow and go to thetop of the class Einstein.• A selection of Luger and other pistols, which were sent to the Police Armoury Team 30 years ago.Answers: 1. (D) Canada. 2. The tank. 3.1920s 4. Breathing (as in Self ContainedUnderwater Breathing Apparatus). 5. MartinLuther-King. 6. Cricket. 7. Mark Twain. 8. Aworm. 9. A bug. 10. Russia.August 2011191

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceNew Zealand Police begin to scale backdeployments to the Solomon IslandsBy Deb Stringer, Communications AssistantNew Zealand Police have slowly begunto withdraw from the Solomon Islandsto allow the country to stand on its owntwo feet.New Zealand Police officers originallytravelled to the country as part of theRegional Assistance Mission to theSolomon Islands (RAMSI) project, torebuild the country’s law and orderinfrastructure which was torn apart bycivil war between 1998 and 2003.The Manager of Overseas AssistanceProgrammes, Inspector Roly Williams,said the project had reached its “naturalend”.“We have been there since 2003 and inrecent years our role has moved to moreof a supporting one.“During this time the Royal SolomonIsland Police Force (RSIPF) has beenable to replenish and regroup, and arenow in the process of building up theircapabilities.”Slow and steadyMr Williams signalled that New ZealandPolice’s withdrawal would be slow toensure the changeover ran smoothly.“When we began we had 35 staffdeployed there. We are now down to30 and by the end of the year that willdrop to 24.“In five years’ time we plan to havewithdrawn completely. However,there is a chance that we will be partof an on-going presence, which willbe undertaken by New Zealand andAustralia after this time,” he told PoliceNews.Solomon Islands Prime Minister DannyPhillip supported the move as hebelieved it was time the RSIPF took onmore of the police work.“I think there is an important investmentof our own resources into our own localpolice here to strengthen, to improveand to consolidate our own policeforce,” he said.• Detective Anita Osborne with a SolomonIslands girl.• A Solomon Islands father and daughterenjoy the spoils of living by the sea.Happy memoriesMr Williams said for the vast majorityof police who had been involved withthe project their experience had beenpositive.“A lot of our staff were drawn to theoutposting positions on the island andas a result built up a strong reputationof excelling in the job.“Staff who were deployed there inthe early days, and had come back insubsequent years, had been pleasantlysurprised by the changes to thecountry,” he said.Further withdrawalsNew Zealand Police have alsoearmarked other overseas deploymentssuch as its staff presence in Afghanistan,Timor Leste (formerly East Timor) andBougainville for withdrawal over thenext three years.Currently Police has five officersdeployed in Afghanistan, seven inBougainville and five in Timor Leste.Officers’ duties range from developingthe country’s community policing tosupporting United Nation’s missionsand developing the skills of the localpolice.Superintendent Stu Wildon of the NewZealand Police’s International SupportGroup said any decisions to withdrawfrom overseas deployments were madeby the Government which was also incharge of funding the projects.• Constable Glenn Lloyd-Jones and a RoyalSolomon Islands Police Force officer.• Advisors Constable Deane O’Connor and Constable Deborah Leahy and other New Zealandpolice officers attend a Christmas parade in Honiara.192August 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationNapier police receive bravery awardsFourteen people, including several policeofficers, were honoured in a ceremonyat Government House recently. Thismarked their bravery in the armed siegein Napier in May 2009 in which SeniorConstable Len Snee was shot dead andtwo of his colleagues, Senior ConstableGrant Diver and Senior Constable BruceMiller were seriously wounded.Len Holmwood, a neighbour of thegunman, came to the officers’ aid andwas shot through the hip after trying towrestle the rifle from the gunman’s grip.Mr Holmwood was also honoured with abravery award during the ceremony.The siege lasted 50 hours before thegunman, Jan Molenaar, shot himself.Unarmed officerDetective Tim Smith was one of the firston the scene and twice put himself in theline of fire in trying to aid his strickencolleagues, despite being unarmed, TheDominion Post reported.Mr Smith used a civilian’s car to drivethrough Molenaar’s line of fire to rescueSenior Constable Bruce Miller.The car he was in was shot twice.He later risked his life again to rescueSenior Constable Grant Diver.“Without his outstanding contribution,the outcome for the wounded officersmight have been different,” his citationsaid.Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Smithsaid it was a proud day but also a dayto remember Mr Snee, whom he hadknown.Gut instinct“I think you weigh up calculated risk,” hesaid of putting himself in the line of fire.“To be honest, with 26 years in the policeyou are well trained in situations and Ithink you act on gut instinct at times.”Mr Smith was one of five people to get aNew Zealand Bravery Star recently – thesecond from top in the four-tier NewZealand Bravery Awards system.Toy tiger causes UK police alertPolice scrambled helicopters andordered tranquilisers to hunt what theyfeared was an escaped wild animal insouthern England - before realising thetiger was a toy.Hampshire Police responded afterseveral residents called in to say they’dseen a white tiger in a field near a golfcourse in Hedge End, near the Englishcoastal city of Southampton, accordingto an Associated Press report.A tongue-in-cheek recorded messageposted to the force’s media line said thatafter “a brief stalk through the HedgeEnd savannah...it became obvious thatthe tiger was a stuffed, life-sized toy.”A second message posted emphasisedpolice had a duty to take such sightingsseriously. The renegade tiger wasreportedly treated as “lost property”when eventually located.10.25% paA Police and Families Credit Unionpersonal loan can help you achievethe things you want sooner.Whether it’s a car, holiday, homeimprovements or consolidatingyour credit cards into one payment:Police Credit Union is here to help.PFCU Board electionIn accordance with Rule 7, I callfor nominations for two directorsof the Police and Families CreditUnion.Nominations close on 26August 2011 at 4pm. Thesemust be in writing, signed bytwo members eligible to vote,and include the written consent of thenominee. Nomination forms are availablefrom Head Office in Wellington.Nominations should be marked confidentialand sent to:The Returning Officer, Don ClaytonP O Box 12344, Wellington 6144.Directors are elected for atwo-year term, and retiringdirectors may be re-elected.The retiring directors are IanHarris and Stuart Mangnall.If an election is required itwill be conducted by postalballot.All retiring directors have indicated theirintention to stand for re-election. There is noTrustee election this year.Don ClaytonReturning OfficerAugust 2011193

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceAssociation supports Law Commission’srecommendations on ‘legal highs’By Steve Plowman, Editor, Police NewsThe NZ Police Association has lentits support to the Law Commission’scall to regulate the supply of syntheticcannabinoids – known as “legal highs” –before they enter the marketplace.In its recent review of the Misuse of DrugsAct 1975, the Law Commission reportedthat “new psychoactive substances canbe manufactured, imported and soldwithout restriction until they are provento be harmful and scheduled either asrestricted substances or controlled drugs”.The Commission recommended thatmanufacturers and importers of a newsubstance should have to obtain anapproval before releasing it onto themarket, meaning that the onus of proofis on them to prove its safety rather thanon the Government to prove its harmretrospectively.Under Section 5 of the Misuse of DrugsAct, the Minister can appoint suchadvisory or technical committees.The recent controversy around the saleof Kronic, a New Zealand-made productthat contains legal synthetic cannabinoids(chemicals), designed to mimic the effectsof cannabis, is a case in point.Cannabis alternativesKronic, which has been marketed as alegal alternative to cannabis, has beenlinked to adverse effects in some users. It’sready availability to school-aged childrenthrough outlets such as dairies hasalarmed parents, teachers and doctors,among others. Accident and Emergencydoctors have increasingly been concernedabout patients presenting with side-effectssuch as anxiety, increased blood pressureand heart palpitations. Police Newsunderstands that Auckland Hospital’s Aand E Department has been treating anaverage of two patients a day displayingvarious side-effects after smoking Kronic.Other A and E doctors around the countryhave reported patients displaying similarside-effects.Police News has also learned through aCorrections Department source that,since the ban on smoking instituted inprisons recently, some inmates have beeningesting the ‘legal’ synthetic cannabinoidsby putting it in beverages such as tea.In March, the Associate Minister ofHealth, Tariana Turia, announced plans toschedule a group of synthetic cannabinoidchemicals, known as naphthoylindolederivatives, (includes: JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-398, JWH-200, JWH-081,4-Methyl-JWH-073, JWH-015, JWH-194August 2011122, JWH-210, JWH-019, JWH-007)as restricted under the Misuse of DrugsAct 1975 (MODA). This group includesJWH-018 and JWH-073, which havebeen identified in Kronic and four othersimilar smoking products.DeveloperThe man who developed the compoundknown as JWH-018, among manyothers, is North Carolina-based Dr JohnW Huffman, who is a retired ResearchProfessor of Organic Chemistry. DrHuffman has warned users of Kronic“It is difficult, if not impossible,for legislators to keep up with thefast-evolving synthetic cannabinoidsmarket, as an overarching definitionfor ‘synthetic cannabinoids’ isnot possible under the currentlegislation. This is an issue facedby most countries that do not usegeneric definitions to control widerdrug categories.”- Detective Inspector Stuart Mills of theNational Drug Intelligence Bureau.to “stop immediately, or risk seriouspsychological problems…it’s not knownif they are irreversible.”Dr Huffman said the compounds differedgreatly from the tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) that is the active component incannabis sativa (marijuana). The JWHcompounds were originally developedby a pharmaceutical company and DrHuffman says his team was trying tofigure out how the two different classesof compounds reacted with the samereceptor.450 compoundsDr Huffman’s name is associated withabout 450 compounds – all carrying hisinitials JWH.Contrary to popular belief, thecompound was not developed as anappetite stimulant as Dr Huffmanrecently explained: “It was developedto investigate receptor interaction withthat particular class of cannabinoids. Itwas basic science and it had no ulteriorusage.”His research began in 1984 and wasfunded by the National Institute ofDrug Abuse. His team began developingthe synthetic cannabinoids with a viewto aiding the treatment of multiplesclerosis and AIDS, and in the use ofchemotherapy.In 1998 Dr Huffman and his colleaguespublished their research.By 2005 Dr Huffman produced apaper outlining the pharmacology andtoxicity of the compounds. “This stuffis not easy to make. It cannot be madein your kitchen like crystal meth,” DrHuffman told Radio NZ’s Jim Mora ina recent radio interview. “It takes somefairly sophisticated synthetic procedureswhich are carried out in the most partwith the compounds that are made inChina,” he added.2008 developmentDr Huffman said the first he had heardof JWH-018 being produced as arecreational drug was in 2008. Two ofthe compounds were used to producemarijuana alternatives, which were soldin Germany under the brand names “K2”and “Spice”.Dr Huffman said that this was as result ofwhat he termed an “enterprising Chineseguy, who decided to make himself a lotof money” by producing the compoundsas ‘legal highs’.Dr Huffman said one of the interestingdifferences between the effects of productssuch as Kronic, which contain syntheticcannabinoids as opposed to the THC inmarijuana, was that the former raisedblood pressure and the latter lowered it.He conceded that the effects were knownonly anecdotally – through hospitaladmissions and the like – but that he hadcome to the conclusion through talkingto medical professionals that it was “adangerous drug”.“There are studies that need to be donearound the effects, now that these havebecome drugs of abuse,” he said.Interestingly, Dr Huffman said thathe considered cannabis a “relativelyharmless drug compared to cocaine,methamphetamines - or these JWHcompounds.”

