NZPA News September - New Zealand Police Association

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September 2003New Zealand Police Association NewsletterSolomons deployment:Keke’s surrender a good start torestoring law and orderBy “Police News ” Editor, Steve PlowmanThe surrender of Solomon Islands warlord and formerpoliceman, Harold Keke, has helped bolster the confidenceof the international peacekeeping deployment to theSolomons, which includes 35 New Zealand police officers.The bulk of the New Zealand Police deployment arrived inthe Solomons in mid-August. Assistant Commissioner TonyAnnandale, Chief of Operations Support for theParticipating Police Force (PPF), told “Police News” thatmost police were currently living in a tent city, set up byNZ and Australian Army engineers.“It’s starting to look better as the infrastructure is set up.When we first arrived there wasa sea of mossie domes in theconference room area wherepeople had to set up with theirtrunks and other gear. Thingswere pretty cramped. Now we’vegot a tent city courtesy of themilitary engineers and anablution block with about 20-odd showers and toilets, sothat’s made things a bit morecomfortable,” he said. Each tenthas a wooden floor.10 people per tentAnnandale, who has also served in Bougainville, said thereare up to 10 people per tent. “It’s not ideal but it’s thebest we can do at the moment until the ADF get therelocatables up and running,” Annandale said.Unfortunately, there is no electricity in the tents at thisstage, the humour of which is not lost on Annandale.“Basically when it’s night you go to sleep and when it’smorning you wake up,” he says with a chuckle. Cookingfacilities are pretty basic - solid-fuel hexiburners with achoice of five different 24-hour ration packs.Problems with the heat during the day have been nullifieda little by the provision of a hi-tech, air-conditioned tentfor night shift staff.Annandale said that New Zealand police officers are wellrespectedand fully-integrated into all areas of the PPFand that is largely down to the ground work laid by theSIPP (Solomon Islands Policing Project).“The important thing for us is to work with the RSIP(Royal Solomon Islands Police) and the people of theSolomon Islands to help rebuild their country,” he said.Language barrierIn foreign deployments, language can often be a barrierand the Solomons are no different for many. WhileAnnandale can speak Tok pisin - Pidgin English, he saysmost officers will pick up the language as they becomemore accustomed to it. “Communication is so importantand a smile and an outstretched palm are pretty universalways of communicating...but bad language is a definite126After the monsoon-like rainsno-no here as it is considered very insulting anddisrespectful to an individual and his or her family. If youswear at someone here it would be considered acompensation issue,” Annandale explained.A recent survey showed that the local population are 97%in favour of Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands(RAMSI).Medical facilities are good, which is just as well, as themosquito problem is significant. “ With the Manoora(Australian Navy ship) at anchor just off Honiara we have adoctor on call 24/7 and if you needed surgery or a dentistI reckon you’d get attended to here quicker than youwould back home,” Annandalereported.MosquitoesDawn and dusk are the problemtimes for mosquitoes. There aretwo varieties - the daytimemossies carry dengue fever andthe night time predator is thecarrier of malaria.New Zealand police officers arenot armed but have militaryback-up and have thecapability of an armed responsewith the STG (Special TacticsGroup) and the Australian Federal Police’s equivalent, theSRS to call on. “It’s pretty much the same situation aswe’re in back home,” Annandale told Police News”.The main road into Honiara is in need of repair and islittered with potholes. “It’s four-wheel country basicallyin a lot of places,” Annandale said.In the first month the extremes of a tropical climate havebeen evident. “We had two days where the heavensopened up and turned the place into a mud bath. Itdidn’t take long to dry up and then the humidity kicks inand you’re back to the heat again,” he said.Deployment may be yearsThe Solomons deployment is likely to be longer than firstanticipated, due to the dysfunctional nature of theSolomons Police Service and underlying problems causedby years of conflict. Foreign Affairs Minister, Phil Goff,says that some New Zealand police officers may bestationed there for up to three years.Detective Matt McLeod of Rotorua, who arrived in April,said that local police had 35 in the CIB with one vehicleand two computers at their disposal. They were currentlyinvestigating three murders, a couple of rapes, childabuse cases and about 100 cases of arson and looting.Mr McLeod and nine other New Zealand police officershave been training local police and will stay on as part ofthe Solomons Police Force under the umbrella of the newmilitary-backed regional assistance programme.
