Changing of the Guard - Culture shift at the college Policing taonga sold - Police Association
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APRIL 2018
Changing of
the Guard
Culture shift at the college
Policing taonga sold The OPT Built to serve
Guthrie medal controversy The pointy end of prevention Inside the Justice Precinct
Contents
14 Inside the new
Justice Precinct 5 Guthrie medal
leaves NZ
6 A new line-up 12 50 years ago...
4 A question of balance: Association appoints 14 Built to serve: A tour of the new Regulars
Diversity Governance Group Justice Precinct
18 Brain Teaser
5 Medal controversy: Guthrie George Cross sold 16 Health & Wellbeing: Not all life-threatening
18 Keen on Beer
to overseas buyer cardiac events are heart attacks
19 Keen on Wine
6 Cover story: Mixed reactions to culture shift at 17 Between the Lines: Hacks from the
25 Letters
Police College Member Services Centre
27 Memorial Wall
9 Iam Keen 17 Ask Your Aunty
27 Contacts
10 Signs of life? Police consider resuscitating SCIIP 20 The Tech Files: Apps to train your brain;
Facebook counter-intelligence
10 Pointy end of prevention: The work of the
Christchurch OPT 21 Sport: Sports Diary; rafting; golf; hockey Cover photomontage:
photos by JANE DUNN/
12 ‘That horrific day’: Former cop recalls Wahine 24 Postcards from… Whangamata – island WELLINGTON POLICE
tragedy of 50 years ago adventures and Kiwi art and NZPA
April 2018 Police News is the magazine of the Printed by City Print Communications, Wellington.
New Zealand Police Association, originally
ISSN 1175-9445 This publication is printed on environmentally
the New Zealand Police Journal, first
responsible paper stock, sourced from
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Those wishing not to receive a personal © NZPA Police News must not be reproduced
P.O. Box 12344, copy of Police News should contact the in part or as a whole without the formal consent
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Wellington 6144 removed from the distribution list. Police Association.
2 | APRIL 2018
NEWS AND VIEWS
from the
President
Prevention in
action 10 I
n my role, I am privileged to hear
first-hand about policing right
through the ranks, and Police, like
many contemporary organisations, is
As a strongly opinionated person who
is not afraid to speak out, I have learnt,
albeit by sometimes making mistakes,
that you can maintain professionalism by
talking about culture. choosing when and how to express your
Culture is what defines an organisation, opinion.
for those within it and for those it Any organisation that practises a
interacts with externally. For culture to culture where freedom of expression
be positive, it must be reinforced through and diversity of views are not respected
actions from the top, and not left to feel- or encouraged will suffer long-term
good rhetoric and glossy posters to walk consequences.
that talk. Police has adopted the Police High
Police has adopted the “culture Performance Framework (PHPF), a key
16
philosophy” and taken to heart plank of which is to encourage people
the 2007 Commission of Inquiry’s to bring their individual approach to their
Missing a beat recommendation for strong, well-defined respective roles. As you will read in this
and widely understood values to be part issue of Police News, the PHPF is alive
of its business model, appointments and well at the Police College with its
process and performance management. increased “emphasis on values-based
The legitimacy of Police culture can, behaviour, problem solving and personal
however, be undermined when theory responsibility”.
and practice do not align, as can happen Police is talking about upskilling an
when values are applied from a limited individual recruit’s perspective so they
perspective that fails to respect the can apply their particular skills to real-
interpretation of others. world policing in the districts they are
A variety of approaches can be taken assigned to.
to tackle any problem. It is inappropriate However, we are seeing too many
to question someone’s professionalism examples where the talk just doesn’t align
simply because you don’t agree with an with the walk.
21
individual’s approach. Multiple approaches It is not a healthy culture when
can still be professional. individuals who offer a different opinion
You can’t promote diversity of style and are disrespected, silenced or actively
Sport initiative and then whack it down under encouraged to look outside Police for
the guise of not meeting Police values. their future.
I am increasingly concerned by This points to a failure in the
examples where different opinions organisation’s cultural practice and seems
are not only discouraged, but actively to be diversity of a kind that is strictly on
chastised for deviating from the management’s terms… which is not really
Phone: (04) 496 6800 “party line”. diversity at all.
Fax: (04) 471 1309 It appears that some diversity of thought
Editor: Ellen Brook is being deliberately stifled within Police,
with Police then referencing values as a
Email: editor@policeassn.org.nz
justification for this emerging practice.
Website: www.policeassn.org.nz Accusing individuals with different
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ points of view of not acting professionally
nzpoliceassociation or with integrity is not compatible with a Chris Cahill
Twitter: @nzpoliceassn successful organisational culture. president@policeassn.org.nz
APRIL 2018 | 3
The Buzz
“BRAD, YOU
BETTER TURN
AROUND. THAT
WAS A KIWI.” Association president Chris Cahill with the newly formed Diversity Governance Group. From left, Kelly Larsen
Constable Cassandra Power’s (Christchurch), Region 6 director Mike McRandle, Sally Patrick (Hastings), vice-president Craig Tickelpenny,
vice-president Marcia Murray and Sarah Stirling (Police College).
instructions to her colleague,
It’s all about balance
Constable Brad Huntley, after
they drove by a week-old
kiwi chick wandering on the road
(see story p13).
T
he Police Association has set up a Just a week after the DGG’s establishment,
Diversity Governance Group (DGG), the Association board approved some
which met for the first time last significant recommendations to jump start
month at the National Office in Wellington. its commitment to diversifying the voices at
“MY ONE Association vice-president Marcia Murray
is the group’s sponsor, joined by fellow VP
leadership tables – at committee and board
level.
AND ONLY Craig Tickelpenny and Region 6 director • For the rest of this year, a non-board
INTERACTION Mike McRandle, with Association members member from the DGG will be seconded
to board meetings to offer a different
Sarah Stirling (Police College), Kelly Larsen
WITH NZ (Christchurch) and Sally Patrick (Hastings) viewpoint on matters being discussed
POLICE 10/10 completing the team. and, by being involved, to gain first-hand
exposure to how the board operates.
