How the youth gang culture is - New Zealand Police Association

The Voice of Police
VOLUME 42 • NUMBER 9 • OCTOBER 2009
How the youth
gang culture is
mainstreaming
■ YOUTH GANG CULTURE – ‘GET RICH OR DIE TRYING’
■ A DAY IN THE LIFE OF FORENSIC PHOTOGRAPHY
■ AGREEMENT ON LEAVE WITHOUT PAY PROVISIONS
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
The Voice of Police
VOLUME 42 • NUMBER 9 • OCTOBER 2009
NZ Police Association Police News is the magazine of
the New Zealand Police Association and incorporates the
New Zealand Police Journal first published in 1937.
October 2009, Vol. 42, No.9
ISSN 1175-9445
Deadline for next issue Monday, October 15, 2009.
Published by the New Zealand Police Association
P.O. Box 12344, Willbank House, 57 Willis Street, Wellington.
Phone: (04) 496 6800, Facsmile: (04) 471 1309
Email: editor@policeassn.org.nz
Website: www.policeassn.org.nz
Printed by City Print Communications, Wellington.
226
LIFE THROUGH A LENS
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the
Association.
COPYRIGHT: 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.
Contents
229
A NEW LIFE FOR POLICE MUSEUM
From the President
223
Victorian Police may be only Australian police without Tasers
223
Police Pay round 2009/What the arbitrator had to say
224
Association and Police agree on guidelines for management of LWOP 225
Copper’s crossword
225
A day in the life of a Police forensic photographer
226/8
Invercargill officer fronts display at revamped Police Museum
229
View from the Bottom (I Am Keen)
230
Memorial Wall
230
Free Roadside Assistance with your car insurance
231
Home buying hints from The National Bank
232
The youth gang culture
Sports News
233
THE LIFE OF YOUTH GANGS
• Front page: The youth gang culture: With discount
shops now selling gangsta-styled bandannas and other
paraphernalia, the danger is looming that the gang culture
is becoming glamourised in the eyes of vulnerable and often
disenfranchised youth to such an extent that it is beginning
to become normalised amongst today’s youth. Impressionable
children as young as six are being seen in gang colours. Some
schools have had to increase their security and call upon
police more often as youth gang tensions increase, fuelled
by violence-laced lyrics in rap music and the use of Internet
social networking sites to organise fights, glamourise the gang
culture and recruit vulnerable youth. See Deb Stringer’s look
at the youth gang culture on page 233.
- Photo courtesy of Istockphotos.com/Ljupco Smokovski
222
October 2009
233/5
236/242
Useful contacts and information
237
Holiday home availability chart
239
WA Police launch an offensive against bikies
243
Keen on Wine
243
Letters to the Editor
NZ Police Association Cycle and Mountain Bike Champs advert
Humble sports achievers
take annual awards – p94
244/7
248
New Zealand Police Association
Some years ago, in response to a review
of Police, we at the Police Association
established our own external committee
to ‘audit’ the so-called Martin Review.
This proved a successful exercise and the
worst impacts of what was a ‘once over
lightly’ exercise designed to extract $50
million dollars from the Police budget
were mitigated.
The mainstay of our audit team was a
successful New Zealand business owner
who had never been exposed to policing
or police officers before.
At the end of the exercise, he commented
to me that in all his years in business, he
had never met a group of people - referring
to the numerous police he had met - who
were so committed to delivering quality
service to their ‘customers’ and whose
complaints to him almost invariably
related to impediments to getting the job
done properly.
I’ve been reflecting on his comments in
the past few months as I have travelled
around New Zealand listening to police
talk about the job. The same situation still
exists. The looming cuts to the budget
are causing consternation to police at
every level. They are worried that the
level of response, mostly to victims and
complainants, will be reduced.
It’s a tough one. Obviously, Police cannot
expect to be exempt from an economic
crisis impacting on the national budget.
We have been fortunate to obtain a payrise for sworn staff, and hopefully can do
“The looming cuts to the budget are causing
consternation to police at every level. They are
worried that the level of response, mostly to
victims and complainants, will be reduced.”
so for non-sworn staff, which will keep up
with inflation.
leave actually frees up real cash to spend
elsewhere.
However, the Police budget is unlikely
to be adjusted to take into account those
same inflation increases. Which leaves us
in the position of still trying to maintain
the same level of service to the public with
less, or at best, the same amount of money
less the inflation rate.
For this reason, we are encouraging
members to co-operate with efforts to
reduce leave.
We can sympathise with senior managers
tasked with finding savings and having
to put pressure on those below them to
implement such changes. We get many
queries at National Office around the
pressure to get leave levels down, with
some members reluctant to take leave as
they feel they are leaving their colleagues
and the public vulnerable by their
absence.
However, as Police must actually put
aside the real dollar equivalent of each
day’s leave owed to all of us, reducing
It is one concession to the recession and
means we can do our bit to minimise the
reduction in service to the public. As our
businessman friend observed, nothing
annoys police more that feeling like we
are not looking after the public properly.
It’s going to be tough over the next wee
while, but no-one will be spared the effects
of a reduced tax take. We will be working
to minimise the impact on Police but in
the meantime, the bottom line has
got to be that the criminals
must not become the
beneficiaries of the
recession. That’s
where we can
all do our bit.
Only in America – Johnson vs Johnson
A gun-toting grandmother who shot a man
she says tried to mug her is now being sued
by him for $US5million ($NZ8.92 million),
according to the UK’s Daily Times.
Wheelchair-bound Margaret Johnson,
whose grandfather was a notorious crime
boss who inspired a character in the film
Shaft, admits shooting Deron Johnson in
the arm in Harlem with her licensed .357
Magnum.
Now that he is suing her, the 59-year-old
says she wished she had killed him when
she had a chance.
“I didn’t think you had to pay to get
mugged in New York City,” Johnson said
of the pending lawsuit.
Allegations
The retired bus driver, who has a dislocated
hip and a ruptured disc, said that in
September 2006 she was sitting in her
motorised wheelchair when Johnson tried
to snatch her purse and gold chain.
She pulled out her licensed .357 Magnum
and fired a round into his left elbow. Police
grabbed him moments later.
She later told a reporter: “There are people
like him in the world who like to take
advantage of people like me. Obviously, he
didn’t know me. Actually, I feel sick about
the whole thing. Picking on a handicapped
woman is about as low as you can go. I
feel sorry for him, but it was a choice he
made.”
Gangster grandfather
Margaret Johnson’s grandfather was
gangster Ellsworth ‘Bumpy’ Johnson.
Johnson once ruled Harlem’s underworld
and became famous for warring with
gangster Dutch Shultz over control of the
Harlem gambling racket.
