FAKE dOPE REAl TROublE - New Zealand Police Association

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LettersForgive me . . .As I sat snugly at home watching theburgergate drama unfold on the news, itstruck me that I, too, had sinned againstPolice policy. Despite the fact that my weetown is not graced by these fast-food giants,I was misled by a far more insidious force –Pippins and Brownies.There I was one frantic afternoon, slavingaway over the computer trying to do thework of two, when I was interrupted bynine bright, shiny-faced wee lasses from thePippin Brownies group.Clasped in the hands of their excitedchosen representative was a packet of GirlGuide biscuits (the chocolate ones).Their shy leader politely informed me thatthey had “bought me the biscuits for all thehard work I do in their town”.I accepted their offering with all thehumility and humbleness befittingthe occasion; that someone within mycommunity actually cares for the work I do,and had shown me this by presenting mewith a packet of biscuits (did I mention theywere chocolate?).The warm fuzzy feeling I got from receivingthis simple gift probably surpassed the one Ihad felt a few weeks before on receiving my28-year service bar (not chocolate).But now I have been reminded of thepolicy that states: “Police employees mustnot accept gifts offered for simply doing agood job”.This leaves me with a dilemma should thissituation arise again. Should I harden myheart and send them and their treats back towhence they came? Or perhaps hide out theback?Or should I exhibit the items and seekapproval to eat them?Forgive me, but I took them home andate them (my wife ate some too) and I got tothinking that, yes, accepting gifts is the thinedge of the wedge that leads to corruption.But the more I thought about it, I realisedthat those damn Pippins had me fooled…I am still trying to figure out where their Plab is!LYLE PRYORAkaroaDiscounts for policeI want to thank Commissioner PeterMarshall for reminding us all what being aprincipled police constable means. He’s right– it is an outrage that sworn police acceptdiscounts while wearing their uniform.He’s correct that, even though no law hasbeen broken, it’s morally wrong.I hope Pete will continue the crusadeagainst discounts and, as he said, holddistrict commanders to account. I can evensuggest where we should go next.Every day across Auckland, police receivefree or extended parking while constablesattend non-emergency jobs.Sure, Auckland City Council has neverasked us to pay for the parking, and it’sarguable that we aren’t breaking any laws,but morally it’s wrong and it needs to stop.Auckland Transport offers a text-a-parkservice. We can use our new mobile devicesto text to park and end this moral outrage.I’m sure the Commissioner will support usby changing the business rules to do this.Now we just have to find a way to stop ourmanagers from using the bulk buying powerof the organisation to get discounts. Just likeour dirty, immoral Association has beenguilty of doing.Keep your petrol station receipts whenyou fill up and send them to Pete so he canmake sure no rebate on bulk purchase isgiven and that Police pay retail price foreverything.It’s a real shame Peter Marshall hasdecided to not to seek another term – weneed a leader like him.Name withheldConstable, Auckland CentralPolice and pursuitsYet again we hear the media outcry thatinevitably follows a vehicle pursuit where theidiot in the driver’s seat didn’t have the abilityto control the vehicle, resulting in a crash.Previous investigations, media criticismand PCA (now IPCA) recommendationshave resulted in the policy of pulling out ofpursuits following predetermined criteria.The letter in last month’s Police Newssuggesting that drivers may attempt to gofaster once they know, or believe, they havelost the patrol has enough merit for furtherresearch.I have watched televised pursuits fromthe United States, where they seem to havevideo cameras in all their patrol vehicles,and their policy appears to be that the patrollooks after their own safety, but the pursuit iscontinued to the point where the driver is incustody or crashes.Also, the fleeing drivers are heldaccountable for the consequence of theiractions.During the inevitable inquiry that followsthese events in New Zealand, there is noreal-time scenario set up to