– WOULD LOSE They have been tasked with implementing
the Association’s Gender Balance Strategy, A report detailing this experience will
THINGS AGAIN.” which was the outcome of a workshop in go to committees with the aim of
May last year that considered the causes reaching women involved in Association
Twitter user The Melted Mask and consequences of gender imbalance in representation. The intention is to increase
@AndyAstruc after police Association leadership positions. this representation to two “shadow” board
returned his lost wallet to him. The draft strategy based on their findings attendees.
was adopted by the board and confirmed at • The board has approved a maximum of
the annual conference, with a directive to seven representatives to attend the annual
bring it into effect in recognition of the need conference as observers. The impetus is to
for a proactive approach to encouraging provide regions that do not have a female
“How many more women into leadership positions. delegate the opportunity for female
representation. Observing the conference
Now the work begins to align the
additional people Association with its constitution’s Rule 35 (1),
which directs the Association to “endeavour
will expose these members to the job of
delegates and workings of the conference.
will die if we don’t to create a balance on the board reflective
of New Zealand society (recognising the
• Succession planning and diversity will now
be included as an item on future board
stop these drivers democratic nature of its appointment
processes)”.
agendas, backing up the work being done
in the regions to ensure identification of
before they kill Although the starting point has been
gender diversity, the DGG’s scope will also
potential women representatives, and
mentoring and development support for
someone?” include diversity of ethnicity, age, skills, work
groups and experience.
women on committees.
• It was also approved that, from now
Region 3 director Scott Thompson Research into diversity in leadership shows on, one of the two representatives
on fleeing drivers. higher performance outcomes when a range attending PFAWAC (Police Federation of
– Rotorua Daily Post of perspectives are at the table, and this Australia Women’s Advisory Committee)
includes better results in problem solving and conferences will report in person to the
connecting with a wider audience. board post-conference.
4 | APRIL 2018
NEWS AND VIEWS
Controversy follows
sale of policing
‘taonga’
T
he overseas sale of a unique
medal awarded posthumously
to Aramoana massacre hero
Sergeant Stewart Guthrie has raised
eyebrows in policing circles around New
Zealand.
Guthrie was awarded the George Cross
for bravery after he was shot dead on Sergeant Stewart No one has questioned the right of
Guthrie was
November 13, 1990, by gunman David Gray, posthumously the family to sell the medal, but the
who killed 12 others the same day at the awarded the George
seaside settlement near Dunedin. Cross, pictured, decision to let it leave the country
for his bravery at
The medal is the second-highest
Commonwealth award (after the Victoria
Aramoana in 1990. has raised serious concerns.
Cross), given for conspicuous gallantry
“not in the face of the enemy”, and the to buy the medal, and nor were two other The citation for the issuing of the medal
highest that can be awarded to a civilian. It recognised medal experts, John Wills and appeared in the London Gazette in
recognised Guthrie’s courage and heroism Phillip O’Shea. February 1992. It read in part:
on the day. No one has questioned the right of the
Two other George Crosses have been family to sell the medal, but the decision to With limited resources available to him
awarded in New Zealand, but both to let it leave the country has raised serious and impending darkness, Sergeant Guthrie
military personnel and both still in the concerns. had the task of locating and containing the
country, one housed at the Waiouru Army The feeling among some in Police, and in crazed gunman, dealing with the wounded
Museum and the other held by the family the wider policing community, is that the and preventing further loss of life. On arrival
of the recipient. That makes the Guthrie medal is a taonga not only of the country’s near the gunman's house, Sergeant Guthrie
medal one of a kind. policing history, but New Zealand history deployed the constable to cover the front
Until last year, the medal was held by his in general. of the house while he located himself at the
widow. When she died, the award passed Lord Ashcroft has said he will provide more dangerous position at the rear. A thin
to their children, who made the decision the medal for display in the Lord Ashcroft cordon of the gunman's house was later
to sell it. Gallery of the Imperial War Museum in completed by the arrival of a detective and
A sale was brokered with a well-known London. He has been quoted as saying, “this two constables… The gunman had been
private medal collector, British billionaire much-treasured decoration will be safe and sighted within his house and it can only be
businessman Lord Ashcroft, and an secure… for a very long time to come”. presumed that Sergeant Guthrie chose the
application was made to New Zealand’s This has raised another question: Why is dangerous position based on his sense of
Ministry of Culture and Heritage which a medal awarded to a civilian in peace time responsibility and the fact that he knew the
approved its export under provisions in the in New Zealand considered suitable for area and the gunman. Sergeant Guthrie had
Protected Objects Act 1975. display in a British war museum? taken cover in sand dunes… when suddenly
The ministry has said that when it gave One suggestion has been that a much out of the darkness he was confronted by the
approval for the cross to leave New better resting place – and one accessible gunman. Sergeant Guthrie very courageously
Zealand, it followed all the procedures to more New Zealanders who have some challenged him, saying "Stop... stop or I
under the act, including seeking advice connection with the events at Aramoana shoot". The sergeant then discharged a
from expert examiners, although it has not – would be the Otago Settlers Museum warning shot from his .38 calibre police
said who those experts were. in Dunedin, which already has a section revolver. The gunman then moved around
Police News is aware that Police was not devoted to the mass killing that remains and down upon the sergeant killing him
asked for an opinion, or offered a chance the deadliest in New Zealand. instantly in a volley of shots.
APRIL 2018 | 5
COVE R S TO RY
CHANGING
OF THE GUARD
A different approach to recruit training is getting
a mixed reaction. Ellen Brook reports.
