VOLUME 47 | NUMBER 11 | december 2014
TEAM G20
Kiwi cops take the heat in Brisbane
DIABETES AND POLICING
Meet New Zealand's only type 1
frontline cop
WET BEHIND THE EARS
Water safety for police
CHRISTMAS IN CUSTODY
Working the cells over the
festive season
Contents
2015 wall planner
Police News is the
magazine of the New
Zealand Police
Association, originally
the New Zealand
Police Journal, first
published in 1937.
The 2015 wall planners will be
available from your Association
committee about the second week of
December. Any requests should be
directed to the committee secretary.
Please note, wall planners are
intended to be shared within work
groups, not individuals.
December 2014, Vol. 47, No.11
ISSN 1175-9445
Published by the New Zealand Police
Association
P.O. Box 12344, Willbank House,
Pacific parcels: Christmas packages for
police working overseas, 283
57 Willis St, Wellington 6144
Phone: (04) 496 6800
Kids against crime: Schoolchildren’s
anti-theft poster campaign, 284
Facsmile: (04) 471 1309
Editor: Ellen Brook
Cover story: Kiwi cops at the G20 in
Brisbane, 285
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.policeassn.org.nz
Frontline diabetic: Constable Pete
Simmons tells his story, 286
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
nzpoliceassociation
Twitter: @nzpoliceassn
Printed by City Print Communications,
Wellington.
Opinions expressed are not
necessarily those of the Association.
Natalie Fraser: Our newest field officer
is street smart and law savvy, 291
Hello Pork Pie: Constable Mike Burr
takes on a 3000-kilometre Mini road
challenge, 291
© NZPA Police News must not be
reproduced in part or as a whole
without the formal consent of the
copyright holder – the New Zealand
Police Association.
Up for grabs: How outsourcing is
making inroads into police jobs, 292
SWiFT response: The computer
program that could replace Winscribe,
293
Regulars
From the President 283
Home Loan Package News
290
Iam Keen 296
Most Wanted 298
Copper’s Crossword
298
Flashback299
Keen on Wine Brain Teaser
Christmas in custody: ’Tis the season to
be working, 288
301
301
Sport303
Letters305
Memorial Wall
307
Useful Information
307
Cover: From left, Constable Trevor Huggins
(Waitemata), Constable Aaron Huddlestone
(Waitakere) and Constable Regan Mauheni
(Rotorua), who took part in the New Zealand
Police deployment to Brisbane last month for the
G20 Summit, pictured with an armoured vehicle
used for route security.
VISIT YOUR WEBSITE
Just some of the services on offer
Insurances
One-minute lifestyle security
check
www.policeassn.org.nz/productsservices/insurances/one-minutelifestyle-security-check
Work out how much group life
cover you have (your sum insured can
vary by salary) www.policeassn.org.nz/
products-services/insurances/how-muchlife-insurance-do-you-have-or-need
Holiday homes
Book online or see the wait list
for holiday homes
www.policeassn.org.nz/
products-services/holidayaccommodation
Grants & Benefits
Full Police Welfare Fund
members can apply for a range
of cradle-to-grave benevolent
grants and benefits
http://www.policeassn.org.nz/
support/membership/welfarebenefits-grants
Newsroom
294
Wet behind the ears: Water safety for
police, 294
How much? Calculate your retirement
income, 297
Going somewhere? We welcome a new
travel insurance provider, 299
Conference motions: Decisions and
amendments from the 2014 Annual
Conference, 300
Sick bank leave: Entitlements and draw
down, 301
Visit our online newsroom
for media releases, upcoming
events and our Police News
digital archive
Member Discounts
Police Association members are
entitled to discounts with a wide
range of retailers
www.policeassn.org.nz/productsservices/member-discounts
Lending & Financial Services
Police Home Loans and Police
Financial Planning that can
benefit you
www.policeassn.org.nz/productsservices/lending-finances
Those wishing not to receive a personal copy of Police News should contact the editor ([email protected]) to be removed from the distribution list.
282
december 2014
police news – the voice of police
News/views
Another year comes to an end, and it’s a
good time to reflect on the policing year.
Thanks to a badly redacted Justice
briefing to their incoming Minister, we
now know for sure what we all figured out
long ago to be true — the sector is seriously
underfunded and without some serious
investment is in danger of a major service
failure.
I wonder what the redacted parts of the
Police briefing say. No doubt it repeats the
mantra of an “archaic collective contract”
in need of updating. That has been the
political mantra lately, but just because
something is repeated often enough, it
doesn’t make it true.
I just hope that those who believe it to
be true went to the G20 in Queensland
and realised that, compared with pay and
contract agreements there, ours is a very
flexible and workable document.
The mantra here has been initiated for
one reason — to soften everyone up for
next year’s pay negotiations.
When challenged by us, those who
describe our conditions as archaic answer
that “it just is”. We also ask just what is not
able to be done because of it, and, again,
facts and examples are scarce.
In my role as chairman of the
International Council of Police
Representative Associations (ICPRA), I
get to compare police jurisdictions around
the world, and consider New Zealand to be
more efficient and flexible than any other
I have seen. At a ratio of one police officer
to more than 500 people, and equally
poor non-sworn ratios, New Zealand gets
excellent value for money.
However, using the very blunt and
variable tool of recorded crime as an
excuse, the investment in Police, especially
people, is diminishing as shown in the
Justice report.
Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait for
a late-1990s-type service failure before the
Government realises what good value it was
getting before it stopped investing.
Here’s also hoping that those allocating
the Police budgets for 2015, especially
the bits relating to people, will feel some
yuletide spirit and ignore the “bahhumbug-ers” who would like to steal the
food from the mouths of the babes who are
the next generation of police.
That’s next year’s battle; in the meantime,
on behalf of us all at the Police Association,
have a great festive season and enjoy the
time with family that work permits.
[email protected]
Thanks Michelle…
Police Welfare Fund executive assistant Michelle Trezise-Pohatu spent time in
October packing 26 Christmas goodie boxes for Police Association members
stationed in the Pacific. The boxes, which contain Kiwi treats and other useful
items, were delivered in time for Christmas to staff in Bougainville, the Solomon
Islands, Vanuatu and one to Police’s remotest deployment, Pitcairn Island, 5300
kilometres away, where Sergeant Craig Arvidson is the sole police officer. This is
the second year the Association has delivered its Christmas boxes to staff in the
Pacific.
All the best to all of you
from all of us
The management, directors and staff of the Police Association
and its subsidiaries extend to all readers, members, retired
members and their families our best wishes for a safe and
prosperous Christmas and New Year.
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
december 2014
283
News/views
Kids against crime
Police education officer Constable
Duncan Ashton had his hands full with
eight excited schoolchildren on a trip to
the Police College last month. The pupils
were winners in a primary school poster
competition organised as part of a Police
anti-theft campaign.
After hearing from Duncan on what
types of thefts can occur and where, and
what can be done to be aware of theft and
to prevent it, the kids were inspired to
create their own public service poster art.
The winning poster, by Anu Vyas,
from St Anne’s School in Newtown,
reminded people to “Call 111 for any
emergencies” and to “Always remember
to keep your stuff safe, including your
identity”. Another poster commanded:
“Stop. Think . . . Does that belong to
you? If the answer is no, leave whatever
it is… Walk away. Stay away… and move
on with life!”
The best posters were pinned up in the
Wellington Central Police Station watch
house and the kids who made them got
to choose some friends to accompany
them on a visit to the Police College.
Duncan said the poster challenge was
a great way of getting pupils thinking
about the consequence of theft and that
a thief may not be caught the first time,
but eventually he or she will be found
out.
Highlights of the day out were the
Police Museum, a tour of the college and
a swim in the college pool.
Front row, from left: Rae Nakanosono Kensington and her sister
Rika (Year 6 and Year 4, Newtown School); Caitlin Kelly and
Elsie McAlpine (Year 5, Mount Cook School); back row from
left, Zak Hassen, Bianca Petelo, Anu Vyas and Samir Shemon
(Year 8, St Anne’s School), with Constable Duncan Ashton at
the Police College.
Special accommodation offer for members visiting
Wellington over the Christmas holiday period
Come to the capital and take advantage of the
great accommodation rate we have negotiated for
our members.
Stay in comfort and style at the West Plaza Hotel and the Bay Plaza Hotel,
which have once again offered their “Special Summer” room rates to members
of the New Zealand Police Association/Welfare Fund and their families.
Special Summer Room Rate
$75 per room, per night standard room double or twin configuration. All rates
quoted are GST inclusive.
For reservations contact:
West Plaza Hotel
110 Wakefield Street, Wellington
Freephone: 0800 731 444
Phone:
04 473 1440
Fax:
04 474 1454
Email:[email protected]
West Plaza Hotel validity – December 19, 2014, to January 31, 2015
Bay Plaza Hotel validity – December 19, 2014, to January 31, 2015
Booking reference: POL/SUMMER/14-15
Conditions: All rooms requested are subject to availability. Reservations must be
made prior to arrival.
Please note, this rate is not available outside the valid dates.
284
december 2014
The Bay Plaza Hotel
40 Oriental Parade, Wellington
Freephone: 0800 857 779
Phone:
04 385 7799
Fax:
04 385 2936
Email: [email protected]
police news – the voice of police
News/views
Taking the heat in Brisbane
Despite intense heat, long shifts, heavy SRBAs and intermittent meal times, the 212 Kiwi
cops who went to Brisbane last month to help police the G20 Summit of world leaders
appear to have impressed not only their commanders but the locals.
Inspector Gary Allcock, who was involved
in supporting route security, said the
deployment was “fantastic” and a great
experience, including seeing the logistics of
such a large event.
The actual summit was only two days
(November 15-16), but police were
involved with security and planning for
nearly two weeks, with most staff on duty
for about eight days.
Although it was “unbelievably hot”, staff
were resilient and careful about looking
after themselves, keeping hydrated and
finding shade as they provided security
along routes to and from the airport,
conference venues and hotels.
Inspector Allcock was working with the
AM shift, which kicked off about 4am each
day. There were up to 80 New Zealanders
on each route shift, with others working
with the DPS and the motorcades.
Inspector Allcock said he was incredibly
proud of the way the New Zealand officers
did their jobs, including engaging with
the public and “showing our community
focused style of policing”. He said some
members of the public seemed taken aback
that a police officer was talking to them.
The summit ended without any major
incidents. There were a few small protests
from indigenous groups, but generally it
was peaceful. The word was that the heat
drove the protesters to the pub instead.
It was quite a contrast to the last G20 in
Canada when riots broke out and protesters
vandalised shops and clashed with police.
More than 70 officers were injured.
Queensland Police, which led the
operation in Brisbane, asked for New
Zealand Police’s help with security.
Assistant Police Commissioner Response
and Operations Mike Rusbatch said New
Zealand Police welcomed the opportunity
to provide support, particularly as it
allowed Police to reciprocate for the
support shown by Australian officers after
the Christchurch earthquakes.
When the Australians came to
Christchurch, they had to leave their
sidearms at home, which many said at the
time made them feel uncomfortable.
When the Kiwi contingent arrived in
Brisbane they were issued with Glock
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
Inspector Gary Allcock (fourth from left) with Assistant Commissioner Mike Rusbatch and some of the AM
route security team in Brisbane, including Australian police officers.
There were a few small
protests from indigenous
groups, but generally it
was peaceful. The word
was that the heat drove
the protesters to the pub
instead.
sidearms, OC spray and batons, all of which
had been shipped over from New Zealand.
They also received Aussie-style caps to wear
with their New Zealand uniforms.
So, as part of the deployment, they
got to know what it feels like to be fully
armed. Reactions varied from “really
uncomfortable, digging in when you sit
down and getting caught on the arms of
chairs” to “you get used to them in a very
short space of time and hardly notice they
are there”.
The Australian police officers were not
required to wear their SRBAs in the 30-plus
degree Celsius heat, but the Kiwi officers
were wedded to theirs until, eventually,
following repeated Police Association
intervention, staff were advised that they
could take them off if they wanted to.
Unfortunately, this decision came partway
through the second to last day of the
deployment.
Lower Hutt Constable Craig Cloutman
was assigned to the motorcade as a
“comms” officer riding in the front
passenger seat of the “block car” and
keeping contact with the pilot car and the
tail car.
He was working nights, and in an airconditioned vehicle, so he escaped the worst
of the heat. They were involved in escorting
the German contingent between hotels.
It was, he said, a once-in-a-career
opportunity and an “eye-opener” to see
how it was run, especially being part of the
motorcade team.
“We were all stoked to be there. I loved it.
I met cops from all around Australia. They
were really welcoming and made us feel
part of the team,” he said.
The Kiwi contingent did have one
challenge (faced by the Australians too)
– for many, the food was a bit spartan,
consisting mainly of defrosted, and not so
defrosted, chicken sandwiches.
The on-duty “meals” were little more
than snacks and some days they didn’t turn
up at all, or ran out, leaving on-duty officers
to source their own food from nearby
shops, if they could.
december 2014
285
News/views
New Zealand’s only current type 1 diabetic frontline officer
talks to Kelly Quill about managing his condition on the job.