New Zealand Police Association NewsletterThis column is written by a frontline police officer. It does notrepresent the views or policies of the Police Association.View From The BottomWell the All Blacks train just keepsgathering momentum and I’mpicking that we’ll be damn close tobringing home the silverware comeOctober. Keep your fingers crossed,cause even the best teams in theworld need a bit of luck every nowand then. The Silver Ferns have setthe standard so let’s make it a yearto remember and fill the trophycabinets!Something in the air -today, tonight,tomorrowYou boys and girls at Harlech Housemight want to consider a transferdown to God’s Own and fill yourlungs full of clean green air ratherthan that stuff they have beenfeeding you up north. Anothernightmare conjured up byadministrators more worried about$$$ than people. Staff get sick andthen we try and fix the problem. Ican remember seeing plenty onbeing pro-active over the years butB Y CONSTABLE IAM KEENI always thoughtthat this includedstaff welfare aswell as crimefighting.This is not a new issue yet theostrich mentality has prevailed. Howdoes the advert on TV go? SHARPENUP!Silence is golden - oris it?Another piece of legislation fliesthrough and it’s in an area wherePolice have always monitored theactivities of the workers for theirprotection rather than being theheavy- handed enforcer. I can’tunderstand why we haven’t had toomuch to say as an organisation inthe way of framework as we’ve had alot of experience in overseeing it upuntil now. It’ll be interesting if wefollow the way of some Australianstates with an increase in organisedcrime involvement and childprostitution. I pray not.September 2003Can’t wait to see the council workersmonitoring the many OSH and otherissues that come out of the world’soldest profession.The doers and thedesk sittersCan’t imagine coming out of ameeting and finding some fella witha PRN trying the internal doors of alocal authority building. “Whatluck”, most of us doers would sayand reward the said bad man with aset of handcuffs and a walk acrossto the station for processing.However, the desk sitter might justtake said suspect’s name and escorthim off the premises. Perhaps ahistory check would have assisted inthe decision-making, perhaps not.Moral to the story...never forget whois around watching our performance.Even behind a desk, sworn staff ofall ranks have a power of arrest ongood cause to suspect.Go... Go... Go... Reuben and theboys and well done the OperationFlower crew. One helluva bust.Coping with stress survey deadline extendedThe deadline for the “Coping with Stress” survey has beenextended to 15 September. The results of the survey willgauge what levels of stress constables, who are junior inservice experience, have and how they attempt to managethat stress.The Police Association believes that the results of thisquestionnaire will be of great importance in promotingchange and in assisting you and others who continue to jointhe NZ Police, to handle difficult and stressful situations.Association andWelfare Fund AGM andAnnual ConferenceThe Annual General Meeting of theNew Zealand Police Association willbe held from Wednesday, 8 Octoberuntil Friday, 10 October at theJames Cook Hotel GrandChancellor, 147 The Terrace,Wellington.The Police and Families CreditUnion AGM will be held between11.30am and 12.30 pm onWednesday, October 8 and thePolice Welfare Fund AGM onWednesday, 8 October between1.30-2.30 pm.We acknowledge that the questionnaire is long and weunderstand that it will be time-consuming to complete.However, many of you have returned your questionnaireand we urge those of you who have not, to do the same.If you have lost your questionnaire and wish to takepart in the survey please contact Karen Spence on (04)496 6803 or kspence@policeassn.co.nz for anothercopy. As always, your returns will be strictlyconfidential.Memorial WallOur sympathies to all our members’ families forthose who have passed away in recent months...We remember... Who passed away...HENWOOD Russell George 01-July-03 Retired Member RangioraFITZGERALD Nelson 17 July 2003 Retired Member AucklandLEWIS Tom 22 July, 2003 Retired Member AucklandNORWOOD Peter Albert 22-July-03 Retired Member AucklandMATENGA Josephine Kerry 07-Aug-03 Serving non-sworn WellingtonSMITH Noel Kenneth Egmont 13-Aug-03 Retired Member NapierO’HALLORAN Pat 14-Aug Retired Member ChristchurchPlease advise us by writing to the Editor, NZPA News, PO Box 12344,Wellington, or email editor@policeassn.org.nz, if you know of any othermembers who have passed away.127
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