He served time in Alcatraz prison and
was immortalised as the character Bumpy
Jonas in Shaft, as well as The Cotton Club
and American Gangster.
During his subsequent trial, Deron Johnson
- who had previously been jailed for drug
dealing and had nine previous arrests for
robbery - denied being a mugger and was
acquitted.
Kicked dog
He told the court he had kicked Ms
Johnson’s shih-tzu dog, Malika, after it
attacked him, prompting the pet owner to
shoot him.
Deron Johnson’s lawyer, Craig Davidowitz,
said his client suffered permanent nerve
damage from the shooting.
Johnson is also suing Ms Johnson’s housing
estate for allowing a tenant to roam around
with a loaded gun.
‘What’s grandma doing walking the streets
with a loaded gun?’ the lawyer asked.
Johnson, who once owned an Uzi
submachine gun, said she can’t afford to
hire a lawyer.
“I’m not spending a dime on that son-of-ab**ch,” she said.
“This boils my blood. Why is he picking
on me again?” she added.
October 2009
223
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
Police pay round 2009 – how it unfolded
By Greg Fleming, Association
Industrial Advocate
process or the interests of members and
the NZ Police as a whole.
Russell Gibson, and National Manager:
Finance, Ian Georgeson.
In late 2008, with the country in recession
and financial constraints beginning to
be imposed on the Government sector
it was clear that 2009 was going to be
a difficult pay round for constabulary
staff (sworn) and Police employees
(non-sworn).
Formal negotiations commenced on
21 May 2009. Negotiations over the
subsequent months were unable to
produce a settlement, so on 6 July the
constabulary negotiations were referred
to an arbitrator to initiate the arbitration
procedures.
Planning started immediately after the
conclusion of the 2008 pay round, with
meetings held with Police Association
representatives to canvass the issues
and discuss a proposed strategy.
This was the first time in 10 years the
constabulary Collective Agreement
was to be the subject of a final offer
arbitrated decision. The process of
preparing submissions, submissions in
response and oral submissions at the
hearing itself occurred through July and
August.
Going into the hearing on 18 August,
the Association’s final offer was a
2% adjustment to salaries, total
remuneration and allowances for 12
months from 1 July 2009 whilst the
final offer of the NZ Police was nil. At
the conclusion of the hearing, the parties
were invited to restate their final offers.
NZ Police subsequently amended their
position to 1% effective 1 Sept 2009
(no backdating) and expiring 31 August
2010. This effectively provided a 0.85%
increase over a 14-month term. The
final offer position of the Association
remained unchanged. At that point
in time, the parties were asked by the
arbitrator to give negotiations one
final attempt. This took place with the
assistance of an independent mediator.
However, no further progress was made.
As a result, we resolved to pursue a claim
for a modest (2.5%) adjustment in pay
and allowances. Time off in lieu (TOIL)
was an issue for sworn members, but we
decided not to pursue a range of claims
for improvements in conditions or new
allowances. If a negotiated settlement
was not likely, we were going to seek
referral of the constabulary negotiations
to arbitration in a timely manner.
Politics
We resisted any temptation to debate
the issues in public, even when
politicians entered the fray, as that
was not considered productive to the
Various roles
The arbitration body consisted of Judith
Scott, who is an independent arbitrator,
and two nominees from each party. The
role of the nominees was to assist the
chair by clarifying any issues she needed
to consider. The Association nominated
Sergeant Luke Shadbolt to provide
a policing focus to any discussion,
and Peter Harris, a well-respected
Wellington-based economist. NZ Police
nominated Central District Commander
What the arbitrator had to say…
After two months of negotiations, it
was clear to both parties that the only
way this pay round was going to be
resolved was via arbitration.
Arbitration required written submissions
and then additional submissions in
response. A formal hearing followed,
where oral submissions were made
and questions from the arbitrator were
answered.
In reaching her decision, the arbitrator
had to consider six specified criteria set
out in the Policing Act, plus any other
criteria that the parties, including the
arbitrator, considered relevant.
Consideration
After considering over 100 pages
of submissions, the arbitrator
distilled the issues down to a short
and succinct 10-page decision. The
following extract is her summary at
the conclusion of the decision:
“After careful consideration I have decided
to accept the final offer made by the
224
October 2009
Police Association in respect of the Sworn
Collective Agreement for New Zealand
Police. While the entire criterion in the
Policing Act 2008 has been considered,
the prime reason for reaching this
decision is the maintenance of relativities
with other agreements. The Labour Cost
Index (LCI) is the appropriate measure
for determining wage movement and
Competency Service Increments (CSIs)
should not therefore be factored in when
considering general wage movements. The
effect of this decision is that; a 2% general
adjustment will apply to the rates, total
remuneration and allowances contained
in the collective agreement except for
those allowances previously frozen. This
increase will be applied from 1st July
2009. The document will expire on 30th
June 2010.
I would like to thank the parties for
their detailed submissions and the other
members of the arbitrating panel for
their assistance in helping clarify the
issues I needed to consider.”
The arbitrator subsequently issued
her decision, which was to accept the
Association’s position, on 31 August.
Arbitration is final and binding, so there
was no requirement for constabulary
members to meet and ratify the
decision.
Police employees’
Collective…
This year, as in previous years, we
combined Police employee and
constabulary negotiations. However,
on referring the constabulary
negotiations to arbitration, the Police
employee negotiations were placed on
hold until the outcome of arbitration
was known.
This is because the arbitration process
is only available for the Collective
Agreement covering constabulary
employees, as legislation specifically
bars these staff from taking any form of
industrial action.
Police employees, like any other
worker in the NZ workforce, do have
the right to use industrial action. The
Police Association is hopeful that this
will not be necessary and at time of
writing, we were back in negotiations
with NZ Police, seeking to have the
outcome of the arbitration decision
extended to Police employees.
Police employees will ultimately
be required to attend ratification
meetings to vote on any proposed
settlement.
New Zealand Police Association
Association and Police agree on guidelines for
the management of constabulary LWOP
By Tracy White, Association Industrial Officer
The Association and Police have
recently agreed on guidelines for the
management of LWOP (leave without
pay) in the current economic/financial
climate. The following is a guideline for
practice for constabulary leave without
pay.
The following is a guideline of practice
for constabulary leave without pay.
1. Employees currently on LWOP
Where the employee was not explicitly
advised that they may not return to
their previous District, and a reasonable
expectation of return to the District they
were in prior to LWOP is held, Police
will return the employee to that District
accordingly and to a workplace in
reasonably close proximity to that they
were in prior to commencing LWOP.
2. Extending LWOP
Police will not require an employee to
remain on LWOP after the expiry of the
original LWOP period. At the expiry of
the original LWOP period, Police will be
obliged to find the employee a position
at their current rank and remuneration,
although not necessarily the same or
similar role as previously held.