B
eing diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic
came as a huge shock to Constable
Pete Simmons.
Normally fit and healthy, the 40-yearold Tauranga officer's health deteriorated
over just four weeks. He lost weight, was
guzzling up to five litres of water each day,
was unable to read number plates and felt
exhausted. Fortunately, his father-in-law,
an endocrinologist, recognised these as
classic symptoms of diabetes and on August
21, 2009, Pete was diagnosed as a type 1
diabetic.
“That was a sobering day,” Pete says.
He is now the only type 1 diabetic known
to be on the frontline in the New Zealand
Police. One other officer was diagnosed
with type 1 diabetes, but left Police soon
after. Pete’s ongoing employment has set a
precedent for Police. Traditionally, riskaverse police departments worldwide have
automatically refused diabetics. In New
Zealand, diabetics can apply to become
police officers, but they are highly unlikely
to pass the medical requirements.
However, attitudes may be changing to
this serious health issue as police recruiters
overseas increasingly consider individual
applicants on their merits.
Diabetes has been dubbed New Zealand’s
silent epidemic. More than 225,000 New
Zealanders are known to have type 1 or type
2 diabetes, and as many as 100,000 more
may be undiagnosed. The Ministry of Health
estimates that by 2020, diabetes care in New
Zealand is likely to cost $1 billion a year.
The disease occurs when the body stops
making enough insulin to keep blood
glucose (sugar) levels in the normal range.
In type 1 diabetes (also called insulindependent diabetes mellitus), the body’s
immune system destroys the pancreatic
cells that make insulin, which is the
hormone that regulates the blood glucose
levels. It usually happens when people are
children or young adults, though onset
can occur at any age, as with Pete. The
condition is managed by insulin injection
or an insulin pump.
Type 2 diabetes usually starts in
adulthood and can be linked to diet and
286
december 2014
lifestyle. Ninety per cent of diabetics in
New Zealand have this type. It can be
managed with diet and exercise, but insulin
may eventually be required.
The brain needs an adequate supply
of glucose to function properly and
the demands of frontline policing
are no exception. Officers experience
unpredictable meal schedules, brief periods
of maximal physical exertion and highspeed pursuit driving, long periods of
concentration and attention to detail and
rapid decision-making regarding the use of
deadly force.
I
t is important for type 1 and insulintreated type 2 diabetics to control their
blood glucose levels, otherwise they are
more likely to experience hypoglycaemia,
or low blood glucose levels, which can
lead to confusion, mood changes and
drowsiness. Untreated, high blood glucose
levels (hyperglycaemia) can cause a range
of health problems in the longer term.
Following his diagnosis, Pete was on
light duties for 4½ years while he learnt
to control his condition and while the
department considered whether he would
be able to return to the frontline.
The wait was frustrating at times, Pete
says, but he understood the challenges from
the department’s point of view, which is
why he never really objected to the time
Constable Pete Simmons was diagnosed with
type 1 diabetes in 2009. “The number of people
diagnosed is on the rise in New Zealand and the
reality is, more and more people within Police will
be getting it.”
POLICING AND DIABETES
Worldwide, police departments have
their own policies on hiring type 1
diabetics. In 2006, the first type 1
diabetic police officers were recruited
in Britain and British Colombia, Canada.
In Britain, the National Police Diabetic
Association, formed in 2008, has more
than 200 frontline officers from across
the 48 police forces in England and
Wales.
Recently released study results published
in the international Occupational and
Environmental Medicine journal reported
that shift workers, especially those with
constantly changing and night shifts,
were more likely than non-shift workers
to develop type 2 diabetes. Men are
most at risk. The authors speculated that
rotating shifts made it harder for people
to adjust to a regular sleep-wake cycle,
and some research showed that a lack
of sleep, or poor quality sleep, could
prompt or worsen insulin resistance.
Don Smart, Police national co-ordinator
wellness and safety, agrees that shift
work creates challenges for staff in terms
of health and wellbeing. “Adherence to a
strict sleep recovery period is essential,
as is the control of good healthy food
and the intake of caffeine.”
police news – the voice of police
News/views
knowledge and for the advice of a mate
who had had diabetes since childhood. “He
said, ‘The best way to deal with this crappy
disease is to get fit’.”
A
taken, and instead used it to focus on
proving he had control of his condition.
“It’s a disease where you are completely
reliant on the person managing it well,” he
says. “One medical incident while on the
job could be the perfect opportunity for the
department to set a precedent of not having
diabetics on the frontline.”
However, with limited knowledge of
the disease and no other known type 1
diabetics within Police, Pete found little
in the way of support, which was difficult
when he was trying to figure out what the
diagnosis meant for his job.
He was glad for his family’s medical
• At least 225,000 New Zealanders
have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Up to 100,000 more may be
undiagnosed.
• Seventy per cent of diabetics
are European, but, relative to
population, Maori and Pacific
Islanders are three times more
likely to be diagnosed. Prevalence
is also high among South Asian
populations.
• The Ministry of Health estimates
that diabetes care in New Zealand
will cost $1 billion a year by 2020.
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
lready reasonably fit, Pete has
found that a simple routine of
running and mountain biking has
been easily worked around having a young
family and a wife who does shift work. “I
don’t go out there and run a long way, and
I don’t go fast. But I do it consistently, and
that’s really helped.”
As a result, other than having “man flu”
and looking after sick kids, Pete hasn’t had a
sick day since the time he took off when he
first learnt he had diabetes five years ago.
Having successfully managed his
condition without incident, Pete was
pleased to be able to return to the frontline
in April this year.
It had been so long they needed to do
something, he says. “It just got to a point
where it was at risk of becoming an
employment issue.” Working in road
policing, he drives for hours at a time on
his own, is an urgent duty driver, is Taser
and firearms trained and has access to
firearms in his car. “They’ve placed a huge
amount of trust in me,” he says.
In return, Police requires him to visit
a diabetic specialist every year, a diabetic
nurse three times a year, a GP twice a year
and have his eyes checked every two years,
and his medical records are available to
the department. He has the same PCT
requirements, which he says he doesn’t find
challenging, as other officers his age.
He injects insulin three times a day and
checks his blood glucose levels regularly.
His 7-4-7-3 roster allows him to maintain
his fitness routine and have regular meal
times. And everywhere Pete goes, so too
does a bag of jelly beans to give him an
instant sugar boost when needed. “They’re
my ‘go to’ food,” he says. “I carry some
with me in my vest and always have a bag
somewhere handy in the car.”
Overall, he says, he’s found the
department quite good, but he believes that
more needs to be learnt about diabetes.
“The number of people diagnosed is on
the rise in New Zealand and the reality is,
more and more people within Police will
be getting it. They’ve got to be a bit more
understanding about what the disease is.”
Despite his condition, Pete considers
himself fortunate. It’s not cancer, he says,
and though it requires firm management,
it’s well within his control.
“As someone in my 40s, I’ve done all the
partying. I’m mature enough to really learn
and understand what diabetes is. I’ve seen
the wards of people who’ve lost limbs and
are suffering from complications, so I know
what it can mean if you don’t manage it
well.
“It would be so much harder for a
younger person to make the right choices
for their health, especially around food,
drink and exercise. Just accepting that
diabetes is part of my life now has also
proven to be a powerful tool. Things are
good now.”
• Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or
juvenile onset diabetes) is an autoimmune condition in
which the body’s immune system destroys the beta cells of
the pancreas, the only cells in the body that make insulin,
the hormone that regulates the body’s blood glucose level.
It most often starts when people are children or young
adults, although disease onset can occur at any age. Type 1
diabetes is managed by insulin injection or insulin pump.
• Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas starts to
become inefficient and either doesn’t produce enough
insulin to regulate glucose levels or the insulin doesn’t
work properly. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90 per
cent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. It often begins in
adulthood and can be linked to poor diet and lifestyle.
december 2014
287
News/views
IN BRIEF
Aron gets his app
With the launch of the Police
Association’s free smartphone
app, members can now keep
up to date with products
and services and get advice
when and where they need it.
Counties Manukau police officer
Constable Aron Singh, above,
suggested a few years ago that
an app would be a good idea,
so he was pleased to be able
to load the app on to his phone
last month.
“It was easy to access, userfriendly and I was able to work
my way through it without any
problems,” Aron said. “I had to
upgrade my phone to access the
app, but I didn’t have any issues
with that.”
He said it was handy to be
able to access his accounts,
Holiday Home information and
read the latest news while he
was “out and about”. “Overall,
it’s a great app and I’m happy
to have that information on my
iPhone.”
The app is free to download
and is available for iPhone and
Android smartphones. You can
find out more about the app,
along with Q&As and links for
downloading on our website,
www.policeassn.org.nz.
SOFT ON CRIME
Look who’s back in time for
Christmas. It’s the popular
police dog soft toy, as cuddly
and cute as ever. Email the
Munro Canteen at the Police
College, munrosports@xtra.
co.nz, to place your order: $25
each, plus $7 courier fee.
288
december 2014
Over the Christmas and New Year holidays, the custody
suites of the country’s police stations deliver a mixed bag of
seasonal strife and cheer for the staff who are on duty.
Christmas in custody
I
t’s no one’s idea of fun to be
mopping up after the worst
of someone else’s excesses on
Christmas Day when you know
that the rest of your family and
friends are at home, or the bach,
enjoying themselves.
“Working in the cells, dealing
with the people we do, can be a
grim job,” says Senior Sergeant
Scott Rees, until recently the OC
of Auckland Central’s custody
unit.
“They are definitely shit
angels, not snow angels,” he says
of some of the people who end
up in the care of police over
Christmas and New Year. “We’re
constantly cleaning up blood,
vomit, urine and faeces.”
It’s all part of the job for the
supervisors and authorised
officers in the custody suites.
Auckland Central’s cells are
often the busiest in the country,
with up to 12,000 people a year
processed through them.
Christmas Day usually starts
off quietly, Scott says, “but
by about 2pm, families have
usually had enough of each
other and we start to see some
domestic violence cases came
in”.
Sergeant Andy Guy and authorised officer Kirsty Leatham (off duty) at the
Wellington Central Police Station cells. There will be no special treatment for
anyone locked up on Christmas Day, says Andy, but staff are likely to enjoy
some home baking.
Often, it’s separated families
who don’t normally spend
time together but get together
once a year for the kids or the
grandkids, he says. “Once the
revelry sets in, the niggles start
to come up, and often events
from decades or years ago are
brought up.”
The result can be a call to
police and someone ends
up behind bars. And if it’s
Christmas Day, the stay in
custody could well be longer
because the courts are not
operating. It’s the same story
in the other main centres.
In Wellington, custody unit
supervisor Sergeant Andy
Guy says prisoners can get
quite “needy” over this period.
“There’s no one with them and
it’s Christmas. They may be
stuck in the cells for a couple of
days waiting for the courts to
start up again.”
No one likes waking up in
a cell on Christmas Day, he
says. With the demon drink the
culprit behind many arrests,
some people don’t even know
how they got there. There can be
tears and a lot of moaning.
There’s certainly no special
treatment for prisoners on the
day. You wouldn’t know it was
police news – the voice of police
News/views
Christmas down in the lock ups.
But in the watch house at least,
there are decorations and some
good cheer.
“There’s usually a lot of
baking comes into the watch
house over the festive season,”
says authorised officer Kirsty
Leatham, who works in the
Wellington custody unit. “It’s
nice to have something a bit
special with your ‘second
family’,” she says, referring to her
colleagues. Previously employed
in comms, she’s been working
in the custody unit for about 18
months, working her way up to
applying for Police College.
The custody suite is the
perfect environment for
“learning to speak to alternative
types of people”, she says.
She has noticed that more
people with mental health issues
seem to end up the cells at
Christmas, possibly because of
difficult family situations.
A
uthorised officer Jeremy
Foster, who works at
Auckland Central, and
is also hoping to become a
sworn officer, agrees that the
custody suite is a good place to
“learn how to talk to people”,
particularly those with mental
health problems, who can be
very unpredictable. “You have to
sit with them to make sure they
won’t harm themselves. While
unpleasant, it’s also sad.”
He’s used to being threatened
– “you take it with a grain of
salt” – and dealing with people
who “wouldn’t think twice
about spitting at you, knowing
that they have got hepatitis C”.
Despite the abuse, he usually
puts his hand up to work at New
Year, rather than go out partying.
“My whole view on drinking
has changed since working in
the cells,” he says. He prefers to
work and save money and have a
laugh with his workmates.
Last New Year’s Eve, he
recalls, it was quiet right up till
midnight, but five minutes later
they were inundated “and it
didn’t stop till 8am”. However,
he says, none of that compares
to Auckland’s Christmas in the
Park, the annual outdoor music
and entertainment concert at the
Domain.
“That’s the worst night of the
year to work in the city. We’ll
often have queues of people
waiting to be brought in. Most of
it is alcohol related and robberies
and most of the people are
juveniles.”
Overall, the main centres
are not too bad during the
Christmas and New Year period.
Many people have left town.