New Zealand Police AssociationLegalisation of cannabisWhen the professor was asked aboutthe serious side-effects of the JWH compoundsthat bore his name and howwidespread they were becoming, he saidhe felt the answer was simple in stemmingtheir tide: “Legalise cannabis,” he said.“It’s a whole other argument of course butthe USA made marijuana illegal in 1936and really it hasn’t done much good at all– it’s still readily available – but these aremuch more dangerous compounds thancannabis,” he added.The Government has responded to publicconcerns by testing 43 products marketedas ‘legal highs’ and two have beenwithdrawn from sale after being foundto contain the anti-anxiety medicationphenazepam. Phenazepam is also used forthe treatment of neurological disorderssuch as epilepsy as well as insomnia andalcohol withdrawal.The Government is moving to place anR18 restriction on the sale of some ‘legalhigh’ products.No regulatory oversightThe problem with the so-called ‘legal highs’is that, as the Law Commission, pointedout – there is no regulatory oversightabout their release. As quickly as partypills containing BZP (Benzylpiperazine)were made illegal, manufacturers pushedthe boundaries again with replacements,including Kronic, without them havingto go through pre-release testing of anykind. The so-called self-regulation of themanufacturers involved has proved to bevirtually non-existent, as is evidenced bythe fact that subsequent clinical analysishas found prescription drugs in theirmake-up.Effectively, the genie is out of the bottleunder current legislation.The marketplace has become the testingground for side-effects and, unwittinglypeople have become the guinea pigs forproducts which could contain lethalconcoctions of compounds, the long-termeffects of which are, as Dr Huffman pointsout, as yet largely unknown.The fact remains that, under currentlegislation, as quickly as one productis banned a new one appears on themarket. There are hundreds of chemicalcompounds that can quickly replaceproducts like Kronic.New products readyIn fact, Lightyears Ahead Ltd, the NewZealand company that manufacturesKronic among other so-called ‘legalhighs’, has declared as much on itswebsite. “Here at Lightyears we striveto always be on the forefront of productdevelopment and research. We have anew legal formulation launching soon,and encourage you to check the websitefor updates”, the site’s blurb declares.Detective Inspector Stuart Mills of theNational Drug Intelligence Bureau saidthat it is almost certain that this newformulation would not contain anysoon-to-be restricted naphthoylindolederivatives, but could still be sold as‘Kronic’ and be made readily availablewithout restriction.Mr Mills said that restrictions are beingignored nationwide: “These productshave been as easy to buy as chewing gum.Despite the Government’s best intentions,the fact remains that it is almost certainthat these restrictions will have nomajor long-term impacts on the use andavailability of synthetic cannabinoidproducts in New Zealand.”Fast-evolving marketAs Detective Inspector Mills, who isalso a Vice-President of the NZ PoliceAssociation, told Police News: “It isdifficult, if not impossible, for legislatorsto keep up with the fast-evolving syntheticcannabinoids’ market, as an overarchingdefinition for ‘synthetic cannabinoids’ isnot possible under the current legislation.This is an issue faced by most countriesthat do not use generic definitions tocontrol wider drug categories.”The problem was highlighted recentlyin Western Australia when the WesternAustralian Government issued an amendmentto the state’s Poisons Act 1964, tocontrol seven synthetic cannabinoids(including JWH-018 and JWH-073).Three days after the amendment waspassed, Kronic Australia (operating underthe company name BillyBong Pty Ltd)released a newly-formulated blend in aproduct called Aussie Gold, which doesnot contain any of the seven newly-listedsynthetic cannabinoids. They claim thatthis is a very strong product, providing asimilar experience to the strongest existingblend of Kronic, called Pineapple Express– the same product recently recalled inNew Zealand.Accordingly, the Police Association supportsany moves that would make itcompulsory for manufacturers andimporters of such ‘legal highs’ to havethem fully tested to make sure they are safebefore they are released onto the market.Synthetic DNA kit making its mark on school burglariesBy Deb Stringer, Communications AssistantAn anti-burglary kit, which uses syntheticDNA to uniquely mark a school’svaluables, is making a significant dent onburglaries at school properties.The kit is the brainchild of businessSelectaDNA NZ Limited who havepartnered with the NZ Police and othercommunity and corporate businessesunder NZ Police’s Operation SerialNumber Action Partnership (SNAP).Operation SNAP is a nationwide Policedrivencommunity partnership aimed atreducing property offending. The SaferSchools Programme, which focuses oncurbing burglary in schools, is one part ofthe operation.Roll-outPolice have been so pleased with thesuccess of the Safer Schools Programme,plans to roll it out nationwide are nowbeing progressed with 70 North Shoreschools next in line to receive the antiburglarykit this month.The kit works by encoding valuableschool property with a water-basedultraviolet (UV) tracer solution, whichholds a specific batch number unique tothe school.Once on, the solution is near impossiblefor burglars to rub off without damagingthe item.Thanks to the solution’s unique code,police are then able to identify and provean offender is in possession of stolenproperty.Additional anti-burglary kit signage,which can be placed strategically aroundthe school grounds, is also provided withthe kit and Police say this has acted as agreat deterrent to would-be thieves.Working togetherThe instigator of Operation SNAP, PoliceAssistant Commissioner for Auckland,Superintendent Allan Boreham, said theproject provided a great opportunity forcorporates and communities to worktogether to prevent property offending,promote community safety and helpensure fewer victims.“The impact on a school communityfollowing burglary is not just abouthaving to replace equipment, lessons aredisrupted, funds often have to be divertedto cover the cost and it’s not a niceexperience for the kids to witness brokenwindows and other damage,” he said.To prevent this happening, Mr Borehamsaid there was a wide range of precautionspeople could take to protect themselvesand their property.These include using forensic propertymarking products or engraving, orlogging on to the SNAP website andloading all your property details free ofcharge, so in the event of loss or theft youcan quickly provide details to Police. Forfurther details visit: www.snap.org.nzAugust 2011195