W
as it the recruit with the man bun standards for recruits and a lack of discipline
that started it all? Or was it the at the college could possibly be true.
funky outfits appearing in the The answer seems to depend on which side
dining room? Or a pair of unironed overalls? of a philosophical or generational divide you
It might even have been the story about the are on.
young cop who wondered whether Police The fact is that things have changed at the
could legitimately ask him to search a rubbish college. And change, as anyone in Police
dump for evidence. knows, is the one constant you can rely on.
Whatever the triggers were, the stories It is true that recruits are allowed to dress
about what might or might not be happening more casually in the dining hall and during
at the Police College were spreading, from PT (no more ironed T-shirts, and the blue
conversations in the corridor to, inevitably, shorts have been replaced with pants of your
the online milieu of the keyboard warrior. choice). They no longer have to parade or
Emails started arrived in the Police News do drill practice once a week (that is reserved
inbox asking if rumours about a lowering of for graduations).
6 | APRIL 2018 Photo: JANE DUNN/WELLINGTON POLICE
Room inspections are kept to a minimum
and recruits can wear their hair pretty much
how they like.
Discipline is, well, less disciplined – if
you’re late for class, for example, you’re
more likely to be threatened with a note
in the diary than being told to drop to the
ground and do 10 push-ups.
The imperative to salute senior officers
in the college grounds has been scrapped,
unless they are visitors. And all recruits and
staff are encouraged to call each other by
their first names.
That last one really rankles with those Phil Weeks, director of training (left), Inspector Iain Saunders, head of school for initial training (centre) and
who have trained and served and become Superintendent Scott Fraser, general manager training, say there are good reasons for the new approach at
the Police College.
used to the structure and respect of rank.
Serving staff attending courses at the
college report being stunned by the relaxed “It was a rigid, learning-by-rote of the Police High Performance Framework
environment, so different to when they environment. But policing was a lot simpler strategy, with increased emphasis on
were there. than it is now. We are creating recruits values-based behaviour, problem solving
One of the fears being expressed is that a who are fit for purpose, prepared for the and personal responsibility.
more casual approach at the college could complexities of a drug and cybercrime Since February last year, recruits have been
give recruits a false impression of what’s environment, not rote learning.” evaluated on a “behaviourally anchored rating
expected in a section environment, where The trainers say it’s quite obvious to them scale”, on top of their usual exams, assessing
command and control is vital. that the standard of recruits has improved their ability to make good judgments as well
Phil Weeks, director of training at over the years and that those coming as pass practical and academic tests.
the college, puts the changes into the through now are incredibly bright people. “We are measuring how they put their
“continuous improvement” basket. He and And along with more diversity in the ranks, knowledge into practice,” Mr Weeks says.
Inspector Iain Saunders (head of school for thanks to targeted recruitment strategies, And if they fall short on the behaviour scale,
initial training) and Superintendent Scott there is also more diversity of thought, they they will not be graduating.
Fraser (general manager training) say there say. “Cognitive standards” have been raised, The trainers say the recruits are being
are good reasons for the new approach. in part because of improved recruitment. “measured like never before and to a higher
It began about three years ago with the The people turning up for their 16 weeks standard”, but it may not be in ways that an
goal of developing a style of recruit training at the college have already been through 12 older generation of cops might recognise.
that better reflected the modern policing weeks of preparation study at Unitec, and “For example, while they still learn about
environment, they say. when they head to district they will have up police powers, the Bill of Rights and
The focus is on creating a new breed to five weeks of field training during their criminal law, we don’t teach them about
of officer, equipped for a changing crime probationary period. the Immigration Act – they can find out the
landscape and who is able to engage freely The college is also channelling the spirit answers on that for themselves. Continued
with the community – the friendly face of
policing.
“The world is more complex and the The focus is on creating a new breed of officer,
college needed to develop training to
equipped for a changing crime landscape
match that and what is happening in the
districts,” Mr Saunders says. and who is able to engage freely with the
In the old days, he says, it was assumed
that officers would learn all they needed
community – the friendly face of policing.
from the rule book.
APRIL 2018 | 7
“The recruits are learning about “If they don’t get out the car, who will?” Mr Fraser is clear that when faced with
themselves and their skills.” wondered one perplexed sergeant, who critical incidents, their recruits are street
Marching drills have been dispensed says it shouldn’t be the job of districts to ready. “We are training them for the
with. “Marching doesn’t happen in the “re-correct” these young officers. “They real world. If they are faced with critical
districts and parading is counter to PHPF,” should have been prepared for what to incidents, they are ready to make good
Mr Saunders says, adding that, previously, expect at the college.” decisions and to support their supervisors.”
during the 16 weeks at the college, recruits Whether that’s the result of training in Mr Fraser says he has been told by a
were spending up to 20 hours on marching an adult learning environment, with not sergeant from Counties Manukau that the
and only four on burglary. enough marching, or just what we’ve come recruits arriving in the past two years are
The new style of training is also tailored to expect from “millennials”, no one is the best he has ever worked with. “We
to the needs of districts, they say, and exactly sure. have had a phenomenal response from
there is a huge emphasis on Auckland- An Auckland officer with 27 years’ sergeants who have been impressed with
based recruits and the requirements of experience says he has noticed a distinct the recruits we are turning out.”
metropolitan districts. lack of “emotional intelligence” and social With 4000 recruits going through in the
And, contrary to what some might think, skills among the new crop of constables, an next four years, there has never been more
appearance is critical, they say. The current observation that will no doubt disappoint demand on the college.
uniform standards are as outlined in the the college. What is worrying some observers with
Police rules. However, the long memories is that the college
days of short back and has been though a similar cycle
sides and “military buns” for before. In the late 1990s, the
women are gone. “It shouldn’t be the job of districts administration introduced a more
“They come in as relaxed, campus-style regime,
individuals on day one and to ‘re-correct’ these young officers. complete with university papers,
leave as individuals at the
end of their training,”
They should have been prepared in an attempt to create degree
qualifications and introduce an
Mr Saunders says. for what to expect at the college.” element of professionalisation.