It’s the popular holiday spots
that bear the brunt of festive
mayhem. In Coromandel, up
to 100 extra staff are called in
from Auckland and Waikato to
manage the holiday hotspots of
Whangamata and Whitianga,
both of which go from a regular
population of 4000 to around
20,000.
Ten years ago, to cope
with this population bubble
of trouble, the Whangamata
custody suite was redesigned to
accommodate up to 50 people.
In Whitianga, which has only
one permanent cell, a marquee
is erected each December at the
back of the police station and
“cages” are constructed out of
temporary fencing. Those that
find themselves under canvas
No one likes waking up in a police
cell on Christmas morning and some
prisoners get very “needy” when
they realise they will be there for the
duration until the courts reopen.
“My whole view
on drinking has
changed since
working in the
cells.”
– Authorised officer Jeremy
Foster, Auckland Central
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
have to take turns at being
taken to the single toilet in the
permanent cell.
Thames area response
manager Senior Sergeant
Graham Shields says that in
recent years, the Whangamata
community had become
so annoyed with all the
drunkenness, they set up the
Whangamata Summer Festival
focused on family events and
designed to discourage “boy
racers and bogans”.
It seems to be working, he
says, with New Year’s Eve arrests
now down to about 250 from
around 800 in previous years.
The new liquor laws are also
playing their part all over the
country. Early closing and
instant fines for drunkenness
have definitely made a
difference, says Andy Guy
in Wellington. “Some people
actually don’t mind spending a
night in the cells, but they really
don’t want to pay a fine.”
T
he scale of Christmas
excess can run from
domestic spats to public
riots. In 2010, Christchurch’s
Santa Parade turned ugly when
a 15-year-old boy was stabbed
and a police officer was hit in the
face while trying to stop a fight.
Police spent much of their time
at the “family” event tipping out
alcohol and arresting people.
In 2005, Auckland police saw
red when 40 drunken Santas
went on a rampage through the
central city, stealing from shops
and assaulting security guards.
The staged disorder was linked
to “Santarchy”, an international
movement against the
commercialisation of Christmas.
Some of the protesters were
arrested but, as Senior Sergeant
Matt Rogers said at the time,
“With a number of people
dressed in the same outfit, it
was difficult for any witnesses to
confirm the identity of who was
doing what.”
Whatever goodies or baddies
are delivered to the country’s
custody suites this festive season,
we know the staff will certainly
have earned their Christmas
dinners when they finish their
shifts.
IN BRIEF
UNKNOWN RISK
Last month, a lone, unarmed
police sergeant had to barricade
the doors of a church to protect
himself and several other people
from a machete-wielding attacker.
The incident, on November 16 in
Auckland, was a classic case of
what Police Association President
Greg O’Connor calls “unknown
risk”. Police were called to the
church because two people had
received injuries. It was believed
that those responsible had left the
scene. A sole ambulance officer
had also been called to treat
the injured and while this was
happening, a group of men, one
armed with a machete, returned
to the scene threatening to kill
the officer and the people in the
church. The officer barricaded the
church while the men attacked the
door and windows trying to get
in. The men eventually ran from
the scene when they heard the
sirens of police cars. Mr O’Connor
said: “We have been predicting
officers and the public will die
or be seriously injured because
the ultimate means of protection
is locked in a car, metres away.
Waitakere Hospital and now
this incident, interspersed with
other examples, show the sad
inevitability of that prediction
coming true.”
ARMED AGAINST TERROR
A high terror alert in Norway, with
police identified as key targets,
has led to all officers being armed
on a temporary basis. Like New
Zealand, Norwegian police have
historically been unarmed, but
that is changing. Following a
request from the state director
of police, the government agreed
that officers could be armed
fulltime if individual police
districts deemed it necessary.
The measure was introduced in
late November for four weeks, to
be reviewed after that.
VIRGINITY TEST ANGER
The International Council of Police
Representative Associations
(ICPRA), chaired by Association
President Greg O’Connor,
has expressed outrage over
“degrading and inhumane”
virginity tests on female police
cadets in Indonesia. The
National Police of Indonesia
confirmed last month that women
doctors perform a “two-finger
examination” to “ensure female
cadets lived up to high moral
standards”. Human rights groups
have condemned the longstanding practice and women
cadets said the examinations left
them traumatised and in pain.
december 2014
289
Police Home Loan Package News
Home renovations – insane or inspired?
It can be a long road finding the perfect home. Perhaps that’s why renovation is so much a
part of our national character. We just love DIY – and the recent spate of renovation shows
on TV have only made it more popular. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?
The big attraction is that by renovating, you’ll get closer
to the home you want – without the hassle of building
from scratch. And if you enjoy using your creative side, it
can be a lot of fun.
location is a big factor in real estate prices – so think twice
before building an amazing mansion in a less desirable
suburb.
On the other hand, renovating has some unique
challenges. Because you’re starting with an existing
structure, you don’t always know what problems you
might find until you’ve started the work, so your best laid
plans may need to change along the way.
The amount you can borrow for renovations will depend
on a number of things, including the equity you have
available in your home and the income you have available
for the regular payments.
You may also need to be flexible with your budget.
Renovations can be large, complex projects. Things could
go wrong, and cost overruns are not uncommon.
Renovation projects can also take longer than you
expect.
As with most things, the key is to go into it with your eyes
open. Don’t expect it to always go smoothly, and don’t
expect to always stick within your budget. That way,
you’ll be ready for whatever happens – and if everything
does go perfectly to plan, it’s a nice bonus. And
remember, if you end up with the home you want, any
hassles will soon be forgotten.
Financing your renovation
For bigger renovations, you may need to get a valuer to
look at your plans and give you their assessment of what
the home will be worth once the renovations have been
done.
If you’re thinking about renovations, big or small, talk to
ANZ. The ANZ Police Home Loan Package offers special
discounts on standard home loan interest rates, plus
other banking benefits. We can also provide information
and help you through the renovation process. To find out
more, simply contact ANZ’s Police Home Loan Package
team on 0800 722 524 or visit your nearest ANZ branch.
If you are thinking about spending your time this summer
renovating, here’s an important tip – don’t overcapitalise.
It’s easy to get carried away and spend a lot of money on
doing up your home. But unless you’re planning to live in
it for the rest of your life, be careful not to spend more
than you’re likely to get back when you sell. For example,
The Police Home Loan Package (anz@work Elite Package) details are subject to change. Package discounts do not apply to other ANZ campaigns or special offers. ANZ’s eligibility and lending criteria,
terms, conditions and fees apply. A copy of our terms, conditions and fees are available at anz.co.nz or at any ANZ branch. This material is provided as a complimentary service of ANZ. It is prepared based
on information and sources ANZ believes to be reliable. Its content is for information purpose only, is subject to change and is not a substitute for commercial judgment or professional advice, which
should be sought prior to acting in reliance on it. To the extent permitted by law, ANZ disclaims liability or responsibility to any person for any direct or indirect loss or damage that may result from any act
or omissions by any person in relation to the material.
ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited.
290
december 2014
Buying a new home or refinancing can be an expensive
process. We aim to make it easier on Police Welfare
Fund members’ pockets. So for the time being those
drawing down a new Police Home Loan will be eligible
for six months free home insurance through the Welfare
Fund’s Police Fire & General Insurance*.
For more
information or
to apply for the
Police Home
Loan Package
visit
www.policeassn.org.nz
Members eligible for the free cover should contact
our Member Services Team on 0800 500 122.
You will need a copy of your loan document
from ANZ.
*Police Fire & General Insurance will be subject to the standard
underwriting terms and conditions and is provided through the
Police Welfare Fund not by ANZ. Members are eligible for one
period of six months free Police Fire & General Home Insurance
premium only, per member, regardless of the term of Police Home
Loan taken. Police Fire & General Insurance is underwritten by
Lumley General Insurance (NZ) Limited.
police news – the voice of police
News/views
From OFCANZ to field officer
The Association’s new field officer brings legal and policing nous to the job.
When Natalie Fraser (pictured) was a
practising lawyer in Auckland, she would
often hear cop cars racing up and down
the street near her office and think, “That
sounds exciting”. In fact, she knew she had
really wanted to be a police officer, but
she believed she was “too blind and not fit
enough”.
Later, when a colleague announced she
was quitting law to pursue her dream of
becoming a teacher, Natalie confessed that
she too had always imagined herself in a
different career. Her friend gave her some
advice: get eye surgery and join the gym.
Natalie took note and at 30 years old,
after having laser eye treatment and passing
the physical test (“just!”), she left her
career as an employment lawyer and family
solicitor and went to Police College in
September 2006.
Originally from Hamilton, but a longtime resident in Auckland, Natalie was
posted to Mt Wellington in 2007. Over
the next eight years, she worked her
way through a range of roles and police
professional development programmes.
In 2007 she was working the beat section
in Newmarket; then it was back to Mt
Wellington to join the tactical crime unit as
an investigator. From there she spent time as
a uniform attachment, then trainee detective,
with the Glen
Innes CIB from
2009 to 2011. A
highlight of her
work there was as
the file manager
for Operation
Keppel (the
Carmen Thomas
homicide case).
In 2011, she
joined OFCANZ
(Organised and Financial Crime Agency
New Zealand). It was the perfect niche
for the lawyer turned detective, where
she could bring her investigative and
organisational skills and legal background
to bear on complex multi-agency fraud and
drug cases and crime-related legislation.
Last year, Natalie was seconded for a
period to the Transnational and Organised
Crime Policy Group at Police National
Headquarters where she was able to identify
legislation that needed strengthening to
target gangs and organised crime groups.
Now, Natalie has become the
Association’s eighth field officer in a newly
created position covering Auckland City
police district, including North Comms.
She says she wasn’t particularly looking
for a change, or to leave Police, but when
the field officer role came up this year
she realised it would be good mix of her
two interests – the police family and
employment law. “It combines the two and
I’ll be back working in my original district
[Central Auckland].”
Although she never had cause to call on
the services of a field officer during her
time with Police, Natalie says she knows
plenty of people who have and coming
from a policing background gives her an
“appreciation of the realities of a police
person’s life”.
Natalie lives in Manukau with her police
officer husband, Senior Sergeant Marcus
Chawner (Practice Leader, Northern –
Training Service Centre). The couple own a
boat and enjoy fishing in the Hauraki Gulf
and Auckland Harbour.
The new Auckland City field officer
position will cover not only increased
demand for industrial representation there,
but also the services and benefits offered by
the Police Welfare Fund and Credit Union.
Field officer Steve Hawkins remains as
the Northland/Waitakere field officer and
Stew Mills will concentrate on Counties
Manukau police district.
Natalie’s contact details: ph 027 268 9423,
email [email protected].
Hello Pork Pie
Rotorua road policing Constable Mike Burr
has set himself a charity road challenge that
could get him in trouble with the cops!
Mike and his partner, Barbara Moyes,
have entered the 2015 Pork Pie Charity
Run, which recreates the six-day,
3000-kilometre road trip from the 1981
Kiwi classic film Goodbye Pork Pie. In the
film, the bright yellow Mini, dubbed Pork
Pie, and its two anti-heroes travel from
Kaitaia to Invercargill, all arriving the worse
for wear with the law hot on their tail.
Mike hopes the doors of his restored 1980
Mini LE won’t be ripped off, as happened
in the film, but he is not expecting a totally
smooth ride. It will be six “bum-numbing
days”, although hopefully there will be no
run-ins with fellow officers, he says. He and
Barbara (chief navigator and helpmate) and
59 other teams of two are taking part in the
event, which raises money for the charity
KidsCan that helps disadvantaged New
Zealand children.
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
Mike says that, as far as he knows, he is
the first police officer to enter the event,
which has been running every second year
for six years. There was, however, a certain
inevitability about his decision to take part.
Thirty-four years ago, young Mike Burr
saw Goodbye Pork Pie at the Taupo Starlight
picture theatre where the actual Mini from
movie was on display and he was smitten.
It was the start of a serious Mini crush,
and he’s seen the film quite a few times. He
went on to own four Minis when he was
younger, and now owns five. Last month, he
was elected president of the Rotorua Mini
Car Club. The Mini LE that’s set for the
charity run was bought four years ago and
restoration began about two years ago. Now
that the car has been certified (Mike admits
the motor is a “bit hotter” than the standard
Mini), he and Barbara are taking it on test
runs in preparation for the long ride at
Easter next year.
The run passes through the same towns
Mike Burr and Barbara Moyes with their 1980 Mini LE.
and cities as in the movie, and if any area
would like to support the cause as Mike
and Barbara travel through, contact Mike
([email protected]) for details.
Hailing from Rotorua, Mike and Barbara
have dubbed themselves “Team Rotovegas”.
For more information on the event and to
support the cause, visit these websites:
givealittle.co.nz/cause/Teamrotovegas;
porkpie.co.nz; kidscan.org.nz.
december 2014
291
News/views
Building a case against outsourcing
As “policing reforms”
continue worldwide, senior
police executives in Australia
are looking to Britain and
Canada for inspiration, which
is where outsourcing is
making significant inroads
into police jobs.