3. Employees wishing to go on LWOP now
The approval process for LWOP
remains the same, except that all
employees who are seeking approval
Police are not able to unilaterally demote
employees on return from LWOP. If there
is no position available at their current
rank and remuneration, employees may
be placed in a lower ranked position if
one is available, on the understanding
that their remuneration will be as per
the considerations in 6 (below), and
they will then be placed in the first
suitable position that becomes available
at their rank and remuneration.
to take LWOP now and in the future
will be explicitly advised that there is a
very real possibility of being posted to
another District on their return.
(Refer clause 5.5.5 of the Sworn
Collective Employment Agreement)
At this stage, this will most likely mean
a posting to the greater Auckland area,
in particular South Auckland.
Employees are strongly advised to
seriously consider this prior to requesting
LWOP.
Employees returning from LWOP are
not required to apply for and gain
positions on merit. Police are obliged to
place employees returning from LWOP
in a suitable position.
4. Employees who wish to return early
from LWOP
Employees are advised that Police may
not approve early returns from LWOP.
Employees may be required to stay on
LWOP until the expiry date of their
approved LWOP period. At the expiry
of LWOP, Police are obliged to find the
employee a position at their current
rank and remuneration, although not
necessarily the same or similar role as
previously held and not necessarily in
the same District.
A ‘suitable position’, all things being
equal, is one for which the returning
employee has all the requisite
experience, skills and abilities, so that
they can fulfill the role competently.
6. Remuneration on return from LWOP
Employees returning from LWOP
will be returned to their previous
remuneration band and step, adjusted
for any General Wage Increases (GWI),
which have taken effect during their
period of LWOP.
5. Position on return from LWOP
Employees will be posted at their current
rank and remuneration, although not
necessarily in the same or similar role
as previously held. Individual career
aspirations will be considered alongside
operational need. There is a need for both
parties to communicate and be flexible.
1
Employees will be eligible for
Competency Service Increments (CSIs)
only if they have had four months active
service in the 12 months preceding their
anniversary date.
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Clues:
Across:
1. Type of soft drink to give a boost? (4)
3. Property offence (8)
9. Dangerous hold if put on incorrectly (7)
10. Range broken for ire (5)
11. Part of an investigation (12)
13. Messy (6)
15. Relative (6)
17. Fellow workers (12)
20. Royal (5)
21. Worry and bother (7)
22. Predicting (8)
23. Part of hereditary tree (4)
Down:
1. Imprisoned (slang) (6,2)
2. Beat, copy (5)
4. Untied (6)
5. Little jumping “kung-fu” creatures (12)
6. Fishermen (7)
7. Back or front play area (4)
8. Offenders who prey on offices? (12)
12. Impractical (8)
14. Strife (7)
16. Hospital aid with a pee in it? (6)
18. Way round (5)
19. Catch on (4)
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
September answers:
Across
14. Issue
1. Scared
18. Annul
4. Letter
19. Abstain
9. Radioactivity
21. Soundproofing
10. Slowest
22. Siting
11. Lance
23. Cygnet
12. Scout
Down:
1. Stress
2. Code of Conduct
3. Evoke
5. Edibles
6. Triangulation
7. Rhymes
8. Acute
13. Unladen
15. Causes
16. Hairs
17. Knight
20. Story
20
22
21
23
October 2009
225
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
A day in the life of a
Police forensic
photographer
• EYE IN THE SKY: Police Forensic photographerss sometimes have to go to dizzying heights to get the right angle and best shot of a subject.
By Deb Stringer, Association
Communications Assistant
Murder, mayhem and mystery may well be
the basic plot of any fictional television crime
series.
But for members of the Forensic Photography
Section, these elements are a reality they
face every day.
Whether it’s photographing a woman
who had been welded into a drum after
being murdered by her husband, or a man
who decided to hide in an anchor-well of
a fishing boat, before being discovered
eight months later, it’s all in a day’s work
for Police forensic photographers as they
capture the images on camera as evidence.
Not for the faint-hearted
Officer-in-charge of the Wellington Forensic
Photography Section, Sergeant Janine
Davie, told Police News that to be competent
in the job, photographers needed to have a
cast-iron stomach.
226
October 2009
“It’s pretty negative most of the time,
because you have to deal with a lot of death
and tragedy.”
Because of this, photographers must be able
to disassociate themselves from what they
are witnessing.
Measures have been put in place to achieve
this.
“A psychologist is available to all
photographers and we encourage them to
talk about any issues they may have at least
every three months,” Mrs Davie said.
Method to the madness
The main objective for a Police forensic
photographer is to support the gathering
of evidence of a crime, as well as produce
evidence in court in the event of a not-guilty
plea.
“Our photos help paint a picture, so we
must make sure they are presented in an
unbiased way, as we can depict a scene far
better than anybody can describe it.” Mrs
Davie said.
To achieve this, several factors must be
taken into consideration. These include
perspective, lighting, shutter speeds,
camera settings, apertures, lenses and
digital production.
Mrs Davie said perspective was very
important. “Photographers need to figure
out which angles to use, as taking a picture
from a certain angle may distort the view,
e.g. an object may look bigger or smaller
than it actually is.”
Photographers needed to determine which
lens would be best for the job e.g. using a
wide-angled lens or a zoom lens.
A number of shots are also taken from
several different angles, which helps
minimise the problem of parallax (an object
against a distant background), which
might then lead to evidence being deemed
inadmissible by a judge.
Having a good grasp of human anatomy is
also important.
New Zealand Police Association
Scene of the crime
When arriving at a crime scene, the officerin-charge of the case briefs the Police
forensic photographer.
Having attention to detail and good problem
solving skills definitely helps achieve these
objectives.
The photographer then factors in time
considerations and lighting before going
about his or her work.
Equipment check
To record their work, most Police
photographers in New Zealand are equipped
with a Cannon Mark 1DS digital camera.
“Lighting is very important in our job, as
everything must be clearly visible. This is
why we use the flash 99.9% of the time,”
Mrs Davie said.
“These are definitely the preferred camera
for most forensic photographers since
everything went digital in 2007,” Mrs Davies
said.
“Unlike other forms of photography, we
never use artistic shadows.”
Tripods are an important tool of the trade.
They are invaluable as work is often in
conditions of low light, thereby requiring
long exposures.
Keeping the shutter speed low on the
camera also helps depict everything in the
scene, Mrs Davie said.
General to the specific
At crime scenes, photographers will always
begin by taking pictures from the outside
perspective.
“You will always move from the general
to the specific, e.g: You will always begin
taking a photo of the overall scene and then
get more specific as you move in closer,”
Mrs Davie explained.
“It helps if you think about what might come
up in court, so you are always taking this
into consideration when working.”
a much more visual age,” Senior Constable
Fiona Foxall told Police News.