Scott Fraser says the It was an experiment that didn’t
aim is to produce recruits stand the test of time (although
who can talk and engage with people Others say that while they are not yet the university exams were retained until
at all levels, who are approachable and convinced about the wisdom of relaxing around 2010) and was swept away in the
know how to handle themselves in all the college’s quasi-military approach early 2000s by another new broom, with
sorts of situations. “There is more focus on to training, they have been pleasantly less emphasis on “tree-hugging” and more
community and sharing knowledge.” surprised with their crop of constables. focus on pride in the uniform, a strong
But are they going to jump when the “They do have a ‘softer’ side to them,” operational focus, attention to street skills
section sergeant says jump? says one sergeant, “which may not be – and marching.
Sergeants in some districts are reporting appropriate in every situation, and I thought And now, the guard is changing again and
that one thing they have definitely noticed that might present problems, but they have the full effect of that may not be clear for
about the “new breed” is that they tend to proved themselves.” several years.
be more opinionated, more questioning of Another serving officer acknowledges “We are working our way towards a
authority and not scared to come forward that there are indeed some exceptional perfect storm with the numbers of recruits
and make complaints. recruits, “but there has been a gradual going through at the moment,” one
More alarmingly, there have been anecdotal decline in the standard of appearance at anxious sergeant told Police News.
reports about new officers who have been the college and too many NCOs are scared Another goes further: “The whole idea
reluctant to do cordon duty, attend a sudden to tell anyone off. Out in the real world, we seems to be that we are all one and all
death or even get out of their patrol car are supposed to be tidy, which helps us equal, which flies in the face of command
to attend a call-out after using TENR and when engaging with the public, particularly and control. It’s a lab and the recruits are
deciding it was too dangerous. older people.” the lab rats.”
8 | APRIL 2018
NEWS AND VIEWS
This column is written by a frontline police member. It does not
represent the views or policies of the Police Association.
Roster stomper A recent email trail seen by a lot of staff between now and September. So if I want
S ometimes we’re so busy in the big really calls into question Police judgment to take any time off before then, I may find
cities racing from job to job that we and directives around professional I have an insufficient leave balance, even
forget about the challenges of our country conduct. What was obviously meant as though I don’t. Confusing? Yes!
cousins, but I hear from some semi- a bit of satirical banter from a departing New leave tip – don’t put your leave
rural mates that things are a bit grim for staff member, shared among a few request into the system until you absolutely
their PST. other members, was seized on by Police have to.
The bosses introduced an exciting new martinets who appear to have had a
humour bypass.
Want a new job?
A
roster “to trial”. Sure, it would mean one
pparently it’s difficult these days to
less sergeant, but there would be more The overreaction continued when
score a permanent job. My days of
constables, two-up every shift, they directives were issued not to attend the
promotion are well behind me, but another
were told. officer’s farewell. In the precious “values”
old buddy told me to have a look at the
Anyone who has worked one-up for hierarchy, that’s a low blow, never mind the
advertised jobs because about half of them
any length of time in a rural location will lack of compassion and common sense.
are “expressions of interest” for a fixed
appreciate the temptations of such an period of time. What’s going on there?
ingenious roster. These guys probably
Leave planning
R eading last month’s Police News, the How can anyone get a promotion when
felt like Adam when Eve offered him that half the jobs advertised are temporary?
article on “The facts of leave” caught
delicious apple… they knew something was Who can afford to move to a different
my attention. See, I’ve been around for
a bit off – there was a snake hanging about town or city for a six to 12-month
a while and seen these questions asked
– but they were desperate. secondment? And do those “expressions of
and answered many times by the Police
Now, it seems, the new roster was never interest” ever get advertised as permanent
Association. But one thing has changed.
actually a trial, but a fait accompli, and no roles, or do we just keep rolling them over?
one really thinks it’s better. The promise We now have MyPolice (cue horror film
Questions, questions… this time without
of losing a sergeant was kept. The two-up music). So here’s something new you
answers.
units? Not so much. should know: if you try to organise yourself
– you know, “plan” your leave using
Consquences... MyPolice – it takes the future leave you Stay safe out there...
A nd complaining about anything? have planned off today’s balance.
Well, it seems there are For example, if I want to take four weeks Constable Iam Keen
consequences for complaining, even if off in September, it will take four weeks To update Iam Keen
it’s meant to be taken with a grain of sand, off my leave balance at today’s date. It with information, email
er, salt. won’t take into account the leave I accrue iamkeen@policeassn.org.nz
Members – new discounts for you
We’ve added four new providers to our Member Discount programme.
New Balance Educare Early Jukebox Diner Kai Carrier
40% off athletic footwear and Learning Centres Members can get a range Get a 30% discount
fitness apparel from the 20% off childcare of discounts at this 1950s-themed off this range of environmentally
New Balance website. at all Educare facilities. cafe in Hamilton. friendly reusable food pouches.
To find out more about these discounts and others available through the Member Discounts
programme, go to our website, www.policeassn.org.nz, login, then click on ‘Member Discounts’
from the ‘Products and Services’ menu. You need to be logged in to view the discounts.
APRIL 2018 | 9
NEWS AND VIEWS
SCIIP still dead
in the water
P
olice is looking into how it might “Once that happened,” says Mr Read,
At the
resuscitate its embarrassing “any further development of Investigator
and expensive “dead duck” stopped.”
Investigator product. The system has since been bought by
A multimillion-dollar national Police New Zealand-based software firm Jade
management system that was supposed and, Mr Read says, Police is working with
to help detectives investigate the most that company to sort out what needs to
A reactive frontline squad
serious crimes and monitor child sex be done to make it usable.
offenders continues to be a disappointing “Once this work has been completed with a holistic approach
failure. a decision will be made on what will to criminal behaviour
Although Police are now trying to happen with SCIIP,” he says.
breathe life back into the Serious Crime With the project in limbo for all is behind the success of
Investigations and Intelligence Project practical purposes, serious crime Christchurch’s Offender
(SCIIP), its dismal track record is not investigators throughout the country
giving cause for optimism. have reverted to the Serious Crime Prevention Team.