Police Federation of Australia (PFA)
president Vince Kelly told the Police
Association’s Annual Conference in October
that the interest being shown in outsourcing
was hugely concerning for Australia and
New Zealand. Policing as a profession was
in danger of being taken over by individuals
and companies acting without accountability
or regulations to govern them.
Mr Kelly said a recent paper
commissioned by the Australian Security
Industry Association, which represents
about 3185 companies with 170,000
employees, concluded that as far as
outsourcing of policing activities was
concerned, “everything was up for grabs”.
England’s Lincolnshire police district was
often put up as an example to Australian
state governments and police commissioners
of how police business should be done,
Mr Kelly said. As part of a 10-year deal
signed in 2011, private security firm G4S
now provided almost all of Lincolnshire
Police’s corporate services, including
communications, prisoner transport and
custody suite and watch house duties.
In Canada, private police now
outnumbered public police three to one, Mr
Kelly said. Private police provide services
only to those who could pay. “A user-pays
model doesn’t take into consideration that
often it is those who can’t afford to pay that
need the assistance most,” Mr Kelly said.
“Private police also don’t have police powers
or regulations to govern them and lack
effective accountability measures.”
Although there was scope for some
police functions to be done by civilians,
privatisation as a cost-cutting measure
was not the answer, Mr Kelly said. “Private
organisations are interested in little more
than the easy money-making jobs, such as
prisoner transfers and communications, and
have little interest in the tough aspects of
policing.”
Already some of these private companies
had been found making mistakes. In Britain
292
december 2014
Police Federation of
Australia president
Vince Kelly told
delegates to the
Police Association
Annual Conference
that outsourcing was
one of the biggest
concerns for the
future of policing
worldwide.
Mr Kelly stood down as president of
the Police Federation of Australia
last month and also announced that
he would not seek re-election as
president of the Northern Territory
Police Association. He has been in
the NTPA position for 14 years and
a member of the executive for 20
years. “It really is time for someone
else to have a go,” he said.
there had been allegations of overcharging
for services and under-delivering on
promises, he said. In the private security
industry, continued allegations of fraud,
misreporting and overbilling were damaging
its reputation.
Part of the problem, Mr Kelly said, was
that “while Police have lots of transferrable
skills, the fact is, when it comes to
negotiating these multimillion-dollar
contracts with large private companies,
they’re often selling themselves and their
forces short and they’re making a mess of
things”.
Meanwhile, England and Wales had lost
more than 16,000 officers since 2009 and in
one year alone lost 2.6 per cent of its total
sworn force, Mr Kelly said. Survey results
released this year showed that morale in
those police forces was low. “While 79 per
cent of the 13,000 sworn officers surveyed
considered policing a vocation rather than a
job, 39 per cent said they wouldn’t choose to
join police if they were just starting out now
because of the lack of support and funding
cuts.”
Professionalisation
Professionalisation (professional
registration of police) could help counter
outsourcing, Mr Kelly said. The issue,
which had been debated in Australia over
the past 25 years, was now experiencing
forward momentum. It could “provide
tangible recognition of the skills police
officers have that would ultimately give
them licence to practice in any jurisdiction
throughout Australia”.
Towards that end, the Australia New
Zealand Council of Police
Professionalisation (made up of police
commissioners from Australia and New
Zealand, the PFA and New Zealand Police
Association) had been developing the
Police Practice Standards Model (PPSM),
which aimed to provide a consistent
approach to police education and training
across Australia and New Zealand.
The PPSM formed a central pillar of the
council’s “Australia New Zealand Police
Professionalisation Strategy 2013-2018”
and identified four key elements:
• Practice levels (officer, supervisor,
manager, executive)
• Practice standards and role-specific
education and training guidelines
• Practice certification and registration
• Continuous professional development.
Details still to be ironed out included:
who would pay for the scheme; who would
be eligible; how it would be integrated with
existing Victorian legislation; how it would
cover both Australian and New Zealand
jurisdictions; what the final professional
registration body would look like; and who
would own the intellectual property.
The PFA had also produced “Public
Policing – the Essential Features and Future
Risks from Outsourcing”, looking in detail
at the Australian policing environment and
comparing private security with police in
terms of training and accountability.
police news – the voice of police
News/views
Senior Sergeant
Wayne Lambert,
left, and Constable
Ian Sadler
developed SWiFT
as a new way for
Police to quickly
create files for
prosecutions,
building the
computer program
in their own time.
A SWiFT response
Two innovative Bay of Plenty police officers have created a computer program
that could save Police a lot of money.
A work program developed by two police
officers as a potentially faster and more
efficient method to produce Police cases
is showing good results in trials in Bay of
Plenty and Central Districts.
SWiFT (specialised workforce integrated
form transfer), developed by Constable Ian
Sadler of Tauranga and Senior Sergeant
Wayne Lambert from BOP District
Headquarters, also has cost-saving potential
for Police as it does away with the need to
outsource typing.
It’s basically a new way for Police to
quickly create files using information
provided by frontline officers for use in
prosecutions and other proceedings. It also
improves accuracy and standardisation of
files across a district.
The current Winscribe (digital dictation)
system was introduced in 2012 as part of
the drive to reduce paperwork for frontline
officers, which it achieved, as Police
employees are able to prepare prosecution
cases from the recordings.
However, as part of that process, the
recordings need to be typed up and
processed, and in Bay of Plenty, files were
starting to back up as the volume of work
increased, Wayne said.
That was the incentive for Wayne to
put on his thinking cap and the result, in
collaboration with computer-savvy road
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
policing cop Ian, was SWiFT. As well as
efficiency, the pair focused on improving
the quality of the files making their way to
the file management centres.
Under SWiFT, officers open a document
in Microsoft Word and enter their
information (eg, victims, offenders, date,
time, etc) into templates, using tick boxes,
with options for caption summaries if they
need them.
At the same time, a CSV1 letter (sent to
victim advisers in Police) is created, along
with a letter to the court. The program
also generates an email comprising all
the information, which is forwarded,
via Mobility, to a supervisor (quality
control), before it is forwarded to the file
management centre with a charge approval
note.
SWiFT was trialled over two months in
Tauranga and Tokoroa. The feedback was
good, Wayne said. So good, in fact, that the
stations did not want to give it back.
It showed its value in several ways,
Wayne said, including SWiFT files being
completed by one i-car partner even before
his colleague had the offender booked into
the custody unit, and NCOs being able to
take their “electronic in-tray” with them
and complete file approvals on the road.
“We took the results back to the
leadership team. Quite correctly, they were
reluctant to create a potential silo for it in
Bay of Plenty, so we invited a team from
Police National Headquarters to inspect it.
They did, and liked what they saw.”
As a result, the SWiFT project trial is now
run through Case Management (Mobility)
at PNHQ. Pilots began in BOP in July and
Central District in October and, once again,
the feedback had been overwhelmingly
positive, Wayne said.
All Wayne and Ian’s preliminary work
– “hundreds of hours” – has been done in
their own time. “Ian and I are passionate
about the potential of this program. It
marries up what is needed from frontline
staff into one package. Our vision is that
we don’t have sworn staff doing these files
at all.”
There are only five districts that would be
able to make use of SWiFT and currently it
can be used only on desktop devices. Also,
there is no interface between SWiFT and
NIA, which means there is still a doublehandling component. A spokesperson
for the PNHQ Mobility team said it was
working on an app that would enable staff
to complete all their documents on their
devices and “push them into NIA”. In the
meantime, the spokesperson said, SWiFT
could fill a gap in the five districts that were
able to make use of it.
The trial will run till February 2015.
december 2014
293
Feature
As New Zealand Police works hard
to spread water safety messages to
the public, the Police Association
reminds its members to also be careful,
especially in the course of their work.
M
aritime police around New
Zealand respond to multiple
incidents involving people who are
unprepared on the water, but it’s not only
specialist teams who will be called on to
help in a crisis.
In the past two years, the Police
Association’s Bravery Awards have gone to
police officers who risked their own safety
to rescue people in the water. This year, it
was Senior Constable Deane O’Connor,
who saved a man from Tauranga Harbour,
and last year two Napier officers were
294
december 2014
involved in the rescue of a teenager caught
in surf at Napier. None of these men had
specialist water safety training. They all
acted instinctively and bravely, equipped
only with a police officer’s common sense
and a determination to help.
Deane O’Connor jumped four metres
off a bridge into water he could barely see
to reach a passenger from a crashed van.
He told Police News he knew he was not a
strong swimmer, but he was confident he
could float. With strength of mind, he kept
his cool and completed the rescue.
Constable Paul Bailey entered dangerous
surf at Napier’s Marine Parade to help
14-year-old Josh McQuoid who was in
difficulty. He reached the boy, but because
of the rough sea was unable to return to
shore. “A few times under the waves, I was
thinking: ‘Have I done the right thing here?
Is it going to be two bodies they’re looking
for?”
A human chain, initiated by his colleague,
Senior Constable Bryan Farquharson, made
up of bystanders on the shore, helped get
the pair back to shore.
police news – the voice of police
Feature
INFORMATION
IS POWER
Officers who work near the water
should gain some knowledge
about the water environments
in their areas, including seeking
local advice and finding out
who or what is the nearest asset
that could be used in a water
emergency.
Chief executives and senior
managers representing
organisations from the National
Pleasure Boat Safety Forum,
which includes Police, leapt
into Wellington Harbour,
wearing lifejackets, to promote
water safety last October.
The leap was supervised by
Superintendent Barry Taylor,
foreground. Among the jumpers
was Wellington Maritime Unit
OC Senior Sergeant Dave “Tex”
Houston, far right.
In both cases, the officers involved
had moments of doubt as they found
themselves in potentially life-threatening
situations, but by staying calm and,
importantly, removing their uniforms
before entering the water, they made a
difference on the day.
Swim tests
All new recruits are required to pass a swim
test before they can go to Police College.
The test involves a 50-metre swim, a threemetre duck dive (retrieving a token from
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
Wellington Maritime Unit
supervisor Sergeant Andy
Cobden-Cox suggests:
“Put that information in your
mobility devices for quick
retrieval, or have it put in the
district mobilisation plan for
comms to utilise. Information is
power, so just a bit of research
could go a long way. Also, the
Police Maritime Units in Wellington
and Auckland have a lot of
experience and knowledge that
can be passed on to staff and they
are only a phone call away.”
There are several organisations
that can provide basic information
on water safety, including Water
Safety NZ, Surf Lifesaving NZ,
Coastguard NZ and Maritime NZ.
Visit their websites for more
details.
the bottom of the pool) and five minutes
treading water.
When they get to the college, they are
tested again within the first two weeks to
assess their capability in the water.
Tactical options supervisor Sergeant
Moana Parsons, who heads the Defensive
Tactics Group at the college, said that every
now and then there were recruits who
struggled with the test. They might have
trained hard to pass the pre-entry test and
then let their skills lapse.
Also, with the increasing diversity of
recruits entering the college, not all had
been through the New Zealand school
system, where they would have learnt to
swim at an early age. “Some recruits have
not been brought up with that.”
Those who were not confident in the
water were offered swim coaching sessions
with the hope that they would then take
part in the two one-hour swim sessions
during which basic lifesaving skills were
taught. The water skills component at the
college is not compulsory and recruits
do not have to pass the water skills test
again to graduate. After college, there is no
further training in water skills for general
police staff.
Surrounded by water
Sergeant Parsons said the college’s physical
training instructors encouraged recruits
to learn and develop their water safety
awareness. “The message we give them is
that New Zealand is surrounded by water
and is also prone to flooding. Water safety
is not seasonal. Flooding happens yearround and police should be very aware of
the dangers posed by crossing flood waters.”
Added to that, she said, was the public’s
expectation that police officers were there
to help.
It would be good, she said, if water safety
was included in Police’s general health and
safety advice to staff, in the same way that
injury prevention, wearing the SRBA and
being aware of healthy sleep patterns was.
It would also be handy to have some
relevant equipment, such as ropes and life
tubes, in patrol cars, she said.
Wellington Maritime Unit supervisor
Sergeant Andy Cobden-Cox agreed that
having water safety information available
during training and equipment in vehicles
would be a good idea.
However, he said, officers who found
themselves getting into the water to attempt
a rescue should first think, “Can I help the
victim or will I become another person
needing rescue?”
Having some equipment in the car and
basic knowledge of the water environment
was not a guarantee of a positive outcome,
he said. He speaks from experience. In
2006, he jumped from the Maritime Unit’s
12-metre inflatable vessel into the water
to try to save a young man who had been
swept out to sea off Wellington’s south
coast. Unfortunately, the man in difficulty
did not survive.
“It is very hard to do nothing, but
sometimes it could be your only choice,
and organising better prepared people to
make the rescue may be the best option in
that situation.”
december 2014
295
View from the bottom BY CONSTABLE IAM KEEN
This column is written by a frontline police officer. It does not represent the views or
policies of the Police Association
It ain’t half hot, mum
The G20 Summit was held
over the hottest weekend that
Brisbane had experienced in
yonks. In true Anzac tradition,
more than 200 of our Kiwi
police colleagues joined
their Aussie counterparts
to provide security for the
biggest operation of its type in
Australia’s history.