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceSpecial offerSix months freeHome InsuranceBuying a new home or refinancing canbe an expensive process, even withtoday’s lower interest rates. We aimto make it easier on Police WelfareFund members’ pockets. So for thetime being those drawing down a newPolice Home Loan will be eligible for sixmonths free home insurance through theWelfare Fund’s Police Fire & GeneralInsurance*.Members eligible for the free covershould contact our Member ServicesTeam on 0800 500 122. You will need acopy of your loan document fromThe National Bank or ANZ.Police Home Loan PackageANZ or The National Bank – it’s yourchoiceWhether you’re refinancing, buying yourfirst home, selling, investing in property,building or looking for ways to manageyour current home loan – a Police HomeLoan through The National Bank or ANZmay be able to help.The Police Welfare Fund Home Loanpackage provides attractive benefits toPolice Welfare Fund members and theirimmediate family, like:• No Home Loan application fee• A contribution of $500 towards legal feesFor borrowing 80% or lower of a property’svalue:• Discounted floating rates• 0.50% pa off the standard National Bankor ANZ Flexible Home Loan interest rates• 0.25% off the standard fixed interest ratesOur Police Home Loan package is highlycompetitive and flexible.For more information or to apply for the PoliceHome Loan Package visitwww.policeassn.org.nzThe National Bank and ANZ’s lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. Forborrowing over 80% of a property’s value, a low equity premium on a graduatedscale will apply, and a registered valuer’s report will be required. Eligibilty to apply fora Police Home Loan package is at the discretion of the Police Welfare Fund Limitedand applicants must be current members of the Fund. This home loan package is notavailable for low documentation home loans or loans approved through a broker. Fora copy of The National Bank or ANZ Disclosure Statement and full details (includingterms and conditions) contact any branch of The National Bank of New Zealand (partof ANZ Bank Limited) nor the ANZ.*Police Fire & General Insurance will be subject to the standard underwritingterms and conditions and is provided through the Police Welfare Fund not byThe National Bank or ANZ. Members are eligible for one period of six months freePolice Fire & General Home Insurance premium only, per member, regardless of theterm of Police Home Loan taken. Police Fire & General Insurance is underwritten byLumley General Insurance (NZ) Limited.07-2011Police Home Loan NewsSelling (and buying) a homeSelling and buying a home are amongstthe most important events in mostpeople’s lives. As with most things in life,the more knowledge you have the betteroff you’ll be - so here’s a look at the prosand cons of the main methods used forselling homes in New Zealand.Offer and negotiationThis is a time-honoured and probablystills the most popular method of buyingand selling a home. Your home isadvertised at a specific asking price orrange (for example you can indicate‘Buyer Enquiry Over’ (BEO) a certainamount). Alternatively, you can list it withno price – for example it’s increasinglycommon to simply provide the RateableValue (RV) as a broad indication, and seewhat the market is prepared to pay.Buyers submit offers which the seller canaccept it, reject, or make a counter-offeragainst. The counter-offer can includechanges to the price, the conditions, orboth. The process can go backwards andforwards in this way until an agreement isreached (or not).The advantages of the offer andnegotiation method are that it’sstraightforward and easily understood. Itcan also result in good competition if youhave two or more people interested inyour home, which can lift the price –particularly if you have a skilled real estateagent. On the other hand, buyers willalmost always expect your price to benegotiable, and setting your asking pricetoo high can scare off potential buyers.TenderTenders are an increasingly popular wayof selling a home. No price is set –potential buyers are instead asked tosubmit their best offer in writing (offerscan include conditions). All offers areopened at the same time and the sellerthen reviews them. They don’t have toaccept any offer but are free to negotiateon any of them with the buyer.The major advantages of tenders are thatbuyers are encouraged to put their bestoffer forward, which can mean theyreceive a better price, and the setdeadline creates urgency amongstbuyers. Tenders can also be a useful wayof establishing a market value for homesthat have unique features that make themhard to price. On the other hand, asbuyers don’t know what the ‘competition’is prepared to pay, there is less directcompetition amongst buyers.AuctionAn auction is a relatively straightforwardway to sell a home. The auction is held ata specific time and place and buyerssimply turn up and place their bids. Theseller sets a reserve price and once thatreserve is reached the home must be soldto the highest bidder on an unconditionalbasis. If the reserve is not met the highestbidder gets the first chance to negotiatewith the seller.The obvious advantage of auctions is thatbuyers are directly competing againsteach other, which can lead to a premiumbeing paid to secure the property. They’reoften used when the market is ‘hot’, tostimulate competition. On the other handthere are additional auction expenses,and if there are few bidders the lack ofcompetition may not deliver the bestprice.Different real estate agents mayrecommend different methods. As always,the best method for you depends on yourspecific home and your situation. Askyour real estate agent why they aresuggesting a specific method, and makesure you know exactly what’s involvedbefore deciding how to sell your home.Police Home Loan PackageHowever you choose to buy or sell yourhome, remember you can take advantageof the great benefits and specialdiscounts available with the Police HomeLoan Package. For more information,contact us on the following email address:specialistchannelsnz@nbnz.co.nzThis material is provided as a complimentary service of ANZ National Bank Limited. It is prepared based on information andsources ANZ believes to be reliable. Its content is for information only, is subject to change and is not a substitute for commercialjudgement or professional advice, which should be sought prior to acting in reliance on it. To the extent permitted by law ANZdisclaims liability or responsibility to any person for any direct or indirect loss or damage that may result from any act or omissionsby any person in relation to the material. Package details are subject to change. ANZ’s eligibility and lending criteria, terms,conditions, and fees apply. ANZ National Bank Limited.196August 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationA $1 billion kick start fund for Christchurch homeownersIf you or your family has a home inChristchurch in the Government’s designatedresidential red zone, ANZ can help.They have created a $1,000,000,000fund to support the city and its peoplemove ahead. If you have a home in thered zone you can take advantage of aheavily discounted variable rate – currently3.70%p.a. for the first year of lending– no matter where you relocate to in NewZealand.Members will be able to transfer to thediscounted Police Home Loan Package whenthe year is up.To find out more, go to anz.co.nz/relief orcall them on 0800 269 4663.To be eligible, you need to take up theMental health nurses based atChristchurch Central provetheir worth in freeing up policeBy Deb Stringer, Communications AssistantAn initiative, which has proved instrumentalin addressing the needs ofoffenders exhibiting mental health,alcohol and drug issues - as well as freeingup Police resources at ChristchurchCentral Police Station - has been extendedfor another year.Two mental health nurses are based atthe watch-house as a result of the pilotprogramme, which was instituted in2008. It has been going from strength tostrength in the interim. So much so, thatanother nurse is set to join the team ona part-time basis to ensure services areaccessible to police officers every day.The initiative is run as a partnershipbetween New Zealand Police and theCanterbury District Health Board(CDHB) with funding for the projectadministered by the CDHB.Positive partnershipSenior Sergeant Steve King, formerofficer-in-charge of the ChristchurchCentral watch-house, said the initiativehad been extremely beneficial to police.“A lot of offenders who come to us havemental health and/or drug and alcoholissues. Now thanks to the guidance ofthe nurses, who work alongside us, weare able to address their needs and theycan be referred on to the appropriateservices.”Mr King said one of the biggest benefitsof the initiative had been the saving oftime and resources – freeing officers toconcentrate on other things.“I think it has also given us a greaterunderstanding or mental health anddrug and alcohol issues and hasstrengthened our relationship with theMinistry of Health, as well as otherGovernment and community agenciesspecialising in this area,” Mr King toldPolice News.Mr King said he would love to see theinitiative rolled out nationwide.Speaking from experienceMental health nurse Steve Howie, whohas worked at the watch-house since2008, voiced similar sentiments.“The partnership has been so beneficialand it’s great that we now have policedropping in to talk to us and asking ouradvice on how to deal with these kindsof issues.“I really enjoy working with police andhave the utmost respect for the job theydo and how they deal with challengingsituations.“In the future, we aim to hold moreformalised information sessions forpolice officers, to give them furthersupport to deal with detainees withmental health drug and alcohol issues,”he told Police News.Steady workloadSince his time at the station, Mr Howiesaid the workload had continued tosteadily increase. Every week his teamare seeing 50 to 60 offenders who hadmental health and/or alcohol issues.Of these, 20% have serious mentalhealth issues, with 80% of all offendersbeing processed at the station displayingeither moderate to severe signs of alcoholor drug addiction, Mr Howie said.“There is a lot of work for us to do butwe are pleased to be part of somethingthat seems to be making a difference.”Government offer and bank your payout withANZ within two months of receiving it anddeposit your salary into an ANZ transactionaccount. Eligible residents will receive a2.04% p.a. interest rate discount off ANZ’sSimple Variable home loan rate for the firstyear of lending up to $500,000. The loanmust be drawn down by 31 December, 2012and is only available directly through ANZ.Craig Tickelpennyelected as newRegion 5 DirectorThe face of the NZ Police AssociationBoard of Directors has changed inrecent months with the election oftwo new Directors and a new Vice-President, and the latest change hascome in Region 5, where WellingtonbasedCraig Tickelpenny was recentlyelected as a new Director.Senior Sergeant Tickelpenny did athree year secondment as an IndustrialOfficer at the Association’s NationalOffice before taking up an appointmentat the Royal New Zealand Police College(School of Leadership Management andCommand) as a trainer earlier this year.Mr Tickelpenny told Police News he wassettling in to his new role and recentlyattended his first Board meeting.“I’m looking forward to representingmembers in my region so that theyget the best out of their Associationmembership and involvement,” he said.• Craig Tickelpenny – the Association’s newRegion 5 Director.August 2011197