In early 2013, SCIIP recommended Template (SCT) which predated
D
that Police implement an off-the-shelf Investigator. “SCT has been updated and ealing with organised crime in
product called “Investigator”, which went modified, and is still being updated to be New Zealand is at the sharp end
live in August 2015. used in the medium term,” Mr Read says. of policing, where our highest-
From the get-go, and during testing, Mr Read has said he is unable to risk, hard-core offenders are making a
there were problems, and that has been provide the cost for the initial project nuisance of themselves through drugs,
acknowledged by Police. or any additional costs. He will say only firearms and family harm.
Detective Superintendent Peter Read that there were no costs associated with Perhaps it’s not the first place that comes
has now been tasked with seeing what transferring the Investigator product to to mind when thinking about Prevention
can be done to revive “functionality”. He Jade, as that was external to Police. First, but it’s where the Christchurch
says Investigator wasn’t working well “in However, it has been reported Offender Prevention Team (OPT) do their
the environments that Police wanted (NZ Herald, June 17, 2017) that at least best work, based on a simple premise –
it to”. $7.2 million was paid to Wynyard for the remove the offender from the criminal
What is frustrating to investigations staff contract and that more money will be equation, and do it as quickly and efficiently
is that Police already knew it probably needed to finish the job. as possible.
wasn’t up to the job in its existing form. Mr Cahill told media that the question If it sounds like basic, old-school policing,
User testing had thrown up issues now was whether it was worth spending you’re right, it is. As OPT OC Detective
around its suitability, but, as one officer more money to fix what appeared to Senior Sergeant Kylie Schaare says, a lot of
says: “Police persisted, trying to ram a be a “dead duck”. “It certainly wasn’t the what they do is “common sense stuff”. The
square peg into a round hole.” game-changer it was made out to be,” difference is, the team also looks at options
Mr Read admits that in hindsight he said. to prevent reoffending, such as referrals for
the testing should have been more What is bothering at least one detective, drug and alcohol treatment.
extensive. who has contacted Police News, is a “We take a holistic view of what might be
Before he became president of the perceived lack of accountability over the contributing to the offending and what we
Police Association, Chris Cahill, an project’s failings or, to use his phrase, “what do over and above arrest to change that
inspector, had used Investigator and appears to be an enormous balls-up”. behaviour,” Kylie says.
says all the staff struggled with it. “I ran There appeared to be an “imbalance They focus on the top 2 per cent of
a homicide on it, but it just frustrated all in the application of accountability” offenders who are committing 20 per cent
the staff. They had to keep clicking and between the “sirs” and the “rest”, he of the crime, and a key to targeting and
clicking to open up multiple fields, going said. “They appear to much more easily catching them is a rapid response to “hot”
back and forth.” hide their mistakes behind some kind of information.
The developer, Wynyard Group, branded corporate ‘cost of doing’ business image. A problem identified a few years ago was
as a market leader in high-consequence “What worries me is that this kind of that a lot of the piping-hot intel coming
crime fighting and security software, was project failure will occur again and I think into police from tip-offs, or human source
asked to fix the problems. How successful we’d all like to know what has been learnt, management units (HSMU), was not being
it might have been is a moot point now, how those lessons have been integrated acted on quickly enough. By the time the
as in October 2016, the California-based into the project process and that this kind public safety teams or organised crime units
company went into receivership. of failure won’t be repeated.” were able to react, it was often too late.
10 | APRIL 2018Identifying and shutting down gang headq
uarters AFTER
BEFORE is on the OPT radar in Christchurch.
pointy end of prevention
DCC/HSMU-Warrant Squad-OPT Information Flow i = Priority information
i
T&C/DCC Tasking and Coordination OPT
INCOMING INFORMATION
Deployment Model/Daily T&C Execute SW
(District Commanders Intent / Focus)
OPT
Crime Stoppers Prevention Activity
Offender Prevention Team
For Search Warrant, etc
Comms P6 Jobs OPT
Prevention Return Visits
i Warrant Squad (CIS) To Target / Target Location
CHIS Information (HSMU) (One week later and additional visits if required)
(Assessment Made)
The intel had been languishing in a paper about creating relationships within the There is a strong child protection focus.
tray or inbox, and the trail was cold. community, dealing with families, finding “When we go into homes where there are
But since the OPT has been equipped out what’s triggering the offender, making children, I ask staff to check if there is food
with the right staff to “take every referrals to other agencies and making in the fridge, beds for all the children, etc,”
opportunity to prevent harm”, it’s had some youth crime a focus.” Kylie says.
impressive results. The OPT model, which is now being “If things don’t look good, there will be
Last year, over a four-month period, considered for rollout across other districts, a referral to another agency. It’s about
it dismantled a gang HQ in central had its genesis in Christchurch about five keeping a wide focus and being the voice
Christchurch, closed down other drug years ago. for children in need.”
houses, arrested 14 patched gang members OPT manager Detective Inspector Greg It is also high risk. “There are often
and 37 associates, and seized substantial Murton says it evolved from the time when firearms,” says Kylie. “We are regularly
amounts of meth, cannabis, synthetics and the regular rosters included spending a seeing two or three weapons most
firearms along the way. They made nine couple of weeks on prevention-type work, weeks.”
youth referrals, nine family harm referrals, doing the rounds of hot spots, etc. That Despite that, it’s a popular secondment.
four mental health referrals and 38 Housing morphed into the OPT which combines And why wouldn’t it be… getting out there
NZ evictions for meth use and illicit activity. the talents and resources of traffic targeting to deal with priority offenders quickly
In 2016, the team carried out 181 search teams, youth crime teams, five rotational and efficiently is what most people join
and surveillance operations and 264 search PST members, five AOS members and that Police to do – shutting down gang pads,
warrants, seizing 145 firearms, 12,040 valuable HSMU intel. removing a violent abuser from a family
rounds of ammunition, 15 kilograms of “It’s really common sense stuff and we are home, arresting a mobile meth cook and
dried cannabis, 2263 cannabis plants, 786 getting some fantastic results, which is why identifying a young person who might be
grams of meth, 1687gm of synthetics and this model will be tried elsewhere,” Kylie helped down a different pathway.