Aussie cops have SRBA
vests, but 12-hour shifts in
searing heat convinced their
commanders to apply the rule
of common sense and the
wearing of SRBA was made
optional for Aussie officers.
Not so for the New Zealand
Police. The New Zealand
commander apparently couldn’t
be convinced to exercise such
flexibility. I’m told even the
Aussie bosses quietly appealed
on our behalf.
Eventually, sense did prevail,
and the wearing of the vests was
made optional, but not until
near the end of the deployment.
SRBA was given to us
for protection, but it was a
reactionary decision by the then
commissioner. More thinking
needed to go into the policy of
where, who and when another
six kilograms might be added to
the rest of our already weighty
duty kit. The tough answers
were overridden by simplistic
rules so the organisation could
protect itself.
Tea and little sympathy
Recently we celebrated Labour
Day. The myth is that it was a
long-fought battle for workers’
rights by migrants in the 1800s,
but that’s not completely true.
In 1840, carpenter Samuel
Parnell arrived in Wellington
by ship. A businessman tried
to secure his services to build
a fine home, but, as there
were only three carpenters in
Wellington at the time, Parnell
was able to call the shots, saying
he would do the job only if the
contract allowed him to work
just eight hours a day, Monday
to Friday, with weekends off.
He got his own way and soon
others capitalised on the skilled
labour shortage. It was the
market forces of the era, but
we talked it up as a great Kiwi
victory.
In the 21st century,
unemployment is the core
of our social ills, allowing
employers to comfortably
deconstruct what Mr Parnell
achieved. Ironically, in the very
same week as this year’s Labour
Day, the right to a tea break was
abolished in New Zealand. Mr
Choysa would turn in his grave.
Over the past 20 years,
officers’ rights have been eroded
and the trend of “more for
less” seems to have no end.
The Police hierarchy is driving
through change like never before
and the temptation to wring
more out of the workforce is
irresistible, especially with a
wage round looming.
I hope you enjoyed your
day off on Labour Day, if you
had one, as it’s otherwise now
a hollow celebration worthy
of little more than a picnic at
Sumner Beach.
A trap for young players
I’m told that a few police
districts have been hit with
unexpected charges for iPhones
and some staff have been asked
to explain certain “irregular”
telecommunication activities.
It’s hard to blame the troops
over this. No one was told of
the “hidden charges”. What we
were told was that there is 15GB
of data a month (heaps) and we
can use the phones for limited
private use (within reason).
So here’s a list of the things
Big Brother is watching for
(these apparently show up
against your QID and your
district is billed): hot-spotting;
txt to park; international texts;
and global roaming.
Finally, keep the bits and
pieces you get with your
mobility devices or you will
be charged for them when you
hand the unit back.
Follow this advice, folks, and
avoid a trip to the “naughty step”.
Extra iPadding
Police iPads are in such
short supply that most of the
managers to whom they were
originally issued have had
them recalled for issue to new
recruits.
The first problem is that most
managers have clung onto their
iPads like comfort blankets
and don’t want to give them
up. The second problem is that
the Police executive has a “no
paper” rule at meetings. Their
concern for the environment is
commendable, but, of course,
they all have iPads (some have
two), but down at middlemanagement level, where
iPads are a scarcity, it’s simply
not possible to match the big
bosses with a paperless meeting
environment.
Besides, you can’t make a
dart out of an iPad, although I
understand some have been test
flown.
Have a safe and enjoyable
festive season. Remember to
keep sending me your stories.
To update Iam Keen with
information, contact him at
[email protected].
Members – don’t miss
out on great discounts
Check out our growing range of
discounts for members through the Police
Association Member Discounts Programme.
Simply log in to www.policeassn.org.nz. Select
“Member Discounts” from the Products & Services
menu to view the discounts available.
296
december 2014
police news – the voice of police
Notebook
Calculate your retirement income
Police Super Scheme trustees have launched an online retirement income calculator to
help members estimate how much money they will need and if their savings are on track to
achieve that. The calculator was given a test run last month by some members of Police.
Picton-based constables Megan Rosene
and her husband, Jonathan, have been
contributing to the PSS for about seven
years. With Megan on maternity leave this
year, she says it was a good time to assess
their finances. “Expecting our first child, we
were already thinking about the future and
what savings we might have.”
She found the calculator “pretty userfriendly” and soon got into the swing of it.
“I was able to put in Jonathan’s details too.
That was really good.”
Her tip for users is to have a recent payslip
on hand before you start. “Print one off,
especially if you’re on leave without pay.”
When you sign into the calculator, some
of your data, such as contribution rates, is
pre-populated. Salary information defaults
to a standard amount. You can check all the
information against your payslip and adjust
it if you need to.
Megan input a range of scenarios into
the calculator. “It was interesting to see
that upping contributions by even a small
amount makes such a huge difference over
time,” she says. “I moved the ‘life expectancy’
bar and found that had quite a big effect. I
also looked at the different forecast based on
whether I chose ‘Balance’ or ‘Growth’.”
She found the exercise reassuring. “I
was surprised to see we would have a good
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
Sign in to pss.superfacts.co.nz
to see your personal information
pre-populated.
Adjust the tool for different
scenarios (for example, what
happens to your savings if you make
additional voluntary contributions or
change your investment strategy).
Include your partner’s finances,
other savings you may have and any
career breaks you may be planning.
Save your projections for later.
income if we stay with Police until we
retire. It totally changed my perspective on
what our retirement might look like.”
Constable Paul Hampton, from Timaru,
says he found the calculator quick and
easy to use. Like Megan, he tried a range of
options. “It was easy to change the graph
around the assumptions I wanted to do.
Using the sliders made it easy to try out
different scenarios.”
It made him think more seriously about
how much income he and his wife Janice
might need in retirement. “In simple
terms, it’s easy enough to work out the
income a lump sum might generate. Where
it starts to get difficult is working out how
long it’s going to last. The graph visually
demonstrates your situation in a way that’s
very easy to interpret.”
To try the calculator, log into your account
at pss.superfacts.co.nz and click on the
promo.
december 2014
297
Notebook
most wanted
CACHE-ING IN
Geocaching – an outdoor
treasure hunt using GPS
co-ordinates – is becoming
a worldwide phenomenon,
thanks to the growing number
of people who now own GPSenabled mobile devices, and
New Zealand is no exception.
Police may even have
encountered these wild-eyed
enthusiasts looking vaguely
suspicious as they search
through parks, fields and city
streets, day and night, looking
for concealed geocaches
(containers).
Participants, who range from
young to old and cover the
social spectrum, navigate to a
specific set of GPS co-ordinates
uploaded by people who
have hidden the cache. If you
happen to be the first to find
one, that’s kudos to you among
the geocaching fraternity.
Geocache containers can
be found all over the world.
According to geocaching.com,
it is common for them to be
hidden in locations that are
personally important to the
geocacher, reflecting a special
interest or skill of the cache
owner.
A geocaching symbol used by
treasure hunters.
The rules are simple once
you find the cache: a guiding
principle is “take something,
leave something” – if you do
take something from the box,
you must leave something of
equal or greater value; write
your find in the cache logbook;
and log your experience on the
geocaching.com website.
So what is it that drives the
geocachers?
A Wellington woman who has
been geocaching for several
months says that finding a cache
is a real buzz. She particularly
likes the puzzle challenges that
must be solved to determine the
correct co-ordinates. Equally,
finding containers that have
been cleverly constructed or
camouflaged is particularly
satisfying.
It’s also great exercise, she
says. “I think I clambered up
close to a dozen hilltops around
the city in the past few months
to find a cache, and they’ve
all had different spectacular
views. I’ve also discovered
caves, waterfalls, tunnels and
monuments around Wellington
that I didn’t know existed. I feel
like I know my city a lot better
now.”
For another capital cacher,
the activity has truly got under
her skin. She has the world’s
first implanted “travel bug”, and
fellow players can “discover”
her by tapping a near field
communication (NFC)-capable
smartphone to the radiofrequency identification (RFID)
implant on her right hand.
Not all players are that
committed, but with actor
Hugh Jackman apparently a
geocacher and with caches
hidden in Antarctica, this hobby
is definitely spreading.
COPPER’S CROSSWORD by Constable Cunning
ACROSS
DOWN
1. Would you put your Super in this
investment option? (6)
4.Device for the clever? (5)
7.Recent topic of Police Association
conference discussion – “a call to ...
?” (3)
8. Surprise; dumbfound (7)
9. To endow someone with an ability
(5)
10.Made a mistake (5)
12. Item of clothing (7)
13. Local shop (5)
15.Collide (5)
20. Found living in the country (7)
22. A welcoming expression (5)
25. Stored work on computer (5)
26. American word for theft? (7)
27. Day before (3)
28. A synthetic material (5)
29. A disease-ridden fly (6)
1. A pointy piece of wood (5)
2. Follows (5)
3. To hide money in the washing
machine perhaps? (7)
4. Spread type of campaign? (5)
5. Part of a person’s details (7)
6. Acts of stealing (6)
7. A saying (5)
11.Do away with (3)
14. Newcomer (7)
16. Place to store files (7)
17. A shade of colour (3)
18.Criminal enclosure (6)
19. A repeated sequence (5)
21.Carrying a load (5)
23. An organised meeting (5)
24. A poem? (5)
123456
7
89
10
1112
13
1415
1617
1819
2021222324
2526
27
2829
Across: 1. Stable, 4. Smart, 7. Arm, 8. Astound, 9. Endue, 10. Erred, 12. Garment, 13. Dairy, 15. Crash, 20. Rurally, 22. Cheer, 25. Saved, 26. Larceny, 27. Eve, 28. Nylon, 29. Tsetse
Down: 1. Stake, 2. After, 3. Launder, 4. Smear, 5. Address, 6. Thefts, 7. Adage, 11. Rid, 14. Arrival, 16. Records, 17. Hue, 18. Prison, 19. Cycle, 21. Laden, 23. Event, 24. Rhyme
298
december 2014
police news – the voice of police
Notebook
flashback
Short change
In 1973, police officers Rex Harrison, left, and Joe
Franklin were both stationed in Gisborne. Like the
rest of the New Zealand Police Force, they were
obliged to wear the blue serge uniform, which
consisted of heavy blue trousers and long-sleeved
shirts with a tie.
But, by heck, it was hot in Gizzy and up
the coast. The regulation uniform was almost
unbearable in the heat. So Joe, “always strong on
Association issues”, began pushing the higher-ups
for a cooler uniform.
Eventually, a manager came up from Wellington.
It happened to be about 30C that day “and he was
more sympathetic after that”, says Joe.
The staff at Gisborne finally got approval to
wear shorts – paid for by themselves.
“We had also pushed for socks the same colour
as the shirts, rather than the horrible dark ones,”
says Joe, but that was not to be.
He recalls that the gear “wasn’t a hit with the
public and, as you can imagine, we got a bit of
stick going through the pubs!”
However, he says, their efforts did lead to the
introduction of new blue summer uniforms in 1976
for all police. The shorts didn’t survive, but the
trousers and shirts became lighter.
Police Travel
Insurance
has a new
provider
From December 1, 2014, Police Travel
Insurance has a new provider – Allianz
Global Assistance, part of Allianz,
which is one of the world’s largest
insurers.
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
Allianz Global Assistance is New Zealand’s largest travel
insurer and provides travel insurance to other groups,
including ANZ bank, STA Travel, House of Travel and
American Express.
Members will be able to enjoy increased benefits and
additional savings on premiums for the majority of travel
cover provided through Allianz, with further discounts for
Police Health Plan members.
Additional benefits under the new Police Travel Insurance
provider include:
• Two levels of cover: Comprehensive and Essentials. As a
welfare organisation, we always encourage members to
consider the comprehensive option first.
• Three excess options: $250, $100 or no excess.
• Increased cover for specified high-value items. For an
additional premium, individual items are now covered
up to $10,000, with a total $20,000 limit per policy.
• Increased cover for unexpected travel delays and
resumption of travel.
Allianz has a free
mobile app.
• Replacement cover on baggage items less than two
years old.
• Greater cover for higher-risk recreational sports.
• Call centre teams based in Auckland and Brisbane allow both non-emergency
and emergency claims to be handled with cultural knowledge, understanding
and sensitivity.
• Free travel insurance app, which contains your policy details, emergency
contact details, FAQs and notifications on travel destinations.
• Increased cover in the event of accidental death.
• An option to purchase private hospital cover.
Pre-existing medical conditions can be fully assessed online, with some
conditions automatically accepted for no additional cost.
Allianz also has the highest Standard and Poors rating (AA-) of any New Zealand
insurer.
For full information about Police Travel Insurance, along with FAQs, or to get a
quote, visit the ‘Insurances’ section of our website: www.policeassn.org.nz.
Members with Police Travel Insurance cover issued before December 1, 2014,
through AIG will still be covered by AIG, should they need to claim.
december 2014
299
Notebook
CONFERENCE MOTIONS 2014
Firearms – General Arming
MOVED Mr Buzzard
SECONDED Mr Lucas that
Conference reiterates its call for
all sworn police officers to be
armed fulltime, and calls on the
Commissioner to immediately
begin the transition process
to a fully armed constabulary.