“It’s also been found that juries seem to
respond better to visual aids.”
The good bits
One of the best parts of the job was
“variety”, Constable Paula Tanuvasa said.
“You just never quite know where you are
going to end up. Recently I was called to a
fatal vehicle crash in the same location as
the television drink-drive advert “It’s in the
blood” was filmed,” she said.
“It was quite strange because the victim had
gone off the road in the same place as the
car in the ad.
Photographers also use Apple Mac computers
and video cameras, and are constantly
upgrading to the latest technology.
“Although the victim did manage to steer
back on to the road, they then oversteered
and crashed into a tree,” Ms Tanuvasa said.
“We often have to video scenes as well as
edit them. Videoing interviews with offenders
is also another part of our job,” Mrs Davie
said.
Forensic photographers regularly
take pictures of assault injuries, drug
paraphernalia, dead bodies, crime scenes,
arsons, cannabis plants, fatal vehicle
crashes and robberies.
Photographers take hundreds of thousands
of photos a year and all of them are stored indefinitely.
“There has definitely been an increase in
demand for our services in recent years and
I think this is down to the fact that we live in
They also take photos of publicity events for
the Police.
Some of the stranger locations photography
staff have been to include: burnt-out
buildings, clan labs with toxic chemicals and
• Long-time Wellington Forensic photographer Bruce Hutton is ready, with his trusty Canon in hand, for the next job.
October 2009
227
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
the middle of motorways – unfortunately
attending night time fatal vehicle
crashes.
Job description
Forensic photographers usually work
between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. but are on
call seven days a week.
All photographers are sworn police
officers and currently there are about 50
working nationwide.
Obviously an interest in photography and
technology is needed, along with maturity,
a good work ethic and the ability to work on
your own.
“These are the things we look for in a Police
forensic photographer,” Mrs Davie said.
9.25%pa
• A Police Forensic photographer assisting at the site of a shallow grave discovered in a
forest.
Rent a cop
comes to
Italy
Police in Rome, Naples and Milan have
taken to renting out their municipal
traffic cops to make ends meet as the
global recession bites.
Traffic escorts are now available to
private citizens complete with flashing
lights. Anyone wishing to hire one or
more of the the local traffic carabinieri
can do so for 20 euros ($NZ51) an hour
per officer.
228
October 2009
Use of 0800 Ten
Nine phone line
Association representatives maintain this
telephone line (0800 8366 463) on a 24-hour
basis.
It is to be used ONLY for matters that cannot
be deferred, such as Police shootings, fatal
pursuits or deaths in custody.
Important and immediate industrial and legal
advice can then be arranged through the
Association networks.
Please do not phone this line for nonurgent matters.
New Zealand Police Association
Invercargill officer fronts youth education
display at revamped Police Museum
By Deb Stringer, Communications Assistant
A strong dedication to his job has seen
Invercargill officer Fenton Herrick
become the face of youth education at
the recently revamped New Zealand
Police Museum.
The Youth Education Officer’s photo
and profile is part of an integrated
display, which features different aspects
of community policing around New
Zealand.
The display is part of the Community
Engagement Policing segment, which
gives visitors an insight into youth
education and community policing and
what kind of people are in the force.
Positive influence
Mr Herrick said he was pleased to be
part of something that showcased
the beneficial aspects of a job he felt
passionate about.
“I really love the positive nature of my
work. It is great to see that a display has
been included that promotes a positive
image of the Police,” he said.
Mr Herrick has been happily working as
a Youth Education Officer for the past 21
years. The Community Group at Police
National Headquarters recommended
that his image be part of the display.
Mr Herrick told Police News that a
“positive working environment” was
what kept him in the job.
“Through my work I know that most
of the kids out there are generally good
kids and that even these kids can make
bad decisions at times, so it’s nice to be
able to offer them some guidance when
needed.”
He said he enjoyed fostering good
relationships between youth and
Police.
New look
Museum Manager Kamaya Yates said
one of the major changes to the museum
had been incorporating displays, which
offered an insight into contemporary
policing - such as the Community
Engagement Policing segment.
“We have also split the museum into
two areas – Noa (meaning normal) and
Tapu (meaning the harder edge of crime
and death).”
Contemporary policing issues are
housed in the Noa section. Displays
such as forensics and other issues which
have changed the face of policing (like
the war between morals and ethics), are
all part of the Tapu area.
Coming attractions include offering
school groups the chance to attend an
overnight forensic science camp, as well
as an interactive Intel suite and Comms
section.
Ms Yates said the upgraded museum
was all about taking a more interactive
approach. “Previously, it had very much
been an object-based museum,” Ms
Yates said.
Answers: (1) Jenny Shipley, (2) Drug Abuse
Resistance Education, (3) Boxing, (4) The
strawberry, (5) Brown, (6) The 14th century
(it peaked between 1348 and 1350), (7) India,
(8) (b) - Robert Browning, (9) The “Mach
numbers” that are often used to measure
aircraft speeds are based on the speed of
sound. Mach 2 is double the speed of sound;
Mach 3 is treble the speed of sound, and so
on. (10). (d) Varus suffered a catastrophic
defeat in the forests of Germany.
• Senior Constable Fenton Herrick, a Youth Education Officer in Southland, tells Myross Bush
School children all about the activities of police officers and staff. Mr Herrick was chosen
as the ‘face’ of Police youth education at the New Zealand Police Museum at the Royal New
Zealand Police College at Porirua, which was recently relaunched.
- Photo courtesy of The Southland Times and Robyn Edie.
Okay, morning or afternoon tea break has arrived.
You have your cuppa in hand and you and your
colleagues could do with a quick brain workout.
So appoint your quizmaster and have a go at these
questions. The answers are under the quiz (upside
down, no peeking!).
1. Who was New Zealand’s first female
Prime Minister?
2. What does the acronym DARE stand for?
3. Name the one sport in which neither the
spectators nor the participants know the
score or the leader until the contest ends?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
5. What colour would you get if you mixed
orange and green?
6. In what century did the Black Death (the
plague) strike Europe? – the 13th, 14th or
15th century?
7. In what country would you find the cities
of Shillong, Poona and Lucknow?
8. Starting in the late 1880s, European
representatives of Thomas Edison
recorded the voices of famous people to
publicise the newly invented phonograph.
Not long after, one of the people recorded
on Edison’s phonograph became the
first person ever whose voice was heard
after his death. Who was he? (a) The
composer, Johannes Brahms (b) The poet,
Robert Browning; (c) The composer, Sir
Arthur Sullivan. (d) The poet, Alfred Lord
Tennyson.
9. If someone were referring to the “Mach
numbers” what would they be measuring?
