banana-skin guide to policing - New Zealand Police Association

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NotebookMOST WANTEDTRY HARDIt’s time to register for the Twizel Hard LabourWeekend, where you can slog your guts out on abicycle and on foot amid some of New Zealand’smost spectacular scenery. There are severaloptions for taking part in the annual LabourWeekend event (Saturday, October 26 to Monday,October 28), including: the Canal Caper (cyclingalongside Twizel’s canal system that’s part of theupper Waitaki power scheme); the Pyramid Run(a 19-kilometre off-road run – or walk – in themagnificent Mackenzie Country); the Dusky Trail(a 40km mountain bike course through four highcountry stations); or enter all three events to bea Twizel Hard Labourer. There are also events forchildren and money raised goes towards youthsports clubs and community groups in Twizel. Theentry for all events is $40 and $10 for under-18s.twizelhardlabour.org.nz.SEAFOOD AND SONGSIf you happen to be anywhere near Port Chalmerson Saturday, September 21, head directly to theport for its annual seafood festival. You’ll hardlybe able to move for celebrity chefs serving upspecialty dishes throughout the day. Among the29 food stalls, look out for Al Brown (of TV fame),Judith Cullen (of TVNZ’s Good Morning), BevanSmith (from Riverstone Kitchen) and Fleur Sullivan(of Fleur’s Place, Moeraki). Singer-songwriter DonMcGlashan,Lyttelton bandThe Eastern,Christchurchsextet TangoLa Luna andsinger HannahHowes willbe providingthe music. Police are involved, too, through aBlue Light and Trade Zone Kids Gone Fishingcompetition. festival.portchalmers.comIf you miss out on the Port Chalmers event, oryou’re stuck in the North Island, you can planahead for the fourth Bay of Islands Food and WineFestival (also known as “it!”) in Paihia, on Saturday,October 26. You can look forward to “kinasucking”, “oyster shucking and eating” and “pieeating” among the food and wine stalls. SingersongwriterDave Dobbyn is the headline act onstage. paihianz.co.nz/it_festivalTe PunaReothe spring oflanguageSergeant Wayne Panapa,of the Police Maori,Pacific and EthnicServices team, providesbasic phrases that couldbe used in everydayinteractions.He kai kei akuringaHair car e key ah kooring ahThere is food at the endof my hands (meaningthat a person can usetheir basic abilities andresources to createsuccess)FAST FACTSNZPAPolice Welfare FundTwenty staff work for the Police WelfareFund (PWF) at the Police Association'sNational Office, supporting PoliceHealth Plan, Police Insurances andHoliday Homes. Staff also providesupport services to PWF throughmembership, finance, communciationsand IT. The Member Services team dealswith 350 calls a day on PWF and Policeand Families Credit Union matters.Police Health PlanPolice Health Plan (PHP) was set upmore than 30 years ago. It offersquality medical cover, reimbursing costsranging from GP visits to major surgery,with flexible levels of cover to suitmembers’ needs. PHP is independentlyowned and operated by Police HealthPlan Limited, a subsidiary of PoliceWelfare Fund Limited. PHP is not-forprofitand surpluses are used to ensurethat members have access to one of thebest-value health insurance packagesin New Zealand. Consumer magazinehas previously rated PHP as No 1 forcustomer satisfaction in the country.AM Best has assigned PHP a financialstrength rating of B++ (Good).InsurancesFire & General InsuranceMore than 5700 members have 19,600home, contents, motor vehicle andmarine policies through Police Fire &General Insurance. Police Welfare Fundmembership allows members to accessthe cover, which is underwritten byLumley General Insurance Ltd.Police Life InsuranceAs well as Police Group Life cover, whichextends to 10,000 members, we provideadditional life insurance cover for5000 members. Life insurance benefitstotalling $2.7 million were paid out on20 policies covering members and theirpartners in the year to July 2013.Travel InsurancePolice Travel Insurance offers quality,cost-competitive travel insurancecover available 24/7 for Police WelfareFund members travelling overseas,with discounted rates if membershave Police Health Plan cover. It isunderwritten by AIG Insurance NewZealand Limited (AIG).Lending and financePolice Home Loan PackageThe Police Home Loan package,provided through ANZ Bank, hasdiscounted rates and other attractivebenefits for members of the PoliceWelfare Fund and their immediatefamilies. Police Home Loans increasedby $80 million to a portfolio of $730million in the year to August 2013.Financial planning assistancePolice Welfare Fund members haveaccess, at specially negotiated rates,to financial advice from Spicers, oneof New Zealand’s leading financialplanning providers, which alsohas excellent knowledge of Policesuperannuation benefits.Police and Families CreditUnionThe Police and Families Credit Union(PFCU) is a separate organisation, butstill offers members savings and loanservices at very good rates.Holiday HomesThere are currently 59 holiday homesavailable to members in 25 locationsthroughout New Zealand. Two newhomes will open in Hanmer Springsfor bookings in early 2014. It costs just$60 a night to stay in a holiday home.All units are fully equipped and selfcontained.All you need to bring arefood and linen.Benevolent grants andbenefitsFull members of the Police WelfareFund can apply for a range of grantsand benefits, ranging from birth andadoption benefits to relationshipcounselling. The birth benefit comprises$50 on the birth of a child and $200 fortwins.For more information on all of thePolice Welfare Fund services, visitwww.policeassn.org.nz/productsservices.216 SEPTEMBER 2013POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