CARRIED unanimously
Firearm Availability
MOVED Ms Eckhold-Shadbolt
SECONDED Mr McFadyen that
Conference recommends that
in addition to the number of
firearms currently available
to frontline vehicles, National
Office should engage with
Police to try to get additional
firearms and safety items
purchased to remedy the
current lack of such equipment
available. CARRIED
Police Station Front
Counters
MOVED Mr Thompson
SECONDED Mr Thomas that
Conference calls on Police to
engage with the Association to
urgently review the safety of
police station public counter
areas; and implement consistent
national standards to ensure the
safety of Police staff working in
stations. CARRIED
Confirmation of
Appointment of National
Secretary
MOVED Mr Garrick
SECONDED Mr Gregory
that Conference ratifies the
appointment of Heather Verry
as National Secretary of the
New Zealand Police Association,
effective from November 24,
2014. CARRIED
Association Subscriptions
MOVED Mr Lamont
SECONDED Ms Oldenhof that
Conference recommends the
Police Association increase
subscriptions by 1% (the general
adjustment effective July 1 this
year). This increase is to be
implemented from the Police
Pay on December 3, 2014.
CARRIED
Flexible Employment
Opportunities (FEO)
MOVED Ms Oldenhof
SECONDED Ms McCarthy that
Conference directs National
Office to approach Police to
outline the issues faced by
300
december 2014
our members in obtaining
FEO in breach of policy and
reinforce the advantages to the
employer; and review current
FEO practices similar to what
former Superintendent Rose did
in 2000-2001. CARRIED
Supervisory Incentive
Allowance
MOVED Ms Murray
SECONDED Ms Richards that
Conference delegates direct
National Office to engage
with Police for the purpose
of obtaining equity in the
application of the Supervisory
Incentive Allowance, including
examining the eligibility criteria
and ensuring that criteria are
correctly and consistently
applied across all supervisory
positions. CARRIED
Delegates from Counties Manukau in discussion at the conference.
District Committee AGM
Timings
Conference directs National
Office to facilitate District and
Area AGMs to be held before
the end of May in any year.
NO MOTION REQUIRED
Electronic Voting
MOVED Mr Bloom
SECONDED Mr Hampton that
Conference recommends that
Southern District and Waikato
District be selected as the two
police districts to undertake
the trial of electronic voting.
CARRIED
Rule Changes
Rule 13
MOVED Mr Thomas
SECONDED Mr Crepin.
CARRIED
“Conference will favourably
consider an application,
supported by the Region
Committee, for a Delegate
to represent members at
Conference where there is an
active Association Committee
as demonstrated by minutes
of Committee meetings and
AGMs of members for at least
24 months before Conference.
Where any such new Delegate
is approved the poll voting
strength of the Delegates will be
adjusted accordingly.”
Rule 85
MOVED Mr Buzzard
seconded Mr Hough.
CARRIED
Amend this Rule to read as
President Greg O’Connor and Vice-President Craig Tickelpenny.
follows: “Within any District
where there are not fewer
than 50 members stationed
at a particular location or
adjacent locations, and where
the majority of members are
in favour, the members, with
the support of the Region
Committee, can submit an
application to the National
Secretary to establish their
own Area Committee. Where
the new Committee will be for
the benefit of the Association,
any such request will not be
unreasonably refused.
“An Area Committee will provide
direct liaison, communication
and representation for all
members within the Area
and will establish lines of
communication with both the
Association District Committee
and the relevant Police
management to represent
effectively the views of the
members and the Association
National Office when required.
“The National Secretary,
following a recommendation
from the Region Committee,
may also dis-establish any such
committee considered not
of benefit to the Association.
Provided, however, where there
is dissatisfaction with a decision
of the National Secretary to
establish or dis-establish any
such Committee, the members
may appeal this decision to
Conference.”
Rule 112
MOVED Mr Buzzard
seconded Ms Gardner.
CARRIED
“Provided, however, for the
purposes of ratification for
the first time collectively
of both the Constables and
Police Employees Collective
Agreements, which expire
on or after June 30, 2015,
electronic voting will be used
in two Districts specified by
Conference instead of the
procedures identified in Rules
107, 108, 109 and 110.”
All subsequent Rules to be
renumbered accordingly.
police news – the voice of police
Notebook
Keen on wine by Ricky Collins
A keeper for all occasions
opened, the bottle
must be finished in
a few days. Because
tawny ports have
already been partly
oxidised during
maturation before
being bottled, they
can be opened and
kept for several
weeks.
While good ruby ports have richness and purity
of flavour, good tawny ports have some interesting
nutty, rancio notes that I find quite appealing –
something between a ruby port and a sherry.
In Porto, one of the best tastings we had was at
Burmester, a port-producing company of German
origin established in 1730. Many Portuguese
port houses, regard Colhieta, a single-vintage
tawny port, as their flagship port wine style, and
Burmester certainly does this.
Several Portuguese wine producers are now
widening their production to include dry white
and red table wines in their portfolio. So, before
trying the port, we tasted a selection of Burmester
table wines that showed definite promise, should
they end up being exported to New Zealand.
Burmester ports are already available in New
Zealand, including Burmester Tawny Porto, RRP
$31, a perfect wine to try with cheese, nuts and
dried fruits during a long Christmas lunch.
Overall, Burmester has a great range of wines. It
was from there that I bought the only wine I took
home from this trip – the 1960 Burmester Colheita
Port, bottled in 2010. It was expensive, but it’s one
I’ll keep for a special occasion – my 60th birthday
in 2020.
Sick Leave Bank draw down
New Zealand Police operates a Sick Leave Bank
for all of its constabulary staff members. It allows
constabulary staff to make application to the Sick
Leave Bank Approval Committee for additional
days of sick leave when their own sick leave
entitlement has been exhausted.
Applications to the Sick Leave Bank should be
made in the first instance to your local district
HR administration. General instructions about
the Sick Leave Bank are available on the Police
intranet.
The Sick Leave Bank Approval Committee is
made up of representatives from: Manager, Police
Wellness (Chair); Police Human Resources;
Constabulary Police Officer; Police Service
Organisations (Manager, Police Welfare Fund).
Each application is considered on its merits,
taking into account the member’s diagnosis,
prognosis, rehabilitation plan (if applicable), and
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
the likelihood of his or her return to work.
The Approval Committee also takes into account
the staff member’s previous sick leave and current
other leave totals.
Applications to the Sick Leave Bank can also be
made when a staff member is supporting a sick
dependant. However, in these cases, it is expected
that the constabulary staff member should not
make any greater contribution than a non-Police
employee.
From time to time, half a day’s annual leave is
taken from each constabulary member of Police
and placed in the Sick Leave Bank. The last time
a draw down occurred was in February 2012 and
this draw should last until 2015 when another
draw down will take place.
Any queries should be directed either to your
local HR administration, or a Police Association
representative.
1. New Zealand’s first
steam railway opened
in 1863. The sevenkilometre railway
linked which two
South Island towns?
2. The majority of the
Amazon rainforest
is contained within
which country?
3. Songs My Mother
Taught Me is a 1995
autobiography by
which United States
actor?
4. What was the name
of the horse that won
the 2012 Melbourne
Cup?
5. In food, “E” numbers
140-149 are what
colour?
6. In the TV series,
what type of car did
Starsky and Hutch
drive?
7. Which Egyptian
pharaoh was known
as “the boy king”?
8. Theon Greyjoy, a
character in the
TV series Game of
Thrones, is played by
the younger brother
of which English
singer?
9. Which boxer became
the first to defeat
Evander Holyfield in
November 1992 to
become undisputed
world heavyweight
champion?
10. What does a
noctambulist do?
Answers: 1. Christchurch and
Ferrymead; 2. Brazil; 3. Marlon
Brando; 4. Green Moon; 5. Green;
6. Gran Torino; 7. Tutankhamun;
8. Lily Allen; 9. Riddick Bowe; 10.
Sleepwalk.
I’ve always been keen on ports, as they usually
have such an alluring smell, taste and finish. There
have been many wine tastings where someone
brings out a fantastic, expensive dry red wine that
they’ve nurtured for years, only for the show to be
stolen by someone who pours a good-quality, but
reasonably priced, port. It’s just one of those wine
styles with such intensity and richness of flavour
that it blows many people away.
During my latest tour throughout Europe,
we made a long-awaited trip to Portugal and
spent time getting to know more about port.
Rather than just travelling straight to Porto, the
commercial home of port, we first spent a few days
in the Douro valley, the grape-growing home of
port. It is a fantastic place to visit, with stunning
panoramic views of wine-growing sites which are
rich in history.
Most of the grapes are planted on incredibly
steep sites, where machine harvesting is
impossible. The grape varieties used to produce
port need very strong skins and vines, as they have
to endure incredibly hot conditions in summer and
the complete opposite in winter.
Although more than 100 red wine varieties can
be used to produce Portuguese ports, there are five
that form the basis of most, namely Tinta Barroca,
Tinta Cao, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Francesa and
Touriga Nacional. Before visiting Portugal, I had
mainly tried vintage ports and late-bottled vintage
ports, which are two very good ruby-style ports.
However, after experiencing the difference between
ruby and tawny-styled ports, my focus has now
shifted to tawnys.
Ruby and tawny port wine-making processes
and wine styles are quite different. It’s important
to treat ruby ports the same as any wine – once
december 2014
301
Notebook
Our homes make getting away on holiday affordable
A Police Welfare Fund Holiday Home for just $60 a night is great value
NELSON
The Hanmer Springs thermal resort can
be enjoyed year round and its amazing
landscaped hot springs, with views
of mountains and forests, are not the
only drawcard. The alpine town is also
a great base for more adventurous
activities such as skiing, snowboarding
and heli-skiing, tramping, mountain
biking and horse riding. Of course, no
one would blame you if you just had a
round of golf and long soak in the pool.
And there’s the boutique shopping and
fine dining. The town, which is small
enough to get around on foot, is only
90 minutes from Christchurch.
Not only is Nelson a delightful seaside
city, with plenty to stimulate the senses,
it is also the gateway to other great
destinations such as Mapua, Abel
Tasman National Park and Golden Bay.
Visitors are spoilt for choice when it
comes to food, wine, the arts, history
and natural beauty. It’s the birthplace
of the acclaimed World of Wearable
Art awards and even though that event
has been spirited away to Wellington,
Nelson still has the fabulous WOW
museum, which is the next best thing
to going to the show. Right next door is
one of the country’s premier collections
of classic cars. Down the road is the
Hoglund Art Glass showroom. On top
of all its activities – town and country –
Nelson also lays claim to the title of the
sunniest city in the country.
The Police Association has two new
homes in Hanmer Springs ($60 a
night), both close to the hot springs
and village. Each has a TV, DVD player,
washing machine, dryer, shower, shub
(shower/bathtub), spare blankets,
pillows, port-a-cot, high chair, radio, a
secure garage.
The Police Association has two homes
in Nelson ($60 a night) at Tahunanui,
near the beach. They are about one
minute’s walk from the beach, and each
has a TV, DVD player, washing machine,
dryer, microwave, shower/bath, spare
blankets, pillows, port-a-cot, high chair
and car port.
HANMER SPRINGS
WELLINGTON
As well as being the capital and seat of
government, Wellington also likes to
think of itself as the artistic and cultural
heart of the country. It is, after all,
home to the New Zealand Symphony
Orchestra, Royal New Zealand Ballet
and numerous opera companies and
has a rich mix of theatre, outstanding
art galleries and boutique food and
clothing shops. There’s a strong
sense of history, including Parliament
Buildings, Old St Paul’s Church and
sites such as Katherine Mansfield’s
birthplace. It’s all set in the green sweep
of the harbour, and the waterfront,
which includes the must-see Te Papa
museum, is a magnet for tourists –
especially on one of Wellington’s
famous “good days”.
The Police Association has two homes
in Wellington ($60 a night) in the city
centre. Unit 1 sleeps 6 and Unit 2 sleeps
5. They both have a TV, DVD player,
washing machine, dryer, shower, bath,
spare blankets, pillows, port-a-cot,
high chair, radio, a secure garage.
There are dates available for houses at all of these wonderful holiday
destinations and others around the country.
Visit www.policeassn.org.nz/products-services/holiday-accommodation,
or call us on 0800 500 122.
Interislander
Kaitaki Plus
Aratere Plus
Aratere Plus
Premium Plus
While away the hours in one of our elegant and exclusive lounges on
Kaitaki or Aratere at a discountedrateforNZPAmembers where
you will be treated to complimentary:
•
•
•
•
Beer&wine
• Accesstotwocomputers
Newspapers&magazines • Comfortableseating
•Selectionofcookedmeals
Hot&coldsnacks
WIFIinternetaccess
Only on Kaitaki and Aratere sailings. Restricted to passengers 18 & over
$
40
per person
NZPA membership card must be
presented at entry
more information
onon
thethe
member
For more
information
discounted
Premium Plus
service or
member
discounted
Premium
to book
member
fares on
Plus
service
or todiscounted
book
an Interislander
ferry. fares on
member
discounted
an Interislander ferry visit the
Visit the’Members Discounts’ section
‘Members
Discounts’ section at
at www.policeassn.org.nz.
www.policeassn.org.nz
302
december 2014
police news – the voice of police
Sport
To contact Police Sport,
email Dave Gallagher at [email protected]
Winning streak ends
SPORTS
DIARY
Australia New Zealand Police Cricket
Championship 2015
When: February 1-6, 2015.