10. The Roman General Publius Quinctilius
Varus (d. 9 A.D.) served during the reign
of the Emperor Augustus Caesar. His
main claim to fame was: (a) Establishing
the first Roman settlement in Britain. (b)
Imposing order upon the quarrelsome
tribes of Gaul. (c) Suffering a catastrophic
defeat in the forests of Germany. (d)
Marching against Rome in an attempted
revolt.
Scoring: 0-2 – Hmmn, room for significant
improvement (perhaps next month). 3-5 Not bad,
but better luck next time. 6-7 – Good effort. 8 –
Very good. 9 – Excellent. 10 – Wipe your nose,
take a bow and go to the top of the class Einstein.
October 2009
229
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
An oldie but clearly a goodie
The recession is bulking out numbers of
people wanting to join the Police.
Attrition rates are down and with recruit
Wings cancelled, there is now a back up in
the waiting lists of those wishing to get into
the Police College.
One potential recruit that surprised police in
Christchurch recently, was the man who rang
to say that he had heard that there was “no
longer an age barrier” to joining the Police. He
said he would consider lending a hand where
required and wanted an application form.
The telephonist who took the call was alerted
to the fact that the caller may not, however,
pass the hearing test when the telephonist had
to start yelling down the phone to be heard.
Upon further inquiries it was discovered the
caller was a 90-year-old gentleman.
Perhaps the Government might need to look
at raising the rate of the state pension if our
90-year-olds feel they have to join the Police
to make ends meet. Or perhaps he was just
a very community-minded soul with his heart
in the right place.
This column is written by a frontline
police officer. It does not represent the
views or policies of the Police Association.
A big hooray!
Well done to the Association team and the persuasive material they put
before the arbitrator who swung the decision our way. A very fair claim
and it will help with the rising day-to-day costs of food, power, rates
and petrol. It’s just such a shame that we will have to go through the
whole thing again in less than 12-months time.
I see Police attempted to bridge the gap at the last minute but to no
avail. Very interesting that the talk about selling of Police properties is
valued similar to that of the 2% pay rise cost. Surely not? It must just
be a coincidence? No, I am not a cynic!
A good old-fashioned nosh up
I am reliably told that the staff pizza and fish and chip nights in
Molesworth Street will continue, though a 2% cut may see a few less
chips or no train smash to cover it with. Oh, and someone will probably
have to walk down and pick them up as there are no cars available to
take!
Tongue and cheek aside, I think this type of idea is great for morale
and I am sure every District Commander in the nation will be getting
their cheque-book out to follow suit. I hope our Dave throws a few hot
dogs in though, as I’m a bit more partial to that side of things.
Spotlight or beat-up?
No, I am not talking about the kid’s game after dark either. Our
Broadsword seems to have become the ‘hot’ topic for some journalists
who seem intent on bagging him at every turn. The latest being the fact
that he has a driver and he is as accessible as a certain monkey that
escaped down here in the Garden City! My view is that they are being
We remember…
230
October 2009
“Action is eloquence.”
- William Shakespeare (English playwright).
“A man is rich in proportion to the number of
things he can let alone.”
- Henry David Thoreau. (American author).
“Man perfected by society is the best of all
animals; he is the most terrible of all when
he lives without law, and without justice.”
- Aristotle (Greek philosopher).
a bit harsh really. It makes sense to me to use your car as an office,
in between all those activities you have to do, when you are in charge
of so many staff that are at the sharp end of making our community
a safer place. As for the available factor, I think this is something our
Big Three (now two) need to get sorted. Our staff expect you to front,
as do the wider community with the many issues we face each day
(and night).
Mind you, I’m not a fan of some of these media people. Some of them
could best be described as vulturish on occasion. Yeah sure, our latest
detective to have made the spotlight made a serious error of judgement
to drive intoxicated but I ask you this. How many people at that level
within any organisation (including the Beehive) would be subjected to
such a tirade of comment and focus from the media? I’m not excusing
his behaviour but I have considerable empathy for him and his family
with what followed. The older you get and the more you see in this
job allows you to really see the shades of grey in the world, and the
inconsistencies of life.
ABs definitely warming up for 2011. I can see the potential. We just
need to realise it. Keep the faith!
See Ya!
Eight facts from The University of Useless
Information…
1) It takes your food seven seconds to get from your mouth to
your stomach.
2) One human hair can support 3 kg (6.6 lb).
3) Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
4) A woman’s heart beats faster than a man’s.
5) There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
6) Women blink twice as often as men.
7) Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are
standing still.
8) If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.
Who passed away…
KINNANE Alan Raymond
3-Sep-09
Retired member
Japan
INGHAM Christine Margaret
6-Sep-09
Retired member
Waitakere, Auckland
KALIVATI Peter John
8-Sep-09
Retired member
Upper Hutt, Wgtn
PARKER Ivan Stanley
17-Sep-09
Retired member
Avonhead, Chch
BRANN Jason Anthony
17-Sep-09
Retired member
Waitakere, Akld
New Zealand Police Association
Free Roadside Assistance
with your car insurance
• A VICTIM SPEAKS OUT? The owner of this XR6 Turbo Ute made
his or her feelings quite clear to all and sundry as the vehicle
headed south along the River Road near Silverstream, Wellington
recently.
- Photo courtesy of Highway Patrol Officer Lance McClure.
Don’t be stranded.
If your motor vehicle has ‘Full Cover’ with Police Fire & General
Insurance, we provide a professional roadside assistance service
– free-of-charge.
Your car could have: a breakdown, a flat battery, a flat tyre, or maybe
you’ve just run out of petrol, or locked the keys in the car – at whatever
time - you can call Police Welfare Fund Roadside Assist Plus for help.
New Zealand Police Association
North Island Police
Touch Tournament 2009
The NZ Police Association North Island Police Touch Tournament
will be held on Friday the 20th of November 2009 at Anderson
Park Sports Ground, Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay has a great climate with plenty of sunshine and is a
popular wine region. There is plenty of accommodation available
either in Hastings, or Napier, which is located only 20 kilometres
away.
A later start time is being contemplated to allow more time for
teams travelling from out of the region.
The entry fee is $150 per team and entry is open to all grades.
For more information and to enter contact
■ Jason Evans at Hastings Police by
Email: Jason.Evans@police.govt.nz or
Extension: 67879, or
Cellphone: 027 334 5710
■ Mike Stevenson at Hastings Police by
Email: Michael.Stevenson@police.govt.nz or
Extension: 67830, or
Cellphone: 027 215 0851
The beauty of the service is that cover is attached to the insured
vehicle, not the driver, so it doesn’t matter who is driving your car. If
they have a problem, the driver can contact the service.
This premium service includes the provision of a rental vehicle and/or
accommodation if your vehicle breaks down 100 kilometres or more
from your home. These are benefits not generally provided by standard
roadside support services.
