Bald On The Beat - New Zealand Police Association

PoliceNewsThe Voice of PolicePolice Minister committed to the“ethos of service of the NZ Police”Police Minister, Annette King, was overseas atconference time and so Acting Police MinisterDamien O’Connor, addressed conference onher behalf.He said the Minister of Police had learnedduring her first year in office, that “the PoliceAssociation believes in the infinite value ofhealthy public debate”.”The Government might not always share theAssociation’s views or agree on the timelinessof particular debates, but one thing I havebecome assured of over the past 12 monthsis the Association’s commitment not only tothe welfare of its members, but also to theintegrity and continued success and viability ofNew Zealand policing,” Mr O’Connor said.New community policing modelMr O’Connor said the development of anew community policing model was one ofseveral things that the Association and theGovernment had been engaging about and MsKing had appreciated that input.Ms King fully endorsed the Prime Minister’swish, expressed at last year’s conference,to see a NZ Police service, which wascharacterised by the “highest possible publictrust and confidence” and to see its integritymaintained as one of the most corruption-freePolice services in the western world.There was a great deal of respect for the NZPolice and it was well founded, the Ministersaid.Mr O’Connor paid tribute to the great workdone by New Zealand police officers onvarious overseas deployments and saidMs King was pleased to welcome the UKConversion Wing and hadn’t found any yetwho have regretted coming all the way toNew Zealand to continue their careers. “Theygenerally seem to be enjoying New Zealandand the New Zealand policing model, whichis, of course, so strongly based on the originalpolicing structure established by Sir RobertPeel in the UK,” Mr O’Connor said.New perspectivesMs King hoped the new Police Commissionerand Deputy Commissioners, would “bringnew perspectives to policing over the next fewyears” and she felt “generally optimistic” thatpolicing was entering an era when it would befound to be in good heart.Underpinning this confidence was theconfidence and supply agreement with NewZealand First, which aimed to recruit 1250more police, 1000 sworn and 250 non-sworn,over the next three years.“Another factor is the decision, announced inMarch, to rewrite the Police Act, now almost50 years old, to bring it up to date for the 21stcentury. Everyone here knows that the natureof policing has changed considerably over thepast 50 years, and this review of the Act willenable all New Zealanders to have a say in theshaping of a modern Police organisation,” MrO’Connor said.Code of conductThe review will include developing a codeof conduct for police staff and the Ministerfelt this was “essential for any modernprofessional organisation”. “It will certainlyhelp reinforce public confidence in theintegrity and ethical strength of our police.”The continuing development of intelligencebasedcrime and crash policing would alsohelp strengthen public confidence. Thedevelopment of a proposed single nonemergencynumber (SNEN) to take pressureoff the existing 111 system, and promotinggreater public understanding of the one-teamapproach to policing the New Zealand waywere other factors, which the Minister felt surewould engender further confidence.Recruitment was “progressing really strongly”and attrition and retention would be an “evenstronger focus than recruitment”.No lowering of standardsThere would be no lowering of standards andthe Government’s emphasis was on providing“quality policing”. “The important issue is to• Acting Ministerof Police, DamienO’Connor deliversAnnette King’sspeech on her behalfwhile AssociationVice-President,Richard Middleton(middle), andCommissioner ofPolice, HowardBroad, look on.use the extra staff wisely, to optimum effect,and I am sure that will mean greater use ofintelligence-based policing in the future, andgreater emphasis on making our communitiessafer by preventing crime and crash in the firstplace,” Mr O’Connor said.Assaults on police were a concern to thePolice Minister and she acknowledged thatpolice are operating today in a harsherenvironment than they were five, 10, 20 or 30years ago. The Government was committedto making police officers safer and to that endhad supported the trial of the Taser and theissue of stab-resistant body armour.Alcohol and crime”If alcohol-induced criminal activity is to playless of a part in New Zealand life, then it isup to all of us - parents, peers, shopkeepers,publicans, advertisers, media organisations,community workers, teachers, friends andfamilies - to take responsibility for each other.I know police are increasingly becomingsick and tired of the horrifying and horribleacts that take place under the influence ofalcohol, but the acts will keep on happeninguntil we all become sick and tired of them.The answers don’t lie in the statute books ofParliament or at Police National Headquarters.They lie within communities themselves,”Mr O’Connor said. (Editor’s note:Approximately 70% of crime that Policedeal with has alcohol involved)Mr O’Connor said that Ms King had asked himto convey to conference her commitment tothe NZ Police ethos of service to communitiesall around New Zealand. “My hope is thatas Minister, I can help promote in return anequally strong ethos, within our communities,of support for New Zealand Police. Youdeserve it.”292December 2006