Where: Auckland.
Contact: Glen Dawson, Glen.Dawson@
police.govt.nz.
New Zealand Police Association Raft
Race
The New Zealand Police Rugby League team. Tours are now planned for Canada, the US and Britain.
The New Zealand Police Rugby League
(NZPRL) team’s 14-year winning record
against Australia came to an end last month
in Melbourne at a curtain raiser match for
the Australia v England Four Nations test
match at Melbourne’s AAMI.
The New Zealand Police team found
themselves struggling against an established
and well-drilled Australian side who
dominated the first half, quickly scoring 28
unanswered points. The Kiwis clawed their
way back to within 10 points by midway
through the second half, but couldn’t keep up
with the Australians as they took full charge
in the final quarter and blew their lead out to
70-36 at the final whistle. The win set the tone
for the day, with the Australian League team
going on to beat England 16 – 12.
NZPRL chairman Inspector Gary Allcock
said that, despite the loss, the Kiwi players
thoroughly enjoyed themselves and gained
valuable experience.
Those with a rugby background were
challenged by the defensive effort required
and adjusted to the different rugby league
attacking lines, he said. The team now had
a good foundation to build on for planned
tours to Canada, the United States and
Britain.
The New Zealand team was hosted by
the Melbourne Storm league team and
had liaison support from former All Black
and Auckland Blues rugby player Andrew
Blowers.
Supported by coach Detective Constable
Bryan Laumatia and assistant coach Boycie
Nelson, the New Zealand squad arrived two
days before the game for acclimatisation and
training.
Players from Auckland, Waitemata and
Counties Manukau Police districts made up
the majority of the team, and players from
Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Canterbury
completed the squad.
Seeking a triathlon champ
It’s hard to imagine
the organisers, who
a more spectacular
say the event will
location for the
challenge everyone,
2015 National
from beginners to
Police Association
elite athletes.
Triathlon than
All staff, especially
Rotorua’s stunning
Bay of Plenty staff,
Blue Lake (Tikitapu).
and families are
Surrounded by
encouraged to take
lush forest, the lake
part in the event
has crystal clear
on March 13, 2015.
water for the swim
It is made up of a
Escape the city and enjoy the natural beauty of
leg, a challenging
750-metre lake swim,
Rotorua’s Blue Lake.
hill climb for the
a 16-kilometre hilly
cycle component
road cycle and a
and finishes with a soft trail run around the 5.5km trail run. Individual and team entries
lake’s perimeter. are welcome.
Contact David Massey at David.Massey@
The setting is both peaceful and
police.govt.nz or phone 021 117 7290.
invigorating for the soul, according to
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
When: February 20, 2015.
Where: Rotorua.
Contact: Aaron Holloway, Aaron.
[email protected].
Note: Registrations opened October 1,
2014. Numbers are limited and sell out
quickly, so get your team of four together
and enter now. The first South Island
team entry will receive sponsored entry
and accommodation. See www.facebook.
com/NZPARR.
Police Sailing Association Annual
Regatta
When: March 4-6, 2015.
Where: Auckland.
Contacts: Nick Davenport, Nicholas.
[email protected] or Ian
Clouston, [email protected].
nz to register and for accommodation
arrangements.
Note: Numbers are limited and
expressions of interest are being sought
now. MRX Yachting’s fleet of 10.2-metre
Farr racing yachts will be used. Each of
the 10 yachts can take crews of five to
seven members, with a minimum of three
Police members required to be on board.
Funding for the event will be sought, but
some cost will need to be met by each
team. A $50 registration fee per boat will
secure your team’s spot.
Police Association Surf Championship
When: March 9-12, 2015.
Where: Port Waikato, South Auckland.
Contact: Campbell McEvedy, Campbell.
[email protected] or 021 191 2584.
Note: Categories will include Men’s
Open, Women’s Open, Longboard, Over
40, Over 50, Over 60, Stand-Up Paddle
Board and Novice and Learners “On
Ya Guts” events catering specifically to
learners and those new to surfing.
NZPA Waka Ama Championships
When: March 12-13, 2015.
Where: Counties-Manukau.
Contact: Bethnee Heremaia-Duncan,
[email protected] or 021 191 2120.
NZ Police Association
Basketball Championships
When: March 12-14, 2015.
Where: Taupo.
Contact: Tim Coudret, Timothy.
[email protected].
Continues next page
december 2014
303
Sport
SPORTS
DIARY
Police Association Triathlon
When: March 13, 2015.
Where: Blue Lake Rotorua.
Contact: David Massey, David.Massey@
police.govt.nz or phone 021 117 7290.
Note: Event will start at midday to
accommodate day travellers and
comprises a 750-metre lake swim,
16-kilometre hilly road cycle, 5.5km trail
run. Individual and team entries welcome.
To contact Police Sport,
email Dave Gallagher at [email protected]
Soggy fairways no handicap
Ninety keen golfers gathered in Greymouth last month for the 2014 Police Association
South Island Golf Championships. Soggy fairways caused by unseasonably heavy rain
in the preceding days reduced the tournament to three rounds, but didn’t dampen the
golfers’ spirits. At the end of the three days, Elton Nicholson (Lower Hutt) emerged as the
championship winner with a very impressive five under total of 211. Former police officer
Hunter Darry (Dunedin) came in next with a respectable nett total of 207.
RESULTS
Police Association Golf Championship
When: March 16-18, 2015.
Where: Auckland.
Contact: Chris Cahill, Christopher.
[email protected].
Western BOP Services Fishing
Competition
When: March 23-25, 2015.
Where: Tauranga.
Contact: Rob Everitt, Robert.Everitt@
police.govt.nz.
Note: The briefing will be at 7pm on
Sunday, March 22, at the Tauranga Sport
Fishing Club, Sulphur Point, Tauranga.
Nine categories of fish, with great prizes
for each.
"Burglar" Shane Miles, left, and Senior Nett winner
Marcus Beuker.
Field Gross Elton Nicholson
Field Nett Hunter Darry
Junior Gross Doug Adams
Junior Nett Karl Hansen
Senior Gross Paul Martin
Senior Nett Marcus Beuker
Veterans Gross Brent Morrow
Veterans Nett Brian Pope
Int A Gross Brent Mora
Int A Nett Shane Miles
Int B Gross Grant Russell
Int B Nett Vincent Munro
Teams Gross Canterbury Draught Horses
Teams Nett West Coast 2
Left handers Arnold Hooykaas
Burglar Shane Miles
Average turnout
New Zealand Police Mixed Hockey
Tournament
When: March 26-27, 2015.
Where: Palmerston North.
Contacts: Pete West, Peter.West@
police.govt.nz or xtn 65629.
Note: All players who attend the
tournament are eligible for selection
for the NZ Police men’s and women’s
national teams which will compete
against the NZ Army, Air Force and Navy
in the Inter Services Tournament in June
or July 2015. Players who can’t make the
tournament but wish to be considered
for selection should contact Dave
Mundy, [email protected].
Rotorua Police Club Trout Fishing
Tournament
When: April 19-22, 2015.
Where: Lake Tarawera.
Contacts: Gared McLaughlin, Gared.
[email protected] or Mike
Shearer, [email protected].
nz.
Police Association Road Cycling
Championships
When: April 23, 2015.
Where: Rotorua.
Contact: Dave Hamilton, David.
[email protected].
Police Association Mountain Biking
Championships
When: April 24, 2015.
Where: Rotorua.
Contact: Dave Hamilton, David.
[email protected].
304
december 2014
Nelson region Police staff met at Wakefield’s Totaradale Golf Club on November 20 for an
intentionally non-competitive round of golf and a barbecue. Twenty-one staff turned up for the
event, designed to get different work groups together. Region 6 deputy director Craig Barker
said the quality of play was “average”, but everyone had a “hell of a lot of fun” anyway. In the
spirit of the day, Sergeant Mal Drummond took home the only prize, awarded for his general
lack of golfing ability.
Reeling them in
With the start of the trout fishing season
on October 1 this year, anglers will have
plenty of time to prepare for the 34th
Rotorua Police Trout Fishing competition
in April next year (April 19-22).
Competitors can fish on lakes Rotorua,
Okataina, Rotoiti and Tarawera, using
trolling, spinning, jigging or fly fishing.
The 2014 tournament was well attended,
with 159 anglers enjoying three days of
perfect conditions and reeling in 387 fish
with a total weight of a whopping 697
kilograms. The heaviest trout tipped the
scales at 4.22kg.
So rally your mates and mark the dates.
Previous contestants will automatically be
sent an entry form. Please contact Gared
at [email protected] or
Mike at [email protected]
for more information.
police 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 published
unless there is a good reason for anonymity. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or decline letters.
Email: [email protected] or write to Editor, PO Box 12344, Wellington 6144
Arming overdue
Arming of police in New Zealand is long
overdue. I cannot see why the Government
and the hierarchy are procrastinating
when the evidence is before them. There
have been deaths of police from firearms
and there have been plenty of incidents
involving firearms that could have gone
either way.
It is not the end of the world to issue
police with sidearms. I know that police in
New Zealand have never carried them and
are, perhaps, an example to the rest of the
world, but can Police afford an accolade
of that nature? I think not. The world is
becoming an ugly place with the escalation
of drug dependency and criminals looking
more and more towards weaponry.
Police must have strong leaders who are
not frightened to make a decision and stick
by it, even in the face of opposition.
A friend of mine joined Queensland
Police in 1974 and retired with
commissioned rank after 35 years service.
He was issued with a sidearm after his
initial training and carried one for the
remainder of his service. Although he
pulled the gun on three or four occasions
where it was warranted, not once did he
fire a shot. He sat down with me the other
day and answered a few questions about
Queensland Police and their relationship
with firearms.
What training did you have on joining
and was it ongoing? Police training is six
months, which includes being attached to
a station for periods and going on patrol. A
sidearm is not carried during that period,
but there is extensive ongoing training
during the six months.
When is a new recruit issued with a
firearm? On completion of his training
when posted to a station, so long as he has
qualified in his weaponry training course.
What procedures are there for the safety
of the firearm/persons? There are strict
procedures for the handling of the weapon.
At the end of each shift it must be returned
to the station, unloaded under supervision,
with the ammo and the weapon locked
away separately. The firearm cannot be
taken home. On commencing duty, the
procedure is done in reverse. In time, it
becomes as natural as picking up your
baton and radio. Each officer is responsible
for their own weapon and for the cleaning
of it.
What is the value of carrying a sidearm
while on duty? First and foremost, it is
knowing that you have a fair chance of
defending yourself if the occasion arises.
We are taught to use the weapon that
is appropriate. If a whack with a baton
will settle the problem, then use it. If the
situation can be quelled with capsicum
spray or Taser, so be it. But if you are in
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
danger of your life, or a member of the
public is in a similar situation, then draw
your firearm and aim to kill. To shoot
to injure is far more risky as you are
putting yourself or the public at risk. We
have found that carrying a sidearm gives
the public more confidence that we are
in charge of a situation and it acts as a
deterrent, particularly at domestic violence
incidents. We are told that you only remove
your sidearm from the holster to fire a shot,
that it is not used as a threat or waved in
front of anybody. Every time the sidearm is
removed from the holster or a shot is fired,
the officer must make a written report.
Have you had any “cowboy” incidents?
From time to time that happens. An officer
draws his sidearm to show his girlfriend, or
waves it around like a real cowboy or some
other silly act, but these are dealt with as a
disciplinary procedure and, in fact, it rarely
happens. Usually it’s with the younger ones
not long out of training school and the gun
is still a novelty.
BARRY KENNEDY
Queensland
What more evidence?
Commissioner Mike Bush and the Police
executive feel evidence is needed before
we can have routine arming of police.
Exactly what evidence do they want? More
shootings? Deaths?
Assaults on Police are down, but that has
nothing to do with the arming of police. I
doubt that most assaults on police would
have been avoided if we were armed. The
arming of police is about having the tools
to do the job and being prepared for all
situations, all the time; to have the ability
to save our own lives and the lives of the
public while on our routine duty.
At this point, we have ready access to
our firearms; we can prepare to go into
situations quickly and on the roadside
with little delay when we are given the
information to suggest that we should be
armed. But what if we are not given that
information? Domestic incidents can go
from “all is well” to “10-9 or 10-10” in
seconds.
As well as that, with all the patrolling
and prevention work we do now, we can
end up in situations in which we should
be armed but we are not. Foot patrols,
stopping cars – seconds is all we may have
and seconds may not be enough to escape
or get a firearm from the boot of the car;
or a Taser for that matter, which is a whole
other issue.
And what makes those against arming
say that the public will find it difficult
maintaining trust and confidence in Police
because of a firearm on their hip? I carry
a firearm at times while patrolling. I work
on my own in a remote area, which is
Letters
why I am able to do this. I have not had
a complaint; if anything, very few people
even notice.