About the cover
The New Zealand Automobile Association (NZAA) is contracted to
supply Police Welfare Fund Roadside Assist Plus. All motor vehicles
with ‘Full Cover’ (but not third party policies) are covered, with PWF
General Insurances meeting the cost of the service in full.
Police Welfare Fund Roadside Assist Plus provide roadside support for:
• Mechanical breakdown: The NZAA provide assistance to restart
the vehicle. When the vehicle cannot be restarted, cover includes
an emergency taxi and towing the vehicle to a local repairer. If the
breakdown occurs over 100km from home and the repairs will take
over 24 hrs to complete, cover includes accommodation and/or a
rental vehicle (where available).
•
•
•
•
•
Vehicle recovery;
Vehicle lockout;
Flat battery;
Flat tyre; and
No or incorrect fuel.
A full description of services Police Welfare Fund Roadside Assist Plus
provides is on the Police Fire & General Insurance page of our website:
www.policeassn.org.nz. Trailers, caravans and vehicles with third party
insurance are excluded from cover.
How do I get cover?
Police Welfare Fund members can insure their vehicle with ‘Full
Cover’ Police Fire & General Insurance and you’re automatically
covered. If you would like a quote, call 0800 500 122, or visit
the insurance section in the ‘Members Only’ area of our website:
www.policeassn.org.nz
October 2009
231
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
Home buying hints from
The National Bank
How to present your home for sale
this spring
With the arrival of spring, the housing market heats up along with the
temperature. Traditionally, there are lots of new listings at this time of year
as people look to sell up and move into a new home for the new year. In a
competitive market, preparation and presentation are more important than
ever when it comes to a fast sale and a top price.
If you are thinking of putting your home
on the market this spring, here is a
reminder of some key things to think
about when you’re getting your home
ready for sale.
Put yourself in
the buyer’s shoes
However much people try to be
rational, emotions play a big part in
buying a home. So start by seeing
your home from a buyer’s perspective.
If you find it hard, ask a friend or
family member to imagine they’re in
the market for a new home, and to
give you their honest opinion on the
strengths and weaknesses of yours you may be surprised at what they tell
you. When you are getting your home
ready, try to accentuate the strengths
and either remedy or mitigate the
weaknesses.
First impressions count
Take a hard look at your home from
the street – and the impression it
makes. A poor first impression is very
hard to overcome and may even deter
prospective buyers from entering.
Things you can do to make your home
more inviting include washing down the
house (especially the front), fixing any
flaking paint, overgrown gardens or
missing boards on the fence, planting
some flowers out front or putting a
potted shrub by the front door.
Less is more
A tidy, uncluttered home is always best.
It looks more spacious. Remember,
other people may not share your taste
in knick-knacks and decorations. Give
them a blank canvas where they can
imagine their own things. Leave the car
out of the garage too – it’ll look bigger.
and make up the beds with your nicest
linen. Put some flowers in your best
vase.
Follow your nose
Cooking smells, pet smells or musty,
damp smells all put people off. Make
sure the house is well aired, take Fido
to a friend’s house and watch what you
cook.
Get your house in order
Fix all those things you’ve put up with
for ages but other people are bound
to notice. Leaky taps, squeaky doors,
cracks or damage to plasterboard and
other small problems are easy to fix
and well worth doing.
Get your finance in order too
If you’re looking to buy another
home, it pays to be ready to move
once your existing home has sold.
The National Bank can help. As a
Police Welfare Fund member you
can take advantage of the Police
Home Loan Package, which gives
you discounts on interest rates and
other benefits. You may also be able
to get your loan pre-approved, which
gives you the comfort of knowing
exactly what you can afford to offer
on a new home. One of our Mobile
Mortgage Managers can visit you to
arrange your finance at a time and
place that’s convenient for you.
For more information on the Police
Home Loan Package, just call
0800 800 808 or come into any branch
of The National Bank.
Show your best
When people are coming to inspect
the house, put out your best towels
08-2009
232
October 2009
OUR LENDING CRITERIA, TERMS, CONDITIONS AND FEES APPLY. WHERE BORROWING OVER 80% OF A PROPERTY’S VALUE
IS APPROVED, A LOW EQUITY PREMIUM ON A GRADUATED SCALE WILL APPLY AND A REGISTERED VALUER’S REPORT IS REQUIRED. THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED AS A COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE OF THE NATIONAL BANK. IT IS PREPARED BASED ON
INFORMATION AND SOURCES THE BANK BELIEVES TO BE RELIABLE. ITS CONTENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY, IS SUBJECT
TO CHANGE AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMERCIAL JUDGEMENT OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, WHICH SHOULD BE
SOUGHT PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO ANY TRANSACTIONS. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW THE NATIONAL BANK DISCLAIMS LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY DIRECT OR INDIRECT LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT
FROM ANY ACT OR OMISSION BY ANY PERSON IN RELATION TO THE MATERIAL.
New Zealand Police Association
The youth gang culture
– get rich or die trying
By Deb Stringer, Communications Assistant
• ACTING UP: Bloods gang members show their true colours at gangsta
rapper The Game’s concert, held in Porirua in August.
Gangsta Rapper 50 Cent was once quoted as saying that he was the type of guy who would swallow
his blood before he swallowed his pride.
This quote more or less summarises the
“gangsta mentality”, which has infected the
minds of youth in New Zealand who have
integrated themselves into youth gang/street
gang culture.
Power, wealth and prestige are what
these youth are desperately seeking. The
hallmarks of the gangsta rap-lifestyle, which
glorifies and glamourises violence, drugs
and misogyny played out by their beloved
rap idols, signals to them that emulating the
lifestyle may be just the ticket to success.
Some rap stars are just manufactured
commodities bankrolled by multinational
record companies, which in turn exploit their
image for huge profits. At other times, the life
you see played out through their music videos
is in fact a sad reality.
Sad realities
Rappers such as The Game and 50 Cent
rap about worlds where criminal activities,
broken families and poverty are the norm.
Young people who hail from similar
backgrounds within the New Zealand
context, especially Maori and Pacific
Islanders, naturally identify with this music,
because it expresses a way of life they easily
relate to.
Inspector Jason Hewett, the man in charge
of addressing South Auckland’s gang
problem, understands why this is so.
“Because most of these American gangsta
rappers come from ethnic minorities
themselves, this music provides Pacific and
Maori youth with a sense of belonging, a
feeling of kinship,” he said.
Negative messages
However, it also entices impressionable minds
into thinking that if they only sold drugs or
lived a life of crime, peppered with violence, all
the material wealth portrayed in these videos
would then become accessible.
This is when the problems begin.
Mr Hewett said some South Auckland gangs
looking to recruit know only too well the powers
of glamourising the gangsta rap lifestyle.