New Zealand Police Associationacross the night sky at the Police Officers’Memorial Garden, representing the thin blueline. Hearing taps played by the lone buglerwas very sobering indeed.As we left and walked towards the functioncentre, our guys were a little quieter. Youcould see each in their own moment ofreflection.On arrival at the centre, we were met byDetective Billy Weeks; a larger than lifecharacter who is always on the go. The venuewas an eye opener. Around the outside edgeswere booths set up to sell all manner of policeparaphernalia you could wish for; Tee-shirtsfor all occasions, knives, holsters, torches,handcuffs, gloves, badge holders, the listgoes on.“Our nation’s police officers areheroes who risk their lives to keep ourfamilies and communities safe. Eachof these brave men and women goesto work not knowing what dangersmight lie ahead, making tremendoussacrifices to uphold justice andprotect the innocent...police officersput their lives on the line to protectours, sometimes making the ultimatesacrifice. One death is too many, andevery death is an unfathomable lossto the officer’s family, colleaguesand community...they are continuallycalled upon to remain vigilant andtake courageous action. As a country,we promise to stand behind our publicsafety community and do our part...”Excerpt from US President Barack Obama’sPresidential Proclamation.• New Zealand Police Association President Greg O’Connor with Marcello Murratti, Presidentof the Fraternal Order of Police (District of Columbia Lodge No. 1), after Mr Murratti waspresented with a Maori carving to thank him for his hospitality in hosting members of TheFencibles (Auckland Police rugby league team,) who toured the USA recently.Firearms commonThere were cops from everywhere! Somecops carried guns in their ankle holsters,some on their belt holsters, and some intheir pockets. I began to feel a bit nakedwithout one. There was even a group ofgang members...or so we thought. They hadtheir own patches, had long hair, grew longbeards, rode Harley Davidson motorbikesbut there was one small difference, they allcarried a badge. They were sworn officersfrom various law enforcement agenciesacross America.As expected, once people started to hearthe cops from New Zealand had arrived,the request came for our guys to do a haka.A small space was cleared away and therousing rendition of the haka was led by Lee• Fencibles rugby league team member, Tyrrel Green, with former Canterbury District Commanderand now Washington-based NZ Police OS officer, Superintendent Sandra Manderson.August 2011199

New Zealand Police AssociationNo, these ‘bikers’ did not turn up to show their respects at the US Police Memorial Day inWashington recently. They are actually police officers who are members of a law enforcementmotorcycle club called the Untouchables, which was formed in Indiana in 2000. The club isfor police officers who ride American-made motorcycles. They took their experiences, bothgood and bad, and created what would later become the most recognized and respected lawenforcement motorcycle club in the world - the Untouchables Motorcycle Club.From the beginning, it was determined that the UMC would be created solely to benefit thewidows and children of fallen police officers, strengthen the ‘brotherhood’, and to promotetheir love of motorcycling. The Club’s motto quickly became, “Riding for our Brothers thatcan’t.” The Club’s chosen name “Untouchables” was used to describe Federal AgentEliot Ness’ group of law enforcers that took on mob kingpin, Al Capone, during Chicago’sprohibition era. The club’s colours are forged in black and orange. Other than red, white,and blue, these are the colours most closely associated with American-made goods. Thecentrepiece features a menacing skull character aptly named, “Eliot.” Like his famousnamesake, Eliot wears a black Fedora hat, black trench coat, black gloves, and a gold Policestar to signify that he is a protector. In his hands, he carries a smoking Thompson submachinegun, to warn against evil.Two shots and alligator is stone-cold deadPolice responding to a rare alligatorsighting in suburban Kansas City tookquick action to dispatch the beast,shooting it in the head, as instructed,while it lurked menacingly in the weedsleading down to a pond.It wasn’t until a second rifle shotbounced off the reptile’s head thatthe officers realised they had mortallywounded a concrete lawn ornament,Associated Press recently reported.A resident of a subdivision near thepond called police to report that hischildren spotted the alligator while theywere playing in some nearby woods.After consulting a conservation agent,who told them to kill the gator if theyfelt it posed a danger; one of the officersshot it twice in the head before realisingsomething was up, said Tom Gentry, anIndependence Police spokesman.“It didn’t move,” Gentry said. “Theyinched up closer and closer anddiscovered it was a mock-up of a realalligator.”In the officers’ defence, it was growingdark when they shot the fake gator andit was partially submerged in the weeds.The property owner told police that thegator was meant to keep people off hisproperty, Gentry said. Officers told hima no-trespassing sign would have beenwiser.“Now he’ll have to patch up hisalligator,” Gentry said.Survey aboutdecision-makinginvites yourparticipationFormer and current police officers areinvited to participate in an anonymousonline survey about career decisionmaking.The study will focus on career decisionmakingof police officers and teacherswho stay in these professions or enternew careers.It is hoped that the information gained willbe of use to police officers and teachersconsidering career change; counsellorsassisting police officers and teacherswith career transitions; and police andeducation departments in addressingthe needs of their staff and keepingexperienced staff in the professions.If you elect to participate, you will berequired to complete an anonymousonline survey. This will take approximately10-30 minutes depending uponthe number of questions relevant to yourparticular experience.Participation is completely voluntary,and you may withdraw from the researchat any stage, with no questions asked.The results of the study will be reportedin a thesis as part of a degree in SocialScience (Psychology, Honours), and theoverall findings may be published inprofessional journals and/or at scholarlyconferences.If you wish to take part in the study,please type the link below (in bold) intoyour web browser. Completion andsubmission of the survey communicatesconsent.https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/csu-career-decision-makingBecause the survey is anonymous, ifyou would like to receive feedbackabout the findings of this research,please send an email requesting asummary of the results to the researcher:loenehowes@yahoo.com.auA summary of the findings of the researchwill be sent to you by mid-October.We would be pleased to address anyquestions or concerns about the study.If you require further information, pleasecontact the researcher: Loene Howeson 0417 466 842 or loenehowes@yahoo.com.au or the supervisor JaneGoodman-Delahunty on 02 99344831 or by email at: jdelahunty@csu.edu.auAugust 2011201