Police at airports carry firearms — are
people running away from them? Police
the world over carry firearms routinely and
I have not found any reports of trust and
confidence issues.
I wish to remain anonymous due to
possible repercussions for carrying a
firearm against policy.
NAME AND LOCATION WITHHELD
Playing with guns
I work on a CIB section. We frequently
complete enquiries at undesirable
addresses, participate in search warrants
and are expected to stand in for the crime
squad if required. I, and members of my
section, regularly carry a Taser when
deemed necessary. I used to receive full
firearms training but have recently been
categorised as a secondary responder,
which means I receive training in the Glock
only – no Bushmaster M4 or Taser.
As secondary responders receive pepper
spray, baton and Glock training, it seems
clear that management accepts we may
well end up in situations where their use is
necessary.
Various questions and concerns arise:
• Management has rightly highlighted
the importance of the Taser as a tactical
option by stating one should be worn
when carrying firearms if possible. It
makes no sense that I am trained to use
the lethal force of a Glock, but not the
less-lethal force of a Taser.
• I have been told that if we require a Taser
we are to request PST (public safety
team) assistance. This is at best inefficient
and at worst unworkable. I’m sure the
three i-cars in east Auckland have better
things to do than babysit our section
during routine enquiries.
• The M4 is our primary weapon and is
more accurate and effective at longer
ranges. If we might require a Glock,
an M4 may also be required in certain
situations.
• At my station we have one Glock, one
M4 and one Taser. No one on my section
is being trained to use the M4 or Taser,
so that leaves one firearm. What happens
if the one weapon we have malfunctions?
I understand management often employs
the four-point “appreciation” technique
when making decisions – Aim, Factors,
Courses Open and Plan. I would hope
management’s Aim is to keep staff as safe
as possible in any given situation. The
overriding Factor should be staff safety
and might be followed by money. The
Courses Open would be to fully train us,
part train us or not train us at all. The Plan,
december 2014
305
Letters
Signed letters are preferred, but in all cases the writer’s name and address must be supplied. Names will be published
unless there is a good reason for anonymity. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or decline letters.
Email: [email protected] or write to Editor, PO Box 12344, Wellington 6144
as all fellow officers, PITT instructors and
supervisors I have spoken to agree, should
be to fully train those who require firearms
training.
I would hazard a guess that the reason
my basic Appreciation has ended up with
a different Plan than that adopted by
management lies in the prioritisation of
money over staff safety.
On occasion I disagree with decisions
made in the Police, however I usually
accept it is necessary and get over it and get
on with it. This is not one of those times.
The decision of management to not fully
train certain staff puts us all at heightened
risk.
When reading a recent bully board
notice by the Commissioner, the following
paragraph stood out: “As Commissioner,
my highest priority is to ensure all staff are
supported with the proper tools, training
and equipment to keep themselves and our
communities safe. That is a responsibility I
take incredibly seriously, and one which is
always at the forefront of my mind.”
I don’t doubt the sincerity, but the
message doesn’t seem to have filtered down.
I have the tools to keep myself and the
community safe, but not the training to use
them. It would be much appreciated if this
could be rectified.
LUKE SINGLETON
Auckland
Recruiting policy
Recently, Police Minister Michael
Woodhouse acknowledged a conviction
for drink-driving – a conviction that did
not make him ineligible to hold his current
position. I do not have a problem with that.
Given the minister’s circumstances,
I believe it is now opportune for the
executive to review our recruiting
policy, which disqualifies anyone with a
drink-driving conviction, regardless of
circumstances.
This policy prevents us from recruiting
staff who would make a positive
contribution to our organisation. I once
spoke to a paramedic in her mid-30s who
couldn’t join Police as she had made a
mistake when she was a teenager. It struck
me as odd that she was considered good
enough to be trusted with people’s lives,
but not the responsibilities that come with
being a police officer.
People make mistakes. If they are isolated
incidents without any aggravating features,
I do not believe they should be held against
people years and, in some instances,
decades later. If empathy is to be one of our
core values, shouldn’t we practise what we
preach?
SEAN HERON
Paraparaumu
306
december 2014
Future cops
With all the loose futuristic talk about
robocops (Police News, November 2014),
one can imagine the next generation of
cops wearing nothing but a Lycra uniform
that serves as both a fire and dive suit for
saving potential burning or drowning
victims. This would be complemented with
a jet pack and air skates for getting out
of predicaments such as noisy parties, or
making rescues at sea or on land, or simply
directing traffic in snarl ups.
They would wear a helmet with facial
recognition, recording camera and instant
PRN and drug recognition, with warning
flags displayed, not to mention NVGs. It
would also include instant translations
when interviewing people of foreign origin
or those who use sign language.
Handcuffs, batons and handguns would
be obsolete as our finest would have
authority to stun for a given period of time.
The suspect would, of course, simply have a
long temporary custodial sleep at their own
cost and transport via jet pack.
Dream on, but not too long.
STEVE ANDERTON
Paraparaumu
Old boy’s lament
I joined Police more than 19 years ago.
When we had a tea break we would hear
the old boys saying how much the job had
changed and that it was no good any more.
I brushed this off as them just being old
boys who couldn’t handle change. Now I’m
one of the old boys, but the difference is,
I’m also hearing young officers complaining
about the job, including how the shift
pattern is terrible. Officers who joined up
to work the frontline are now looking for
other roles that have a better roster. They
struggle to provide for their family as the
wages are not keeping up with the general
costs of living.
I see experienced officers leaving
for better jobs, with better money and
conditions. What is happening to the job?
Once it was a revered career, now it is a job.
I have never seen morale so low.
Officers are feeling underpaid and
undervalued. We consistently have to
do more with less. When management
comes up with new ideas for squads and
departments, it’s the frontline that gets
eroded. They are running around like
headless chickens. Officers will burn out,
sick leave will increase and morale will
decline further.
Wages are a real bone of contention in
Auckland. Some people would say that we
don’t have to live in Auckland, but we do. It
is a struggle to survive and this leaves the
door wide open for corruption and officers
looking for better paid jobs.
There needs to be an Auckland weighting
(like the London Metropolitan Police has)
to help officers and entice them to stay. I
know the Police budget wasn’t increased
and that any pay increase will chew into
it, but the welfare of officers should be
paramount.
The only way some people have been
increasing their wages is to take promotion.
But what about the officers who don’t want
promotion as they only want to work in the
role they are in already? I shouldn’t have to
think that to support my family I have to
take promotion.
NICK RICHARDS
Auckland
POLICE CHRISTIAN
SUPPORT NETWORK
Conference, March 27-29, 2015,
Mi Camp, Taupo
This conference, with the theme
Unleashing the Warrior, is open to
all Police staff and their partners.
Speakers include Sam Chapman,
known for his work among gangs
and the most difficult parts of the
community, and Matai Bennett,
a pastor in Kawerau. For more
information, visit pcsn.org.nz.
McKIRDY’S MILESTONES
Canterbury and
Tasman field officer
Dave McKirdy retires
this month after
21 years in the job.
Association President
Greg O’Connor said
that Dave was part
of the DNA of the
Association. Rarely
seen without a cellphone glued to his ear,
Dave earned the nickname “Cellphone
Dave” and is legendary for his workload and
“get it done” attitude. Police News will run
a profile of Dave and his career in the
Jan-Feb 2015 issue.
Do you know how
much Police Life
Insurance you have?
See our handy online tool in
the 'Insurances' section of our
website:
www.policeassn.org.nz/productsservices/insurances/how-muchlife-insurance-do-you-have-orneed
police news – the voice of police
Useful Information and
Contacts
REUNION
WEST COAST ARMED OFFENDERS SQUAD
Greymouth, March 28, 2015
As part of the national Armed
Offenders Squad 50th
celebrations, the West Coast
squad is holding a reunion
dinner at Shantytown. Along
with a few West Coastflavoured stories, some of the
current squad’s equipment
will be on display. The event is
open to all current and former
members of West Coast AOS.
Contact Paul Gurney, email
[email protected] or
ph 021928827 or 03 7681600
to confirm attendance.
New Zealand Police Association:
Police Network
44446
Freephone
0800 500 122
Police Health Plan/
Police Fire & General Insurance
Quotes & information
0800 500 122
or 04 496 6800
or fax 04 496 6819
Claims
0800 110 088
Police Home Loans
0800 800 808
Police and Families Credit Union
General inquiries 0800 429 000
www.policecu.org.nz
GSF information 0800 654 731
PSS information
0800 777 243
Under siege: Threadneedle St, Greymouth, August 14, 1986.
TRAUMA
SURVEY FOR
POLICE
PARTNERS
2015 membership
cards
FRANKLIN, Colin George Macrow
PERIGO, Bruce Josiah
new zealand police aSSOCIATION
027 268 9423
Counties Manukau District
Stewart Mills
027 268 9407
Waikato and BOP Districts
Graeme McKay
027 268 9408
Tasman and Canterbury Districts
Dave McKirdy
027 268 9410
Southern District
Celeste Crawford
Current membership cards, which,
among other things, confirm
entitlement to many of the great
discounts offered through the
Member Discounts programme,
expire on December 31, 2014.
Replacement cards for 2015 were
posted in late November. If you
have not received your card by
mid-December, please contact our
Member Services Team on 0800
500 122, 8am-5.30pm, Monday
to Friday, or email them on
[email protected].
027 268 9427
Vice-Presidents
Luke Shadbolt Craig Tickelpenny
027 268 9411
027 268 9442
Regional Directors
Region One
Waitemata and Northland Districts
Jug Price
027 268 9419
Region Two
Auckland and Counties Manukau Districts
Emiel Logan 027 268 9413
Region Three
Waikato and Bay of Plenty Districts
Wayne Aberhart
027 268 9414
Region Four
Eastern and Central Districts
Emmet Lynch
027 268 9415
Region Five
PNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington District
Pat Thomas
027 268 9416
Region Six
Tasman and Canterbury Districts
Mike McRandle
027 268 9417
Region Seven
Southern District
Grant Gerken
Our sympathies to all our members’ families for those
who have passed away in recent months. We remember…
MARSHALL, Helen
Auckland City District
Natalie Fraser
PNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington District
Ron Lek
027 268 9409
Memorial wall
LANGMEAD, Kathleen
Waitemata and Northland Districts
Steve Hawkins
027 268 9406
Eastern and Central Districts
Kerry Ansell
027 268 9422
An online survey for the partners of
New Zealand police officers and other
emergency responders begins this month.
Doctoral candidate Stowe Alrutz, from the
University of Auckland, is studying how
those who live with emergency responders
manage stressful events experienced by
their partners or spouses. Individuals who
are both a police officer and the partner of
an emergency responder are also eligible to
take part in the survey.
The anonymous survey will ask about
resiliency, social support, traumatic life
events and sources of information for
stress management, as well as opinions on
other issues related to being the partner
of a first responder. Ms Stowe said she
hoped her research would provide a
better understanding of the positives and
negatives of these experiences. For details
of the online survey, due to begin midDecember, visit the Police Association
website, www.policeassn.org.nz.
DUNCAN, Jospehine Field Officers
31-Oct-14
Partner
1-Nov-14
Spouse
12-Nov-14Retired
17-Nov-14Resigned
20-Nov-14Retired
Upper Hutt
Whanganui
Tauranga
Snells Beach
Paraparaumu
027 268 9418
For immediate industrial and legal
advice (on matters that cannot be
deferred such as police shootings, fatal
pursuits or deaths in custody) ring
0800 TEN NINE (0800 836 6463)
– 24 hour/seven days service
december 2014
307
Police Travel Insurance
online, anytime
Lift-off with peace of mind!
No having to wait to arrange your Police Travel Insurance during our business hours.
We have travel cover available online, anytime.
Whether you’re at the airport ready to depart; arranging your travel at home in the
weekend, anytime, you can simply go to our ‘Police Travel Insurance’ page under the
‘Insurances’ section at: www.policeassn.org.nz
• More choices of cover. Whether you’re taking one trip; planning frequent
international travel; or need cover for the essentials, Police Travel Insurance has got
you covered.
• A discount for Police Health Plan members on already very competitive premiums.
• Many common health conditions accepted with no medical assessment
or additional cost*.
Lift-off with Police Travel Insurance online, anytime,
under ‘Insurances’ at: www.policeassn.org.nz
* Cover for pre-existing conditions is not available under the Essentials policy option. For full details refer to the policy document available from ‘Police
Travel Insurance’ under the ‘Insurances’ section at: www.policeassn.org.nz

Police Constable Recruitment Timeline

Jamie McBride - Los Angeles Police Protective League

2015 CEO Symposium Agenda - National Organization of Black Law

Police Federation Holiday Home - Hafan y Mor Holiday Park, North

News Release: 2014-02-11: WLS Holds Alice Training for Staff

bishopdown farm residents association (bfra) input to parish

Highlights2001 - Highleah Townhouses

Emergency Call for Help (Police and Fire Station)

application form - Nursing and Midwifery

Justice Sub-Committee on Policing ICT provision Update from DCC