He said he knew of one gang, which had taken
young men to motels and supplied them with
copious amounts of alcohol and provided
prostitutes for them.
The message to the young men was clear – all
they had to do was sell drugs and this type of
lifestyle would be theirs.
“For someone who has no shoes and didn’t
have breakfast, you can see how alluring this
could be for them,” Mr Hewett said.
Taking a stand
Papatoetoe High School Principal, Peter Gall,
has taken a bold stand against gangsta rap
and its culture.
In August, the school won a competition, which
would have meant a visit from gangsta rapper,
The Game, while he was on tour in New
Zealand.
However, Mr Gall told the New Zealand Herald
he had declined the visit, as he believed the
gangsta rapper’s image and music sent a
negative message to students.
“I have nothing against him but I am very much
against what he has done in the past.”
The Game openly admits his gang affiliations
and has even admitted to selling crack cocaine
and marijuana while attending high school.
He was also accused of pulling a gun on an
opponent last year, during a basketball game
in Rita Walters Educational Complex in Los
Angeles.
Looking the part
Stylised clothing plays an important part for
youth trying to emulate the American gangsta
lifestyle.
In this way, gangsta rappers also take on
another role, serving as fashion icons to youth
who are eager to buy into the sub-culture’s
ideologies.
Oversized clothing, flashy jewellery (bling),
low-rider pants, basketball caps and
bandannas (colours) are all common features
of the standard youth gang uniform and
more and more discount shops around New
Zealand seem to be stocking these types of
products.
Last year, Northland police officer Alison
Ealam appealed to shopkeepers to stop
selling bandannas to prevent children as
young as six wearing gang colours.
Affiliations
Ms Ealam told the Northern Adovocate
newspaper that the sight of young “bandanna
clad youths” was unacceptable.
“They’re so young. It’s scary they’re afflilating
themselves with gangs through their coloured
scarves.”
Mr Hewett described the issue as “vexing”.
“We live in a democracy so everyone has the
freedom to express themselves.”
However, he said if certain types of clothing
supported intimidating behaviour, he
believed “tools”, that would aid Police in
eliminating this, would be most welcome.
October 2009
233
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
The Internet - networking
The explosion of the gangsta mentality is no
more in evidence than by a quick look at the
social networking site, Bebo.
Scores of pages with colourful imagery and
language invade the screen as youth gang
members pledge their undying allegiance to
their gang of choice.
Most web pages are dedicated to either the
American-styled gangs the Bloods or Crips
where hand signals, colours and gangsta
rappers who identify with the gangs are a
common feature.
Posted video clips of real-life fights, gang
members posing with weapons, drugs and
money, and insults traded between rival
gangs help reinforce the menacing gangsta
mentality.
War of words
Police inquiries into a recent fight between
a 15-year-old Auckland Girls Grammar
student and another girl found that the fight
had been pre-arranged through Bebo.
During the fight, the Auckland Girls
Grammar student was stabbed in the neck
with a bottle. She was very lucky to escape
without serious injury.
During another incident in September, police
picked up eight youths after they attacked
an Auckland secondary school student with
a softball bat.
Radio New Zealand reported that during
the attack, the name of an Afghan youth
gang was yelled and it is believed the attack
stemmed from a war of words on Bebo.
Recruitment processes
The Press recently reported that Bebo is
used as an avenue to recruit impressionable
youth.
Dr Devon Polaschek, Associate Professor
of Pscyhology at Victoria University in
Wellington, an expert on youth offending,
told the newspaper that gangs depended on
recruiting young members to do their “dirty
work” and the Internet was a way to contact
youths who may not otherwise be readily
accessible.
Dr Polaschek said the older gangs liked
recruiting young members with no prior
convictions because they received shorter
sentences when they went to jail. It is known
in Police circles that some younger members
are set up to ‘take the rap’ for crimes they
did not commit because they are under-17
and will be dealt with by the Youth Court.
If the older member was convicted of the
same crime, they might have to do jail time.
The younger member may be awarded their
colours for such allegiance.
234
October 2009
“Because most of these
American gangsta rappers
come from ethnic minorities
themselves, this music provides
Pacific and Maori youth with a
sense of belonging, a feeling of
kinship.”
- Inspector Jason Hewett.
Mr Hewett said Police were aware of the gang
culture on Bebo and had a strong relationship
with Bebo site monitors.
“If we see any illegal material, all we have to do
is call them up and let them know and they are
really good at taking it down,” he said.
Police have also utilised the site for
intelligence and profiling on a number of
occasions.
South Auckland youth gangs
Mr Hewett said the South Auckland youth
gang problem, which reached fever pitch in
2005, had definitely died down.
He attributed this to a 26-point action plan
set up in 2006. The plan is a multi-agency
response to the problem.
Twenty-two youth workers and representatives
from the Police, Ministries of Education,
Justice, Social Development, CountiesManukau District Health Board and other
social agencies in the community are all
part of the Auckland Youth Support Network
Group, which takes an holistic approach to
addressing the problem.
Mr Hewett said the plan was working well, but
stressed that the positive results were down
to all the different agencies doing their part.
“Tackling this issue is not something which
can be handled by Police alone,” he said.
“There have always been gangs and there
always will be, but we all have to do our part
in addressing the issue, and not pretend it
doesn’t exist.”
Youth gangs in New Zealand
By Deb Stringer, Communications Assistant
District Manager for Canterbury Police, Senior
Sergeant Nicky Sweetman, has just finished
her research into New Zealand street gangs.
Part of her research involved defining what a
street gang is, but like other studies carried
out on the subject, Sweetman struggled to
find a universal definition.
Auckland
Sweetman’s research did show most gangs in
South Auckland seemed to align themselves
with the Bloods or Crips. Samoan youth tend
to align with the Bloods, Tongans with the
Crips.
One gang, the Juvanyle Crip Boys (JCBs),
who had adopted the Los Angeles Crip gang
image, were known for their violence towards
rival gang members.
Another South Auckland gang, the Penion
Dosina Boys (PDBs), were a group of 12
main members from houses within their three
street territory.
The PDBs don’t have a colour. They are
involved in tagging, drugs and drinking at
their local park, Sweetman said.
Wellington
In Wellington, two main street gangs are
known to Police.
According to Sweetman, the first group - called
the Full Blooded Islanders (FBI) - were not a
named gang. However, they have recently
adopted the clothing and hand signals of
typical Los Angeles neighbourhood street gang
members. Their colour of choice is green.
The other group, The Darkside Forces
are a street gang which grew out of a hip
hop group which was infiltrated by several
junior Black Power Wellington members,
Sweetman said.
Within the wider Wellington region, the
Straight up Bloods (SUBz) and the Eastside
Bloodz in Porirua are also known to Police.