reconstruct whatoccurred so that the IPCA might view it atthe speed that it happened.Maybe if there was, there would be amore realistic appreciation of the situation,resulting in better recommendations.In sport, frame by frame analysis after anevent produces outcomes that are unrelatedto the real-time event, but seem to providesatisfaction for commentators who weren’ton the field.Also, the need for continuouscommentary from a pursuit vehicle is aserious intrusion on the driver’s abilityto concentrate on the primary task if thepursuit driver is alone. It would be betterto have a brief exchange reminding thedriver that they alone are responsible for anyconsequence of their actions, and leave themto get on with the job.Most importantly, let’s have clear laws thatput total responsibility on fleeing drivers forthe consequences of their actions, includingmurder charges for any deaths. I say thisbecause, in virtually every case, death is aforeseeable outcome.Let the courts reduce the charges if it canbe proved that it was impossible for thedriver to have foreseen the consequences atany stage, including their decision to flee.I agree with those who say the currentrules provide an incentive to flee because,on average, the offenders are fully awarethat Police have to abide by rules and theyperceive a clear chance that they won’t endup in a cell if they can beat the police byoperating outside those rules.LES SHARPNew PlymouthWho are these 'shrinkingviolets?As an avid reader of your magazine, Iappreciate your balanced reports on Policematters, but in the last issue (May) onearticle raised my ire.In “From the President”, Greg O’Connorreferred to the current changes in policingand said “many middle and senior managersare privately expressing their disquiet at thelong-term implications of these changes”.My question is, why are these concernsbeing expressed privately?Surely these are the people we underlingsrely on to get messages to the bosses.Are these managers “shrinking violets”, orare they afraid to raise their heads, fearingtheir career prospects will be curtailed bytheir superiors, who also want to head to thetop of the slippery pole.Those of us who have been around for awhile will remember having to endure threedays of “Quality Policing” training, duringwhich it was declared that staff at the topwould “listen and hear the ones from thebottom”.Perhaps it’s time for a refresher?PAUL (SPIKE) DICKEYWhakataneWe would like to think that all staffcan express their views without fearfor their career prospects or of beinglabelled a disrupter or disbeliever. This issomething that those driving the changeneed to be aware of. – Editor138 june 2013police news – the voice of police
Signed letters are preferred, but in all cases the writer’s name and address must be supplied. Names will be publishedunless there is a good reason for anonymity. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or decline letters.Email: editor@policeassn.org.nz or write to Editor, PO Box 12344, Wellington 6144WOFs and insuranceA recent newspaper story quoted theAutomobile Association as saying thatPolice should do mandatory vehicleinspections at all vehicle stops becausewarrant of fitness (WOF) systems arenowhere near good enough to preventcrashes in defective vehicles.What a load of rubbish. Police resourcesare a vital part of the community and notthere to be wasted on babysitting motoristswho cannot look after their own cars. Whydon’t we take a few tips from overseasand have mandatory insurance for alldrivers? There would be many benefits tothe community, not least that insurancecompanies would monitor vehicle problemswithout Police resources being used:1. If a vehicle was not roadworthy, it wouldnot meet the insurance requirementsand would be uninsured. If a car wasstopped and the insurance was absentor invalid, the driver would have to startwalking.2. Modified vehicles? No problem, pay anextra insurance premium. How manyboy racers would want to, or could,pay thousands of dollars a year in extrainsurance?3. Injured in a crash while not wearinga seatbelt or helmet and probably notinsured? Pay your own medical costs.ACC shouldn’t have to pay, even undercurrent guidelines, as the person hascontributed to their own injuries bynegligently not fitting or wearing a safetydevice.4. Intoxicated with any drug (includingalcohol)? Insurance invalid.5. As happens overseas, any trafficinfringements have to be declared tothe insurance company so it can judgethe risks. Insurance premiums wouldincrease for drivers who collectedinfringements. The financial deterrentfactor is huge and cannot be wipedout by the courts with a few hours’community service.6. Crashes would mostly becomearguments between insurancecompanies as to who was at fault, ratherthan ugly roadside arguments betweenuninsured drivers.Memorial wallOur sympathies to all our members’ families for thosewho have passed away in recent months. We remember…7. The cost of vehicle insurance would bereduced if it was spread out for everyone.Also, we enforce the use of cellphones bydrivers because of the risk of distraction,so perhaps we should consider theconsumption of alcohol inside vehicles asa safety risk too. How about having theequivalent of a liquor ban zone in vehicles;ie, no open liquor in a vehicle? It could bepoliced in a similar way to council bylaws,whether a car was parked up or not.Last point: if diesel vehicles had to havetheir road user charges current before theycould get a WOF that would eliminateanother vehicle administration task for Police,and would be easy to add to the WOF.Let’s put our resources into making thecommunity safer, rather than being taxcollectors.POINTS TO PONDERTimaruPresident's AwardsFormer Police Association employeeDiann Stephen received thePresident's Award for OutstandingService after 30 years on June 16,2006, not 2010 as reported lastmonth. Her colleague Tui Hunter,who was a personal assistantto Association President GregO'Connor and Chief ExecutiveChris Pentecost, also received thePresident's Award after 25 yearsservice on October 29, 2008.BOOK WINNERSThe winners of last month’sLITTLE LIFE SAVERS giveawayare KRISTEL COLDICUTT ofChristchurch, and MARY GODDARDof Auckland.Your books will be posted to you.MITCHELL, Ernest Joseph 28-Dec-11 Spouse Te AwamutuROBERTS, Tony Andrew 6-Apr-13 Serving ChristchurchBRIDGE, Ronald 28-Apr-13 Retired DunedinCHURCHES, Ellen Pauline 5-May-13 Widow North ShoreBALLANTINE, Gavin John 15-May-13 Retired PaeroaUseful Information andContactsNew Zealand Police Association:For immediate industrial & legal advice(on matters that cannot be deferred suchas police shootings, fatal pursuits ordeaths in custody) ring 0800 TEN NINE(0800 836 6463) – 24 hour/seven daysservicePolice Network 44446Freephone 0800 500 122Police Health Plan/Police Fire & General InsuranceQuotes & information 0800 500 122or 04 496 6800or fax 04 496 6819Police Fire & General InsuranceClaims 0800 110 088Police Home Loans 0800 800 808Police Credit Union 0800 429 000Credit Union www.policecu.org.nzGSF information 0800 654 731PSS information 0800 777 243Field OfficersWaitemata and Northland DistrictsSteve Hawkins 027 268 9406Auckland and Counties Manukau DistrictsStewart Mills 027 268 9407Waikato and BOP DistrictsGraeme McKay 027 268 9408Eastern and Central DistrictsKerry Ansell 027 268 9422PNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington DistrictJJ Taylor 027 268 9409Tasman and Canterbury DistrictsDave McKirdy 027 268 9410Southern DistrictCeleste Crawford 027 268 9427Vice-PresidentsStuart Mills 027 268 9416Luke Shadbolt 027 268 9411Regional DirectorsRegion OneWaitemata and Northland DistrictsJug Price 027 268 9419Region TwoAuckland and Counties Manukau DistrictsDave Pizzini 027 268 9413Region ThreeWaikato and Bay of Plenty DistrictsWayne Aberhart 027 268 9414Region FourEastern and Central DistrictsEmmet Lynch 027 268 9415Region FivePNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington DistrictCraig Tickelpenny 027 268 9417Region SixTasman and Canterbury DistrictsCraig Prior is currently unavailableContact Craig Barker 027 273 4499Region SevenSouthern DistrictBrett Roberts 027 268 9418new zealand police aSSOCIATION june 2013 139
Page 3 and 4: News/viewsSome time ago, I wrote in
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Page 11 and 12: Cover storyFrom page 121The Police
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Page 21 and 22: NotebookTraumatised by a tornadoA v
Page 23 and 24: NotebookKeen on wine by Ricky Colli
Page 25: SportBoard gamesin GisborneThe wors

FAKE dOPE REAl TROublE - New Zealand Police Association

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