$579,754 in cash. says. “In some ways, it’s old school, dealing Now that the model is almost ready to be
But behind the short-term reactive directly and appropriately with the offender, rolled out to other districts, it’s likely that
policing are the wider goals. “It’s not but it doesn’t stop there. there will be plenty of members putting up
just about kicking in doors. We have a “We always ask what else we can do to their hands to be part of the OPT action.
full wraparound focus. My job is also prevent this happening again.” – ELLEN BROOK
APRIL 2018 | 11FL A S HBACK
‘That horrific day’
Former police officer Ian Blackie was an 18-year-old cadet
on April 10, 1968, when he and other trainee policemen
were sent to help in the Wahine rescue effort.
T
his month, Police and Later in the morning, a bus
other agencies will mark arrived and they were told to go
the 50th anniversary to the barracks and pick up their
of the sinking of the Wahine rain gear. The bus took them to
passenger ship at the entrance Eastbourne.
to Wellington Harbour on April “I could see the waves in the
10, 1968. harbour and I was shocked at
It will be an emotional day as the sheer size, 20 to 30 feet
the Police launch Lady Elizabeth high, with a couple of hundred
III leads a flotilla of up to 50 boats yards in between the peaks.
along the harbour front, each The waves were rolling in south
boat dropping 51 flower petals to north, but that was about to
into the water to represent the change.
lives lost in the tragedy. Ian Blackie as a cadet in 1968 and today. He has lived in Canada “We walked through a rickety
They will be watched by up to since 1974, working in construction, and owns a company that wooden farmer’s gate onto
builds concrete underground parking structures.
300 family members, including a farm track in very rough
survivors, the governor-general, prime In 1968 he was an 18-year-old police condition just a few yards from the
minister, police commissioner, the cadet attending the Police Training water’s edge. I could see a ship of sorts
Wellington mayor and members of School in Trentham, Upper Hutt, as part out in the harbour listing to one side with
the public. of the Alphonsus Quin Wing. the waves crashing over the stern. The
Half a world away in Vancouver, He recalls the morning well. The rain visibility was very poor.
Canada, Kiwi expat Ian Blackie will be and the wind were howling outside I couldn't see the other side of the
grappling with his own thoughts of their classroom windows and they had harbour or Wellington, and with the wind
“that horrific day” – memories that have heard on the radio that the interisland and rain it obscured anything happening
stayed with him for five decades and ferry was possibly in trouble as cyclone out around the ferry.
which he wishes he could forget. Giselle bore down on Cook Strait. “At
about 10am, our instructors called us
together and we were briefed about the
situation, and that we might be called “The survivors had
out to assist.”
to walk out along the
track, all wearing
their life jackets. That
was one of the most
surreal memories.
Almost none of the
survivors, once on
land, discarded the
one instrument that
had saved them.”
Survivors coming ashore at Seatoun, aided by police.
Photo: ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY
Ref: 35mm-01157-24-F /records/23018716
12 | APRIL 2018In Brief
Rescue cops make Kiwi
House donation
When three cops on their way to the
NZPA Waka Ama Championships in
Paihia rescued a disoriented week-old
kiwi chick that had wandered on to the
Police cadets (in berets) from the Alphonsus Quin and Les Spencer wings were sent to Eastbourne to join
other police at the beach where survivors were coming ashore and bodies were being recovered.
road and took it to the Otorohanga
Photo: IAN MCFARLANE, Museum of Wellington City and Sea Collection, ref 2167 Kiwi House, it made the news. But the
story didn’t end there. The altruistic kiwi
“We had very little information and “He did not have his helmet or his rescue motivated the organiser of the
kept plodding to where the Lower Hutt raincoat or his tunic, which he may have waka ama prizegiving to auction a spot
personnel were. The wind had shifted given to one of the survivors. prize and $375 was raised for the Kiwi
around from the southwest to west by this “The survivors had to walk out along the House, where little “Constable Kiwi” is
time and we were feeling the full force. track, all wearing their life jackets. That said to be recovering well. One of the
Within an hour we were soaked through, was one of the most surreal memories… rescuers, Constable Cassandra Power,
but I don't recall feeling cold. almost none of the survivors, once on of New Plymouth, said a cheque was
“As we approached the Lower Hutt unit, land, discarded the one instrument that posted to the Kiwi House on behalf of
we saw survivors in the water, just their had saved them. the waka ama teams.
heads were visible. In the distance we “It’s been 50 years since that horrific
could see rescuers at the water’s edge day. There is more, but it is so graphic and Annual leave clarification
assisting the survivors, with some bodies visual still in my mind, it’s hard to give a In last month’s article The facts of leave,
washing up on the pebbled beach. satisfactory account. we overlooked the distinction between
“There were two Land Rovers there, an “Most of the New Zealanders who died annual leave entitlement and annual
old grey one with a wooden deck on it were washed up on that barren beach. leave accruing.
and a newer police Land Rover. As I Most, I saw, were elderly… the strain was “Annual leave accruing” is the leave you
walked up, I remember one particular obviously too much. have accrued since your last anniversary
constable who was the shift watch “Our members, along with some of the date. Any unused annual leave accruing
house keeper, Constable Joyce, outstanding civilians, loaded the bodies, on your anniversary date then becomes
who I knew from station duty. so respectfully, on to the transport. We your “annual leave entitlement”.