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceThe big Canterbury quake– one cop’s experienceCanterbury was struck by a devastating earthquake on the 22nd of February. Six months on, the city is still decimatedand the slow repair job is beginning. The major quake claimed the lives of 182 people and left many with seriousinjuries. Subsequent large aftershocks have put the populace on edge and, as winter descends, many people arestruggling to come to terms with the loss of life, homes and jobs. The tragedy marked a huge test for emergencypersonnel, who were stretched to the limit but worked tirelessly to bring reassurance, comfort and safety to thosewho survived while at the same time dealing with the grim task of body recovery and identification. Frontline policewere amongst the first on the scene in a CBD, which was hugely devastated by the initial shake. Many police officersresponded by coming in on days off and working exceedingly long hours to reassure their community. Others camefrom other NZ centres to help their Canterbury colleagues while our Australian counterparts came from across theircontinent to muck in and help in any way they could. Senior Constable Michael Farrall was at Christchurch CentralPolice Station when the big one struck. This was his experience of that fatal day that will live long in many policeofficers’ memories.12.51pm, Tuesday, 22nd February 2011.Kaiapoi Police Station, 20km North ofChristchurch, had taken delivery of a brandnew patrol car the previous day.I am standing next to the car, in the yardoutside the garage at the Christchurch CentralPolice Station, in the sunlight of a beautifullate summer afternoon. My sergeant ison his way into Christchurch, behind me,driving the older patrol car, which is bookedin for some work. I have been twiddling mythumbs for about 15 minutes wonderingwhere he is when the shaking starts “OK herecomes another one” I think to myself, havingendured constant after-shocks following the22 September earthquake the previous year.Then “this one’s going on for bit” then “uhoh,this is a good one”.The 13-storey police station, St Elmo’s Courtapartment block, and the Central Post Officebuildings are all rocking. I am thinking: “I’mso glad I’m out in the open”. It’s hard tokeep my feet as the shaking gets stronger. I“assume the position”, bracing myself againstthe patrol car. I start planning my escaperoute in case the police station collapses. Alarge steel rack of wheels and tyres crashesover in the garage behind me and I start tosee smoke from a fire and dust rising frombuildings on Montreal Street, I hear caralarms sounding. “Holy Sh**”, I say to myself,as I realise that people are going to die in this.ChaosThe shaking subsides. People start totrickle out of the station looking dazed andbewildered. A torrent of water from a brokenwater main is surging out from under theSpecial Tactics Group’s (STG) pre-fab in thecorner of the yard. A cop in blue overallsruns to peer under the building. I listen andrealise I have no show of getting on the radiofor directions. As I get into the new patrolcar, two people are forcing open the jammedvehicle gate onto Hereford Street.I race out the gate heading down HerefordStreet towards Hagley Park, lights andsiren wailing. My mind is racing. I head tothe smoke - Ronald McDonald House. I’mrunning on pure adrenaline. People outsidethe building are ok. I continue on to theintersection of Gloucester Street and OxfordTerrace. It’s covered in glass. I arrive at theintersection of Durham Street and TuamStreet. The traffic is jammed and a panickingman runs over and points out a whitetradesman’s van gridlocked on Tuam Street.“I’ve got a guy from work in the back, he’s ina bad way,” he tells me.I tell him to follow me and we’ll get to thehospital. I head slowly down Tuam Street withthe van managing to follow but a be-jewelledlady in a shiny new black SUV is not movingout of my way. I wind down the passengerwindow and pull alongside. I am about to giveher a serve when she holds up a bandaged,heavily bleeding hand and yells: “I’m trying toget to the hospital”. I immediately feel awfulfor even thinking of yelling at her.I tell her about the man in the van and shemoves left.Frenzied activityWe arrive at the exit to the ambulance bay.The evacuated doctors and nurses run up,climb into the back of the van carrying theirmedical kits and there is a frenzy of activity.My sergeant is on the radio - a man’s man, apig hunter, a man I have calmly faced yearsof serious and dangerous incidents alongside.His voice is raised and he sounds distressed.“I’m at the CTV building, Comms. There’speople trapped, it’s on fire, they’re yelling forhelp. Get the fire engines here now or peopleare going to die!”The traffic is gridlocked and completelycovered in bricks and large lumps of masonryas I head towards the CTV building. Streetsare lined with crushed cars, many buildingshave no frontages, people are covered indust, crying and bleeding.As I drive down Lichfield Street, I suddenlythink: “I’m driving over bricks and rubble inthis brand new shiny patrol car, I’ll be in thesh** when they get it back”.Collapsed buildingsPart of the Edward Gibbon Building has fallenacross Madras Street completely blockingit. A hundred metres north of this pile is theCTV building. A CIB member has stoppedin the intersection and is trying to deal withthe gridlock and mayhem. No-one can tellme if the Edward Gibbon Building has beenchecked. I go in. I see warehouse shelvesleaning. It doesn’t look too bad so I creeparound. I am frightened. I call out as I movearound. No answer. All clear.I realise there is no way emergency serviceshave a hope of getting to the CTV buildingwith the gridlock, so I run down TuamStreet to Barbadoes Street, running passedgridlocked cars with drivers crying, manyfrantically dialling on cell-phones.People are walking, crying, torn, bleeding,and dirty. I start directing traffic. I’m waving,running, yelling, pointing. My mind is racing.Just get them out of the CBD. I send them202August 2011

New Zealand Police Associationto Fitzgerald Ave, fill up the road, four wide,send them down Barbadoes, four cars wide,fill up the road, clear the CBD, let the fireengines get to the CTV building.Mixed feelingsForty minutes later I look back up Tuamtowards Madras. It’s empty. What a relief.They can get to the CTV building and otherhot spots. Suddenly I feel inadequate with myeffort. Should I have been pulling people out?Doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)?I run back to the car. Another CIB memberjumps in and we are wondering what to donext. We hear on the radio they’re setting upa field hospital in Latimer Square, so we headthere. We drive into the park and the CIBmember runs off toward the CTV building. Amedic runs up asking if he can use the patrolcar’s battery for a compressor to blow up aninflatable device.I find the boss and ask him what he needs. “Ahelipad,” he replies. “Over there,” he gesturesto the park full of people, crying, huggingeach other, blankets wrapped around them.I get on the public address system. “Pleasemove to the North side of the park as I amsetting up a helipad here and I need it clear,move to the North side of the park”. I paintbig “H”s on the grass and run out of paint.Thankfully, more police arrive with more paintto finish the job.TouristsAn elderly English couple catch my eye. Theyare on holiday, staying in Oxford and bookedinto a Merivale B&B tonight. They are lost andconfused and having difficulty walking. I sitthem in the back of the patrol car.Where’s my family?Then a massive after-shock hits and thepark turf is rolling like the surf. I hear anotherbuilding collapse in the direction of CashelStreet. There is no mistaking that sound.Half a dozen guys with helmets, ropes andharnesses arrive. “We’re here on holiday.We’re experienced climbers. What canwe do?” they ask. They tell me they areexperienced at climbing buildings and arekeen to help. There isn’t a hope in Hell ofgetting through to Comms so I send them upto speak to the cops up at The Press building,where I heard there were people trapped.OffenderThere’s a detective and two members ofthe public dragging a struggling man acrossthe park. “Here, take him, he threw a brickthrough a Police car window,” they say.He is yelling abuse, struggling, kicking,hissing and spitting. I’m on my own and can’tleave the helipad and can’t get through toComms, so I handcuff him to a park bench.The crowd lining the “Police emergency” tapekeep an eye on him. I think of him looking likea monkey in the zoo – he is hissing, spitting,abusing the crowd. I manage to get on theradio after an hour. The team van arrives andtakes him away. He’s still hissing and spittingas they do.There is a steady procession of helicopterswith monsoon buckets dumping water on theCTV building. This is surreal.Where’s my family?CTV queriesJust then someone approaches. “My friend isin the CTV building. What is going on?” I can’tlie. “It’s bad, you must be prepared for theworst.” More tears. I check them into the tentfor the relatives of people in the CTV building.“Our mother’s in the CTV building, we can’tcontact her?” Same scenario. More tears andhugs.The manager of the Language School in theCTV building arrives and charges a cell-phonein the patrol car. He goes with another cop toprovide information on who is in the building.“Our flatmate goes to the Language Schoolin the CTV building. We can’t get hold of him,what’s happening?” There are tears, hugs anda collapse before they are sent to the tent.Locating familyFinally, I get hold of my kids. They hadfinished school early. They are alive and safeat home. The house is munted. There isLightening the load…sewerage and flooding and no power. Mumis not home but the kids are looking after anelderly neighbour. They’re alive, so many arenot.I manage to get hold of my wife. She finishedwork early and has been stuck in the trafficfor three hours. The car ran out of petrol onHereford Street so she left it there and walkedfor an hour and half to get home. But she’salive…It’s now raining heavily, soaking rain – it’scold and dark.I see light armoured vehicles (LAVs) rumblingdown Madras Street - the real deal.The Chief Medical Officer says he has beeninstructed to shut the helipad down until dawndue to the fog, rain and darkness. I manageto get on the radio and tell Comms. The newshift boss says he will ensure staff re-openthe helipad at dawn.Long dayAn ordinary start at 7.00 a.m. has turnedinto a nightmare that has stretched to aftermidnight. I head for home. I’m the lucky one.My sergeant is still at the CTV building –enduring Hell on Earth.I wonder if I can take the shiny, new patrolcar home. I make a management decision todo so given that my car is in the workshopat Kaiapoi. The brand new shiny patrol caris in complete darkness, creeping throughthe streets of deep holes and flooding. Carspoking out of craters appear in my headlights.I get to a bridge on Gayhurst Road. It’sContinued on next page• CHARLIE’S TAKEAWAYS: This Christchurch sewage disposal contractor obviously has asense of humour. The truck spent a long time last month clearing blocked sewage drains forresidents of Hills Road, which was once again badly affected by liquefaction in the recentearthquakes. The decal on the side of the driver’s door reads “Charlie’s Takeaways”. Localresident Josie Toth said that while the truck added a bit of humour to the day for batteredlocals the resulting smell from the cleaning was “pretty full on and stunk the place out”.- Photo courtesy of Julie Cheyne.August 2011203