NotebookOn trendRegion 7’s new director promises to be avaluable – and well-dressed – member mber of theteam.Senior police prosecutor Sergeant GrantGerken is well known for his sartorialelegance and now he’s bringing hisdistinctive “Southern-man” style to theboardroom table as the Police Association’snew Region 7 director, along with atrack record of 18 years’ service with theSouthland committee.Grant, 46, a born-and-bred Southlander,who lives in Invercargill, says he jumped atthe chance to be a director. “The role hasalways been something that I have aspiredto and, you might say, the stars have alignedand I consider myself privileged to have theopportunity to serve my members at thislevel.”Grant’s previous roles with the committeeincluded welfare officer, vice-chairman,chairman and conference delegate. Asa director, he says, he will continue to“champion the underdog”, which has alwaysbeen his motivation for working for theAssociation.Grant says the biggest challenge facingmembers today is remaining strong inthe face of an ever-changing policingenvironment.“In this era of centralisation, ourchallenge is to concentrate on broadening,strengthening and empowering these localcommittees and building a solid foundationfor our Association that will withstand thechallenges the future may present.”Building solid relationships and keepingthe lines of communication open are vital toGrant Gerken, right, and his twin brother Dean, who is also a policeofficer in Invercargill.that goal, he says. Networking withinpolicing circles comes naturally tohim thanks to a wide-ranging careerover 22 years that has includedfrontline policing, ing, communitypolicing, intel, youth educationand his current role as a policeprosecutor.He has also forgedoverseascontactsduring fivesecondmentsto the Pacific,where hetrainedprosecutorsand juniorattorney-general ralsolicitors in Samoa andKiribati.Whatever the role, he always bringshis sense of humour and fun, somethinghe shares with his identical twin, Dean,a scene of crime officer, who also worksat the Invercargill station.“I like to think that I’m the morestylish one,” he notes, “but people stillget us confused, so recently, when apackage of training supplement powderarrived for me, a colleague mistakenlygave it to Dean.”Eventually, the package made its wayto Grant’s desk, but not before Dean hadreplaced the powder with icing sugar.Grant took the “supplement”three times before becomingsuspicious, but it didn’t takelong to work out who wasbehind the prank.Grant is plotting revenge.Meanwhile, he’s already gotan agenda item for next month’sannual conference – evokingthe art of stylish dressing!Grant replaces Brett Roberts,a director since 2009. Brett hasdecided to take a step backfor personal reasons, but willremain a member of the Otagocommittee. Brett says he isgrateful for the support andguidance he received during histime as a director. “I have reallyenjoyed my time with the board of directorsand all the other people I have worked with.I wish I could thank you all personally, butthere are too many to name, so hopefully,when you read this, you will know who youare.”REGION ELECTIONS: Region directorsare elected for a two-year term bythree representatives from each Policedistrict within the region. Regions 1, 3,5 and 7 are elected on “odd” years, andRegions 2, 4 and 6 on “even” years. With2013 being an “odd” year, nominationswere called for the director roles inRegions 1, 3, 5 and 7. Jug Price, WayneAberhart and Craig Tickelpenny havebeen returned as the Region 1, 3 and 5directors respectively and Grant Gerkenhas replaced Brett Roberts, who steppedaside from the Region 7 role. There aretwo nominations for the deputy directorroles in Regions 1 and 3. The election willbe held later this year.NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2013 217
Page 2 and 3: ContentsPolice News is the magazine
Page 4 and 5: News/viewsSqueeze on emergency band
Page 6 and 7: News/viewsIN BRIEFRecognition for G
Page 8 and 9: Cover storyBanana-skin guideto poli
Page 10 and 11: Cover story Police Home Loan Packag
Page 12 and 13: FeatureCalls for general arming con
Page 14 and 15: FeatureFrom page 209opposed, compar
Page 16 and 17: Spotlight on…Thee-CrimeGroupMost
Page 18 and 19: View from the bottom BY CONSTABLE I
Page 22 and 23: NotebookFLASHBACKFrom left, Sergean
Page 24 and 25: NotebookKEEN ON WINE by Ricky Colli
Page 26 and 27: LettersLet down by PoliceI am writi
Page 28: PLANNING LEAVE?Make your holiday ea

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