He was in extreme distress. were so isolated and short of manpower Annual leave entitlement is subject to
“He was sitting on a or help. the 50 days’ maximum balance. Other
rock and shivering, as “It was an honourable day for New leave types – TOIL, DDOs, PCT, shift
he was soaked right Zealand Police and a few civilian helpers, workers leave and alternative holidays
through and obviously including the farm employees. Everyone for working on statutory holidays and/
suffering from that day stepped up to the plate and did or commissioner’s holidays where
exposure. their job, as was expected.” applicable – are combined with your
annual leave entitlement as soon as
they are earnt and then also subject to
the 50 days’ maximum rule.
Under the constabulary and Police
employee collective agreements, you
can hold a balance of 50 days’ “leave
entitlement”. To clarify, this includes
the above leave types plus your annual
leave entitlement, but not your annual
leave accruing. Your balance may go
over 50 days when factoring in your
annual leave accruing, but on your
anniversary date, when all annual leave
becomes your annual leave entitlement,
you must have a balance of no more
than 50 days.
Unfortunately, MyPolice does not
(although it should) make a distinction
The Wahine sinking in Wellington Harbour. between annual leave entitlement and
Photo: ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY
Ref: EP/1968/1648a/1a-F /records/22843727
annual leave accruing, which means
the annual leave balance displayed
combines both.
APRIL 2018 | 13F E AT U R E
Built to
serve
It’s big and beautiful,
which isn’t something
we usually hear about
police stations.
From left: one of several
cafes in the precinct;
staff settling in before the
opening last month (Photo:
STUFF); the public courtyard
14 | APRIL 2018 in the centre of the complex.The state-of-the-art custody suite,
which Police shares with Corrections,
The open-plan has 500 cameras, cells with variable
offices feature opaque/clear windows, and a secure
“activity-based elevator up to the courtrooms.
working” desks and
conversation areas.
There are several pluses for Police staff:
• Quick access to the undercover car parks via air
T
he newly opened Justice Precinct in Christchurch
bridges – one road policing officer said it took him
appears to be full, not only of police (and other
only a few minutes to get into his patrol car and be
justice-related groups), but also of potential.
on the road.
It cost $300 million and was dogged with delays, but the
42,000-square-metre mega justice centre is finally open. • Quick access to the courts – staff can wait in their
The precinct is owned by the Ministry of Justice and also own offices until they are needed.
houses Corrections, the courts and the headquarters of • Every frontline officer has their own full-length locker
the Fire Service, St John and Civil Defence. There’s a large (at last, somewhere to comfortably store the SRBA
courtyard in the centre, open to the public, with water and other clothing and equipment).
features and places to sit. • A range of cafes, and kitchen areas on each level.
Police is the largest tenant, with 800 staff housed
• Smart doors that set off alarms if they are
over five floors, encompassing Canterbury District HQ,
left open.
Christchurch Central Police Station, South Comms and
the District Command Centre. • A front counter that incorporates the latest
No doubt everyone working or visiting the building safety features.
will be comforted to know that it has 133 base isolators, • Easy access to evidence and exhibit storage rooms
designed to keep the precinct standing in a big shake, and via laneways from the vehicle bays (reducing the
that the emergency operations centre can function for 72 risk of items being stored in inappropriate places
hours off the grid with enough food and water to last for overnight).
three days.
• Within the open-plan offices, staff work in related
The precinct is divided into three buildings connected
“neighbourhoods” – eg, adult sexual assault, metro
by a series of “air bridges”, enabling easy access and
crime and the investigation support unit are based
encouraging collaboration between agencies.
near each other.
On a smaller scale, Police staff are having to get used
to some new ways of working, including hot desking, or, • A special ops room for big cases.
as it’s now called, activity-based working, big open-plan • A state-of-the-art custody suite – the mothership of
office spaces and “riser” desks, albeit with a multitude the station – that is shared with Corrections.
of conversation areas and meeting rooms and breakout
spaces if privacy or silence is needed. On the negative side, there have been issues with the
The idea, says Sergeant Jon Harris, one of the project waste water system and radios not working properly in
team overseeing the transition to the new station, some areas.
is that you can sit where you want, with a variety of Jon says Police ICT is installing another transmitter
configurations of desks and furniture, moving your to remedy the problem of radio blind spots. As for the
tablet from desk to desk, desk to table, table to chair, or waste water issue, he says that was an isolated incident
heading to a in the courts building and was fixed some time ago.
private room.
One of the covered car parks for Police vehicles. APRIL 2018 | 15HE ALTH & WE LLB E ING
Missing
a beat
Not all cardiac events are heart attacks,
but they can be just as life threatening. Occasional dizziness
was a sign that
Inspector Scott Miller is sharing his story Inspector Scott
Miller’s heart wasn’t
to raise awareness about heart health. working properly.
L
ying in a hospital bed watching a reading a book, when six people – doctors It got Scott’s heart working properly
heart monitor as it registers that and nurses – rushed in. My pulse was down straight away and he was discharged a
your heart has just stopped would to 18 and I was completely unaware of it.” couple of hours later. He needed about
be disconcerting, to say the least. Over the next five hours, his heart two weeks to recover, but didn’t get back
Scott Miller wasn’t exactly relaxed about it stopped and restarted itself seven times. to work and full duties for six week until
as it was happening, but at least, he says, he Yes, he admits, at that point he did feel he had full medical clearance and was at a
was in the right place. “a bit crook”. “I was watching the monitor PCT fitness level.