PoliceNewsThe Voice of Policeclosed. A council worker walks in front of me as I drive slowly across.The shiny new patrol car scrapes on the exit. Made it!I eventually climb into bed. It’s freezing cold and damp, there’s nopower but I manage to go to sleep.As I drive I am hoping that I don’t drop into a crater. I’m doing 5 kphwith my fingers crossed. I creep back to Kaiapoi at 6.30 a.m. with theshiny, new patrol car. It’s actually not looking so shiny or new anymore.Tainted and haunted would be a more apt description.Looking into the low morning sun on Marshlands Road, I feel a deepmelancholy.I am already in mourning, guilty.I’m one of the lucky ones.“A tragic situation exists precisely when virtue does nottriumph but when it is still felt that man is nobler than theforces which destroy him.”- Eric Blair (better known by his pen name of George Orwell),journalist and author (1903-1950).“Every kind of peaceful co-operation among men is primarilybased on mutual trust and only secondarily on institutionssuch as courts of justice and police.”- Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist (1879 - 1955).“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits thanstrict justice.”- Abraham Lincoln, 16th US President, (1809 - 1865),from a speech in Washington D.C., 1865.August September OctoberPAIHIA............................................ 8-11,18,28-31................................................4-8,11,14-15,18-22,25-30.......................................4,17-21,25-27,31STANMORE BAY.............................. 8-12,13-19,21-25,28-31................................1,4-8,11-15,18-20,26-28.........................................2-13,17-21,25-27,30-31AUCKLAND..................................... 15-18,24........................................................12-15,20,29.............................................................3-4,13,18-19,25-16WAIHEKE ISLAND............................ 7-8,31............................................................1,4-8,12-15,19-20,26-29.........................................2-3,6-7,25WHANGAMATA................................ 5,7-11,15-25,28-31.......................................1-13,17-21,25-30....................................................1,5,9,13,25,31MT MAUNGANUI............................. 9-11,14-18,28-31..........................................4-8,11-12,15-16,18-23,28,30..................................1-6,24-27,30OHOPE............................................ 7-11,14-18,22-25,28-31................................1-30.........................................................................1-10,14,17-18,20,25,27,29-31ROTORUA....................................... 11,14,17,21-25,28,31....................................1,4-8,11-13,15,18-19,23,26-29...............................3-7,9,11-13,16-18,25-27,30TAUPO............................................ 8-12,15,17-18,22-23,28-30...........................7-8,11-12,15,20,26-29............................................1,3-6,10-13,16-17,20,24-25,30TURANGI................................................................................................................6-7,13,20,30............................................................4-6,13-16,20,-31NAPIER........................................... 7-11,14-16,25,29-31.....................................4-9,11-12,15-16,19-22,25,28-29............................2-3,6,17,20,24,27,31PARAPARAUMU............................... 7-10,16,25,28-30...........................................4-7,11-15,18-21,24-25,29.......................................3-4,11,17-20,24,26-27GREYTOWN..................................... 5-11,14-23,25,28-30.....................................2,4-8,11-15,18-22,25-29.........................................2,10-12,19,24-27,30-3122WELLINGTON.................................. 22...................................................................5,7,12-15,18-21,27-29............................................3-6,17-20,24,30NELSON.......................................... 5,11-20,25,28-31...........................................1-14,17-18,21-22,25...............................................10,16,19,24-27HANMER SPRINGS.................................................................................................1,11,29,....................................................................2-3,22-23CHRISTCHURCH.............................. 9-10,14,16-17,20-25,28-31...........................1-2,4-6,9-15,18-20,23,26-30..................................1-6,9,11-19,24-27,31AKAROA.......................................... 9-11,15-18,22,25,28-31................................1,5-6,8,11-15,18-22,26-29......................................3-6,9,13,16-27,30-31TEKAPO.......................................... 11...................................................................12,18,20..................................................................5,7,13,24-26,28,30-31WANAKA................................................................................................................................................................................................25CROMWELL.................................... 7,12,21...........................................................10-11,14,19,22,26-27..............................................24-27,30-31QUEENSTOWN................................ 18-19.............................................................................................................................................15-21,30TE ANAU......................................... 6-9,11-31.......................................................1-15,17-30...............................................................1-10,13-19,24-31DUNEDIN........................................ 7-10,15,28-31................................................4-8,12-16,20-21,25-30............................................2-6,26-27,30-31204August 2011

New Zealand Police AssociationNecessary evilYep, it’s that time of year again, when bosses sit at their desksshuffling paper and sighing a lot. They’re busy rounding up all theinformation they’ve collected about you for your annual assessment.Considering this appraisal is usually given by someone who doesn’twant to give it, to someone who doesn’t want to get it, the final resultcan be confusing. Being long in the tooth, I’ve lived through my fairshare of them and can give you the heads up on what to expect.First off, a good appraisal. This is one that includes a genuinecollection of formally-given feedback for all the hard work you’vecompleted during the year. It specifies where you did or didn’t meetyour KRA’s (key results area). These appraisals generally come fromthe supervisors who make time to sit down to discuss the job with youduring the year, and who note areas of progress as well as areas ofpotential improvement.Next, the self-appraisal. This is where the boss asks you to type yourown appraisal, and expects you to word it in a way that is neitherself-righteous nor self-promoting. This is no easy task – should youtalk about your own perceived weaknesses or not? What if no-one hasnoticed them? Should you say what you think your boss thinks aboutyou? They have to sign it off, after all, so no point in having a differentopinion. Unfortunately, these bosses never have the time or rigour toactually sit down with you to go through the appraisal. If they did, I’mguessing they’d write it themselves.Last, and most ineffective, the template appraisal. A standard documentrolled over each year with the names of the employee changed -hopefully. I’ve had one where the word-find wasn’t loaded correctlyand my identity flip-flopped throughout. This method is both tired andunhelpful as it doesn’t encourage the staff member to aspire to anypersonal goals. These are goals which should have been highlighted inmeetings during the year that usually haven’t happened – hence theproblem. It’s an uninspiring technique that shows no leadership fromthe boss.A good performance appraisal is always handy, not only for theoccasional nice bits you can copy and paste onto your CV (curriculumvitae). It gives direction, a sense of purpose, and an objective viewfrom someone more experienced. It can and should be encouragingor at least constructive. They’re a necessary and important part of ourindividual accountability in a big organisation.The problem area for bosses is getting through these appraisals whenother things seem so much more urgent. I’ve heard that some seniormanagement hasn’t had appraisals for nearly five years and the pileis growing. Seems there’s neither the time nor staff available to makeinspecting the Inspectors a priority. What’re we going to do, HR?Hiding to nowhereIt’s two days after the February quake, the Garden City is in chaosand emotions are on edge. A young man gets arrested for burglary,or in media-speak, “looting”. He is remanded in custody for 11 days.He has no prior record, suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, and wastrying to steal some incandescent light bulbs. After an initial guilty plea,he is declined diversion. A judge urges the Police to reconsider, butdiversion is declined on two more occasions.A journalist recently brought this story to the public, questioning thedecision of the police prosecution in relation to the diversion scheme.Frankly, it’s made water cooler conversation a whole lot more tense inour office. My view? We have a backlog of serious crime cases herein our city, and they need to get before the courts. Yet this offence isconsuming precious time and resources, and I’m not sure it should be.I’m left thinking that either the Police PR folk have failed to adequatelyconvey important information to the public, or someone is holdinginformation that’s not yet available. By the time this goes to print, itmay all make sense, but right now it’s as clear as mud. Through themire, two unpleasant spectres arise: Are the powers-that-be sayingsomeone with Asperger’s isn’t able to agree to the statement of factsand therefore can’t meet the criteria for diversion? Or are they saying(as has been quoted in a press statement) that the man didn’t admit‘guilt’ and so couldn’t get diversion? If you read our diversion policyyou will see that a guilty ‘plea’ is optional, and lack of one is no barrierto consideration for the scheme.I personally don’t have a problem with the arrest. It was tough timesall round and arrests are made for the safety and security of all. ButI do have a problem with where thispolicy decision might be leading us.See ya!Use of 0800 Ten Nine phone lineAssociation representatives maintain this telephone line (0800836 6463) on a 24-hour basis.It is to be used ONLY for matters that cannot be deferred, suchas Police shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths in custody.Important and immediate industrial and legal advice can thenbe arranged through the Association networks.Please do not phone this line for non-urgent matters.Memorial wallOur sympathies to all our members’ families for those who have passed away in recent months…We remember… Who passed away…MURRAY Vera 18-Mar-11 Wife of retired member trentham, WellingtonMATTHEWS Neville Bradbury 23-Jun-11 retired member Whitby, WellingtonGREEN Venessa Anne 29-Jun-11 retired member newtown, WellingtonBROWN, Margaret Joan 10-Jul-11 Widow of member WaipawaCROSS Allan 18-Jul-11 retired member taurangaAugust 2011205