It was September 2015 and several hours as the heartbeat gradually stopped for In the first year, there were three-monthly
earlier that day, Scott, who was 57 at the longer and longer periods, from five checks. That’s down to once a year and
time, had got out of bed and walked down seconds to 12 seconds. On the other side the pacemaker is now having to work only
the hallway of his house. The next thing he of the bed was the emergency crash cart.” 14 per cent of the time, instead of 100 per
knew, he was leaning with his hands on a The medics realised that the normal cent, as it did earlier.
table. “I had blacked out, which I knew was electrical conduction It’s a great result for
not normal,” he recalls, but he still felt okay, system in Scott’s Scott, now 59. Since his
so he went to work. heart was not If you ever have cardiac event, he says,
He did ring his doctor later that working properly. some members of Police
morning, arranging for an early afternoon It was reaching the a blackout, no have got in touch to ask
appointment. He was thinking about the
fact that in the previous few weeks he
top chamber of
the heart, but not
matter how what happened and about
the pacemaker. He’s happy
had noticed intermittent split-seconds of
dizziness when he stood up or bent over.
making its way to the
second and bottom
insignificant, to share his story and has
a message, especially for
He hadn’t been too worried about it chambers. He was get to the doctor. men: “Get checked.
because about 15 years earlier he had given a drug to keep Men are bad at seeking
experienced similar dizziness and a doctor his heartbeat at 45 beats per minute. help. If I hadn’t got this checked out, it
told him he was fine and just needed to Although the docs knew what was would have been fatal for me. See your GP
walk a bit more, which he did and the happening to Scott, they didn’t know why. annually for a check, whether you’re feeling
symptoms disappeared. He was relatively young (mid-50s) and fit okay or not. If you ever have a blackout,
This time, however, there was no such and didn’t match the profile of men with no matter how insignificant, get to the
reassurance. A test at the medical centre this condition, who are usually older. But doctor.”
showed that Scott’s pulse was 32 – almost what they did know was that to fix it, he It’s good advice. Heart attacks and other
half the normal rate of 60. needed to have a pacemaker fitted as soon cardiac events do affect apparently fit
He was sent to A&E at Wellington as possible. people. Being alert to any possible warning
Hospital. “They hooked me up and were The procedure was simple, but lifesaving. signs, such as dizziness, tiredness or chest
able to see that, actually, my heartbeat Without it, Scott’s heart would have pain, is important.
must have been in the low 30s for some continued to slow until it could no longer Scott says that, in hindsight, he realises he
time, maybe up to a year. I just hadn’t restart itself. was tired, but he didn’t connect that to his
noticed it, apparently, because my body The flat, oblong pacemaker, about four health. He had a demanding job in covert
was used to it.” centimetres long, was inserted between ops at Wellington CIB for many years
In the ward, he was connected to a heart the chest muscle and the skin, under local and now, thanks to modern medicine,
monitor. His partner, Bridget Robinson, a anaesthetic. It has two wires, one of which he has been able to continue taking on
senior sergeant at Wellington Central, and attaches to the middle chamber of the new challenges and is the acting area
his eldest daughter were at his bedside. heart and the other that goes to the commander for Wairarapa.
“A few hours later, I was sitting up in bed lower chamber. – ELLEN BROOK
16 | APRIL 2018ASK YOUR
AUNTY...
Between She’s firm
but fair
the Lines Dear Aunty
Not wanting to toot my own horn here,
Membership hacks from the but for a long time I’ve been pretty much
invincible, health-wise. That is, until my
Member Services Centre team child started going to daycare. Now, I seem
to be felled by every germ or bug going.
0800 500 122 enquiries@policeassn.org.nz The last time I caught a nasty case of man
flu, it happened to be around Waitangi Day,
so the long weekend was ruined. You’ll be
pleased to know I survived and am back,
fighting the good fight. That was until I
asked Workforce Management (WFM) to
change that statutory holiday to a sick
Call me, maybe? What’s up MSC? leave day, and was shot down in flames.
They say that if you’re sick on a statutory
Wanna chat? We do. A warm welcome to Holly Bowman.
holiday, it’s tough bikkies and the public
Try calling us off-peak. She’ll soon be helping you holiday remains a stat hol. WTF WFM?
out on the phones. Not Iron Man
That’s outside of 12 noon and 2.30pm.
Remember we are here between 8am
#rookie #dreamteam
Dear Not Iron Man
and 5.30pm.
As it turns out, WFM weren’t leading you
down the garden path. Sorry, but if you’re
#offpeakisonfleek sick on a public holiday, the day remains
a public holiday, not to be swapped for
sick leave. This is standard across most
employment contracts and is covered in
the collective agreement under the leave
sections and by section 61A of the Holidays
Act 2003. May I suggest some vitamin C
Look who turned one! supplements for the winter?
The best-looking MSC member,
Weta. Hi Aunty
Our team mascot and Police I’m a sworn member of Police and I have
Dog Training Centre dawg. to be vetted for compliance with the
Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014 (VCA). I’m
Happy birthday, bubs.
fine with the vetting process, but Police
A year of training, laughs, toys, trails say I must supply my home address too.
and puppy dog tales. I don’t see why, as they know where I
work and can contact me any time. It’s
just ridiculous! I’ve never given Police my
#weta_k9 #wetawoo #delta home address as I don’t want my personal
information shared or “misplaced”. Do I
have to give in to their request?
Privacy Concerns
Dear Privacy Concerns
The short answer is yes. The slightly longer
Life admin: tax edition Kids! They grow so fast. answer is: Police has statutory obligations
Tax return looming? Accountant Still paying for your 30-year-old’s to meet vetting requirements under the
needs your tax certificates? Health Plan? VCA. To do that, it needs your home
address so it can cross-check information
For Health Plan and/or house, car, Reckon they are big and ugly enough under the vetting process and be sure it
contents insurance, email us. to pay their way? is vetting the right person. The vetting is
We need to know: They CAN take over their own completed internally by Police, so your
which policies; tax year dates. Health Plan! information is not being passed to an
external agency. The bottom line is, if you
We will email the certificates to you. Contact us and we will sort it out. can’t be vetted, you won’t be deployable.
#sortedin10 #policefamily Email questions for Aunty to
#getitsorted #noworries #continuethelegacy editor@policeassn.org.nz.
APRIL 2018 | 17You can also read