Police Council of SportTo contact the Police Council of Sport, call Sharon Gold at the RNZPC. Ph: (04) 238-3139 (Ext: 43139)Auckland Police rugby league team run outvictors in USA nine-a-side tournamentBy Tony FeaseyA New Zealand Police rugby league teamfrom Auckland (The Fencibles) are the newlycrowned USA Rugby League nine-a-sidechampions.Taking part in the inaugural USARLtournament held at Conshohocken,Philadelphia, they managed to go throughto the finals unbeaten. In the final they facedthe New Haven Warriors, a team containinga number of ex-pat Kiwis and Australians aswell as a mixture of local talent.Before getting to the final they faced theBoston-based Oneida team, who made theunusual choice to face up to the Kiwis asthey performed a rousing haka, much to thedelight of the locals. Accepting the challenge,the Oneida players stood wrapped arm in armand advanced on the boys in blue, ending upface to face with the front row of the haka.Outmuscled in defenceFor Oneida, that would be as close to theKiwis as they would get all day as they wereoutmuscled in defence with some big hitsfrom Bryan Laumatia and were given a lessonin ball handling skills from newcomers BlakeJames and David Marshall.Not everything went the way of thePolice team, however, because they lostinspirational forward Lee Tamatoa early inthe match with a hamstring tear that ruledhim out of the final.Despite a spirited effort from the Oneida side,the score line indicated the one-sided natureof the encounter – favouring the visitors 44-0at the final whistle. The New Haven Warriors,on the other hand, were forced into goldenpoint extra time in their semi-final match,facing a strong team from Rhode Islandwho twice came from behind to finish thematch 8-8 in regular time. However, the bigWarriors forward pack proved too strong twominutes into extra time, crashing over closeto the posts for the vital match-winning try.Breakaway groupThe Warriors were last year’s beaten AMNRLgrand finalists. This year, along with nineother east coast-based clubs, they split fromthe former competition to form the new USA• The victorious Auckland Police rugby league side.Rugby League. Unhappy with how the formercompetition was being run – the clubs movedto form a new management body basedaround newly elected USARL Chairman PeterIllfield and are seeking to be recognised bythe RLIF as the governing body in the USA.The nine-a-side tournament offered a chance• TO THE VICTORS THE SPOILS: The silverware that The Fencibles earned on theirunbeaten US tour.- Photos courtesy of Marvin Dangerfield.Visit www.policeassn.org.nz for updated contact details for the Police Council of Sport management committee,District Sports Officers and the latest schedule of events.206 August 2011

New Zealand Police Associationfor them to prove they are capable of runninga bona fide competition. Further expansionplans will see teams from the west coast jointhe USARL for the 2012 season.In the final the NZ Police team showedtheir class as they dominated in the earlyexchanges. Asked by their coach to come outhard and fast and be aggressive in defence,they rose to the coach’s challenge and therewere a number of bone-jarring tackles byworkhorse Bryan Laumatia and no nonsenseforward Tyrell Green, allowing the backline torun freely.Strong runningOn several occasions the Warriors hadtheir line broken with some strong runningfrom rangy forward Mark Simonsen, whomanaged a number of offloads to hissupporting players resulting in a two-try haulfor Francisco Collado. Not to be outdone, hisyounger brother Ricardo also featured withseveral strong runs and was rewarded with atry under the posts. Tyrell Green managed tocross the line and celebrated his efforts witha strange funky chicken dance that earnedhim a warning from the match officials.The final whistle blew and the celebrationsbegan as The Fencibles AucklandMetropolitan Police Rugby League Team wascrowned the USARL 9s champions.The semi-final had obviously taken its toll35th anniversaryreunion of Peter MurphyRecruit Wing set downfor January 2012The 67 (Peter Murphy) Recruit Wing (Jan-April 1977) will hold their 35th anniversaryreunion in Wellington over the period20-22 January 2012.As there are only seven current staffserving from the 81 who were attestedin 1977, many addresses of formermembers are unknown.Can former members who are interestedin attending please contact the organisingcommittee via the following emailaddresses: don.lee@police.govt.nz orjohn.winter@police.govt.nzDon or John will be happy to provideinterested members with further details.The organisers would be especially keento hear from any members of the lateConstable Peter Murphy’s family, inwhose memory the 67 Wing was named.Mr Murphy, aged 21, was shot dead onSeptember 25, 1976 when he attended abreak-in at a sports shop in Invercargill.on the New Haven Warriors as they had noanswer to the Kiwi team’s continual barrages,eventually succumbing 24-0.Final Score: NZ Police 24 (F Collado 2, RCollado, Green, Lomi; tries) versus NewHaven Warriors: 0PraiseUSARL Chairman Peter Illfield was delightedwith the New Zealanders, praising them formaking the long trip to attend the tournament.Illfield said more exposure to internationalteams was needed if the USA players are tobecome competitive on the world stage.The team had completed some warm-upgames for the USARL tournament with victoriesover the local boys from Washington beforetravelling down to Jacksonville, Florida to facethe Jacksonville Axemen - the current USARLchampions. Rugby league is making hugegains in Florida thanks to our hosts SpinnerHowland and Drew Slover who were fantasticat making the team so welcome. The localsknew who we were and why we were thereand more importantly all about the game.Extreme conditionsKick off saw the temperature reach 100degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius). To ensurethe safety of the players it was decided toplay the game in four quarters. As quick asthe ice towels and drinks were handed out,they were also drying out. It was a hard,physical encounter with both teams playingsome entertaining rugby league and showingsome outstanding defence none more sothan Bryan Laumatia for the Kiwis.Jacksonville once again proved to besomewhat of a jinxed venue for us withanother serious injury - this time to thetireless forward Tyrell Green who managed to“pop” his knee cap. On our last tour Ron Ramsuffered a nasty break to his ankle. The scoreline see-sawed backwards and forwards withthe Auckland Police team eventually winning32-30 in a nail biter.Firearms range visitIt was time for some R&R in New York andas always this involved stopping in at thefirearms range with Tech Ops Internationaland our host Jerry Plum. Jerry and his teamwere outstanding hosts. They provided10,000 rounds of ammunition and an array ofweaponry to shoot from with the day finishingwith a spit roast and a few beers.On behalf of the team and the managementgroup The Fencibles would like to thankthe NZ Police Association and its President,Greg O’Connor, for their support. Air TahitiNui (NZ), the Rugby League DevelopmentFoundation & Selwyn Pearson, Sir PeterLeitch (aka The Mad Butcher), Tim Connellyfrom SAS Sportswear, and Mike and BrentNolan were also generous sponsors. Withoutour sponsors’ support none of what weexperienced would have been possible.Snowboarding nationals startat Tekapo on 31 AugustThe 13th Annual NZ Police Association and Council of Sport Snowboarding Nationals will beheld in Tekapo from 31 August-3 September 2011. Events will consist of the rolling brawlknown as the Cardrona Cannonball, as well as Slopestyle, Boardercross and Giant Slalom, withevents to be held at Mt Dobson, Ohau and Round Hill ski fields.All snowboarders are welcome.Anyone interested should contact: Greg Murton on extension 37555, or by email:Gregory.Murton@police.govt.nzAugust 2011207

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PoliceAssociation one of the main sponsors for the 2012Australasian Police and Emergency Services GamesThe Police Association is proud to be oneof the principal sponsors for the 2012Australasian Police and Emergency ServicesGames.The Games will run from the 2nd to the9th of March 2012 in Lower Hutt, after theevent was relocated following the devastatingearthquakes in Christchurch.The Association will work with New ZealandGames organisers the Police Council of Sportan organisation the Association already hasa long-standing relationship with, supportingPolice participation in sports.Association President Greg O’Connordescribed the Games as a celebration ofPolice and Emergency Services fitness. “Nomatter how these services expand, fitnessneeds to remain part of their core businessstrategy.”Games held every two yearsCompetitors from an expanding rangeof Police and Emergency Services fromthroughout Australasia gather at the Gamesevery two years, promoting the spirit offriendly competition. Strong relationships areforged between the members of the differentservices. Mr O’Connor said it made perfectsense for the Association to lend its support tothis kind of event.The Police Council of Sport was thrilled tohave the Association on board. “I think it iswonderful that the Association has continuedits long and mutually beneficial sponsorship ofthe Police Council of Sport, by extending it tothe games,” Chairperson of the AustralasianPolice and Emergency Services GamesCommittee, Inspector Lindsay Duncan, said.“We are looking forward to hosting theGames in the Hutt Valley,” Mr Duncan said.He indicated planning was well on its way toensuring an incredibly successful event. Morethan 2,500 participants are expected to attendthe event and members can find out more byvisiting: www.apandesgames.comHave you moved recently?If you have moved or perhaps are about to,please let us know so we can update yourrecords. You can do this by:• writing to us at PO Box 12344;• calling us on free phone0800 500 122;• faxing us on (04) 496 6819; or• Emailing us at:membership@policeassn.org.nzYou need to let us know your membershipnumber, new address and if you’re a servingmember - your new station.• GAMES SPONSORSHIP: From left to right Tracy Hall (Police Association Communicationsand Marketing Manager), Greg O’Connor (Police Association President), Lindsay Duncan(Chairman of the Australasian Police and Emergency Games Steering Committee), AlisonMurray (Games Director) and Rachael Gibling (Games Marketing Manager).Otago-Southland to celebrate 50thanniversary of Police rugbyDunedin Police are hosting the 50th anniversary of rugby between Otago and Southland Police.Festivities will start on Tuesday, 16 August at the Dunedin Central Police bar with a meet andgreet from 6 p.m.On Wednesday, 17 August there will be a Police netball game, a luncheon for past andpresent rugby players, a rugby match between Otago and Southland, followed by anniversarycelebrations at the bar.For more information, or to register your interest in attending, please contact Toni Pelasioextension 33088 or email toni.pelasio@police.govt.nzCheap airfares got you jumping with excitement?Why don’t you check out Police TravelpacInsurance when you book your next trip?• Emergency assistance 24 hours, 7 daysa week, anywhere in the world.• Comprehensive cover that you and yourfamily can trust - when you need it most.• 15% premium discount for members ofPolice Health Plan (this discount isautomatically included in the Travelpac ratingchart).Plus our commitment to providing you withexceptional, professional service.So get in touch with us when you’rebooking your next trip.On holiday, insurance cover should be the last thing you worry about!Visit: www.policeassn.org.nz or call 0800 500 122 Mon to Fri, 8am - 5:30pm208August 2011

New Zealand Police Associationby Ricky CollinsGourmet Hawke’s BayA recent call from some Christchurch-basedfriends suggesting a short trip to Hawke’s Bayto visit vineyards and support the Crusaders attheir Napier ‘home game’ was just too temptingto resist. It had been at least seven years sinceI’d visited the Bay, so I was keen to find outwhat had changed in that time.Over the course of three days we visited some of the premier vineyardsin the region including Craggy Range, C J Pask and Te Awa Road. I’dalso pre-arranged a visit to one of my favourite New Zealand vineyards,Te Mata Estate. Director of Sales and Marketing, Nicholas Buck kindlygave our group the VIP treatment, culminating in a tasting of the fullrange of their current release wines. I’ve always been a big fan of TeMata Awatea, a blend of traditional Bordeaux varieties and little brotherto the company’s flagship wine, Te Mata Coleraine. This visit confirmedfor me that the Awatea is probably one of the best value red winesproduced in New Zealand.The trip wasn’t all about wine. We did manage to work in a couple offantastic long lunches; at wineries of course. Black Barn, just alongthe road from Te Mata Estate, is a fantastic food and wine venue withluxurious accommodation options on site as well. It was great to spenda late autumn afternoon there soaking up the sun and enjoying greatfood and wine with good friends. We repeated the recipe the next dayat Mission Estate, New Zealand’s original winery established way backin 1851. One of the highlights of the trip for me was to re-visit theMission range of wines. They had fallen off my radar in recent yearsafter failing to impress last time I visited. Seven years later things haddefinitely changed for the better. The 2009 Mission Estate CabernetSauvignon (RRP $20) and the 2009 Mission Estate VineyardSelection Middle Road Chardonnay (RRP $26) that we enjoyedover lunch were fantastic and represent great value for money.Back in Napier, we were recommended a local boutique restaurantcalled Pacifica. I have one word for this place; stunning. Host RebeccaRameka and husband/chef Jeremy deliver a unique dining experiencewith a focus on fresh local seafood and wild game. The menu, thatchanges daily, offers small to medium-sized dishes all individuallydesigned to accentuate flavour and texture. The wine list is extensiveand interesting, the service impeccable, and Rebecca even drove ushome. I will be back.Hawke’s Bay is definitely a wine and food lover’s paradise. My onlydisappointment was running out of time to get out to Te Awanga andcheck out Elephant Hill and Clearview Estate wineries, but hey thatgives me a good reason to head back there sometime soon. Oh, bythe way, I think the Crusaders won.1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9Clues:Across:2. Pea igloos break apart and saysorry (9)8. Cowboy show? (5)9. Potties formed to sneak around (7)10. Entered by CRL (10)12. Leaves insecure (5)14. Hot place? (5)15. Central ace causes arson (10)18. Shortened version (2,5)19. Footwear also worn? (5)20. Short forms of sonnets (9)Down:1. Reiterating same as witness saw (13)2. Took a person against their will (8)3. Smell (5)4. Obvious; apparent (2,3,4,2,2)5. Collides (7)6. Self importances (4)7. Unfortunate occurrences (13)11. Looks after religious places (8)13. Group of workmates or just part of charge (7)16. Consumed (5)17. Tidal flows (4)1012 13 1415 161718 191120Answers: Across: 2. Apologise. 8. Rodeo. 9. Tiptoes. 10. Occurrence. 12. Opens. 14. Sauna.15. Accelerant. 18. In brief. 19. Thong. 20. Sonatinas. Down: 1. Corroborating. 2. Abducted.3. Odour. 4. On the face of it. 5. Impacts. 6. Egos. 7. Disadvantages. 11. Curators.12. Section. 16. Eaaten. 17. Ebbs.August 2011209

New Zealand Police AssociationA vested interest masquerading as a moral principle?I have never written a letter to the Police News before but I feel I mustrespond to the comments of Neville Higginson (ex-police officer andnow criminal lawyer) in the July issue.Mr Higginson felt compelled to qualify himself at the start of his letter.Let me then now qualify myself also by saying I am still a serving policeofficer with over 36 years service and, like him, this includes service asa detective, detective sergeant and also as a Police prosecutor.As a result of Dame Margaret Bazley unearthing the truth (and whatmost cops knew to be the truth) about the legal aid gravy train, we findthat the train has now stopped at the station. Many legal aid lawyerscan no longer get on that train and boy are they squealing. FollowingDame Margaret’s report, the Government gave the legal aid fraternitytime to ‘get their house in order’ but they simply did not heed thewarning and tried to call the Government’s bluff (and lost).A recent (May 2011) High Court decision (Afakasi and others v TheRegistrar of Manukau District Court) clearly rejected arguments thatnot being able to choose your own legal aid lawyer and issues aroundfull taxpayer funding of legal aid was a breach of the Bill of Rights. Thedecision said there was no such breach nor was it contrary to severalother international rights tribunal decisions.For Mr Higginson to claim that Dame Margaret had used a “pathetic,generic and, politically-advantageous label”, I suggest demonstratescomment of an unprofessional nature. He goes on to say that the PublicDefenders Service (PDS) is worse than the current legal aid system anddestroys accused rights. This is an insult to the professionalism andintegrity of the PDS. The public (i.e. taxpayers) and the Governmenthad had enough of the legal aid lawyers ripping them off and sochanges had to be made.I can tell you that, contrary to Mr Higginson, I suspect a lot of policeofficers have come across legal aid lawyers electing trial by jury (onrelatively minor matters), causing court delays for self righteousreasons and refusing to discuss matters in issue prior to defendedhearings (following prosecution attempts to streamline hearings, avoiddelays and also cause unnecessary distress to victims).The absolute final insult to me, and every current serving policeofficer, comes in Mr Higginson’s final paragraph when he says that“any frontline officer who believes that anyone facing criminal chargesdoes not deserve the best independent representation is in the wrongjob and living in the wrong country.”I can tell him that I still love my job and my country and his commentsare insulting when he writes to our magazine in such a tone. Perhapshis comments would be better directed to the Law Society magazinerather than Police News because I suspect that if it’s a sympathetic earhe is looking for he won’t be getting it within these columns.Colin Rudd(Wellington)Did you know?……before you travel overseas on holiday, you can set up a freeemail account with a provider like gmail or Yahoo and email acopy of your documents, including a copy of your passport, Visacard, travel documents and travel insurance to this account. Thismeans if anything happens when you are overseas, you will haveimmediate access to a copy of these documents. It is also a goodidea to leave a copy of these at home with someone you cancontact easily if you lose any of them. For cost-effective travelcover see ‘Products and Services’ at: www.policeassn.org.nzUseful Information & ContactsNew Zealand Police Association:For immediate industrial & legal advice(on matters that cannot be deferred such asPolice shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths incustody) ring 0800 TEN NINE(0800 836 6463)– 24 hour/seven days servicePolice Network 44446 Website www.policeassn.org.nzFreephone 0800 500 122 Police Home Loans 0800 800 808Police Health Plan/Police Fire and General Insurance Police Credit Union 0800 429 000Quotes & information 0800 500 122 or (04) 472 9645or Fax (04) 496 6819 Credit Union www.policecu.org.nzPolice Fire and General Insurance claims 0800 110 088 GSF information 0800 654 731All enquiries (04) 496 6800 PSS information 0800 777 243Vice PresidentsStuart Mills (027) 268 9416Luke Shadbolt (027) 268 9415Field OfficersAuckland District: stewart Mills (027) 268 9407Waitemata and Northland Districts: Steve Hawkins (027) 268 9406Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts: Graeme McKay (027) 268 9408Central and Wellington Districts: JJ Taylor (027) 268 9409Tasman and Canterbury Districts: Dave McKirdy (027) 268 9410Southern District dave Steel (027) 268 9427Regional DirectorsRegion One Jug Price Whangaparaoa (027) 268 9419Region Two Dave Pizzini Counties-Manukau (027) 268 9413Region Three Wayne Aberhart Waikato (027) 268 9414Region Four Emmet Lynch Napier (027) 268 9415Region Five Craig Ticklepenny Wellington (027) 268 9417Region Six Craig Prior Sydenham (027) 268 9412Region Seven Brett Roberts Dunedin (027) 268 9418August 2011211

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