Sweetman described these members as
junior Mongrel Mob affiliates who had
adopted the “Bloodz” name purely because
of the red colour. Both are feeder groups for
the Mongrel Mob in Porirua.
Canterbury
In Canterbury, 244 street gang members
were identified by Police in 2008. These
members represent 20 gangs.
Sweetman notes that the Bloods feature
more in dishonesty offending such as
burglary and theft, while the Crips feature
higher in violence and vehicle crime.
Recommendations
To address the issue, Sweetman
recommends Police adopt a definition of a
street/youth gang.
“Even within Police, half of us refer to them
as a street gang and the other half youth
gang.”
She also suggested more research needed
to be carried out.
“Based on international experience on the
subject we can see the future risks New
Zealand street gangs pose if we don’t
address the problem,” she said.
New Zealand Police Association
Police sounded warning about
youth gangs 12 years ago
By Steve Plowman, Editor, Police News
Many people might think the proliferation
of youth gangs is a modern phenomenon,
not so. As far back as 1997, Police were
telling the then National Government that
youth gangs were spreading to smaller
communities and becoming a serious threat.
Youth gangs were first identified some 50
years ago with the so-called ‘Bodgies’, of
the milk bar cowboy generation, that had
sprung up around the James Dean era.
Today, those rebellious teenagers would look
like pussycats by comparison to the lurking
youth gangs that rob, beat and intimidate in
our cities and towns in the wee small hours.
That prophetic briefing of a dozen years ago,
warned that youth gangs were a growing
problem and were modelling themselves on
American youth gangs where conflict was
invariably around the use of ‘colours’.
The report warned that tagging was the
gateway to juvenile offenders banding
together to commit crime, moving quickly
from public nuisance and petty crime to
become what the report said was a “major
street policing concern.”
It identified some youth gangs with members
who were as young as eight.
Involvement in drug dealing
The report said that some youth gangs
were “running drug operations” for other
more-established gangs and “providing a
recruiting source for those other gangs.”
Police set up an inter-agency recidivist
offending project team, which had been
formed to develop effective ways of dealing
with the problem. Such projects are still
running today.
The report identified youth gang involvement
in organised crime as a “growing concern”.
It is.
In another prophetic statement that
report counselled: “A failure to stem the
development of youth gangs through
effective, targeted social strategies at the
community level may result in increased
membership by disaffected young people
and the reinforcement of a crime-based
sub-culture.”
Sub-culture
That sub-culture is alive and while it may
not be ‘well’ (sick would be a more relevant
description), it is thriving on the streets of
many New Zealand towns and in our cities.
handkerchief is of course sheer lunacy to
most people but the ‘colour’ is as important
in this sub-culture as the prized patch is to
the Mongrel Mob or Black Power.
The imitation of the macho posturing, antisocial, ‘gangsta’ culture that has infected
certain parts of American youth is now being
mirrored here and is fuelled by gangsta rap
music, the selling of bling and other gang
related paraphernalia such as red and blue
bandannas. The worry from all this is that
a creeping ‘mainstreaming’ of the culture
is being accepted by youth who are not
traditionally looked upon as gang recruit
material.
The accent for many, if not all of the youth
gangs is to be seen as “top gang and top
dog” – to use a youth gang member’s own
words when spoken to by Police News. You
get there not through talking tough but by
violent action. Stabbings get you top credits.
Violence becomes a form of entertainment
to the group because there is very little
chance of being hurt when you adhere to
the strength-in-numbers principle. Unless of
course you run into a bigger group wearing
different colours…
Muggings
Importation
With that posturing, has come a legacy of
vicious street muggings and even murders,
often fuelled by drugs and alcohol. The
culture of random street violence, either
against other gang members wearing the
‘wrong’ colours and in the wrong place at
the wrong time is becoming increasingly
familiar, as are cowardly attacks on innocent
people walking home from a late night out.
They have bought into the hip-hop, gangsta
rap subculture lock, stock and two smoking
barrels. The American ghetto culture has
been imported into South Auckland and it is
tearing the communities there apart.
These intimidatory youths are becoming
a familiar sight – several young people,
usually male but sometimes a mix of
genders or very occasionally a girls-only
crew, swaggering around with coloured
bandannas or scarves around their necks or
heads – bent on trouble.
They believe in the maxim of strength in
numbers. A one-on-one fight or ‘rumble’ is
not usually their style at all. It is much easier
to beat a lone victim senseless in a group
than risk a broken nose from a ‘victim’ who
might not be so easy to roll in a one-on-one
altercation.
Crews
They have nicknames for the members or
their ‘crew’ and they talk of the ‘hood’ –
parroting the language of their American
‘gangsta’ rapper idols. They adopt the
gang names straight out of Los Angeles
– the Crips against the Bloods etc etc ad
nauseum. Knives, machetes, knuckledusters, bottles, iron bars are their stockin-trade. To fight over the colour of a mere
Originally, they were nuisance value to
Police. Now they represent a growing culture
of increasing violence, which has seen 10
youth-gang related killings since 2005 on
the streets of South Auckland alone.
The first of those killings happened in
October 2005 with the stabbing death of
38-year-old Iulio Naea in Otara. Naea was
the father of a Mangere gang member. This
triggered a spate of retaliatory attacks with
vicious attacks on young men and the pack
rape of some young women.
Other cities are not immune to the violent
youth gang culture. A few years ago,
Wellington Police were involved in a hunt for
a group they described as “pack animals”,
responsible for a string of assaults (one
indecent) and robberies.
Police Association head Greg O’Connor said
at the time that the “biggest threat to New
Zealand society is LA-isation of our mostly
Polynesian youth”.
After 12 years of inter-agency work, Police
say there are signs that progress is being
made through a collaborative approach but
readily admit there is still plenty of work to
be done as the problems caused by youth
gangs are deeply entrenched.
October 2009
235
POLICE COUNCIL OF SPORT
To contact the Police Council of Sport, call Alison Murray at the RNZPC. Ph: (04) 238-3139
John Love wins Coach of the Year award
John Love has won the annual Police
Council of Sport Coach if the Year award.
John has been a member of the NZ Police
for nearly 19 years and has worked all his
time in sunny South Auckland.
He is a well-respected officer and father who
has balanced a busy work career with the
pressures and pleasures of being a coach,
mentor, part-time guidance counselor, role
model and most of all friend to many kids
who play softball in and around Auckland
over the last 15 years.
John took up coaching about 15 years ago,
whilst watching his son playing as a young
“baller”. John felt as if he had a contribution
to make on the coaching side of things and
has never looked back.
Vastly experienced
John is an experienced softball coach, having
been involved with club and representative
teams in the Auckland region for a number
of years. He has been head coach of the
winning side at national championships as
both a head coach and assistant coach from
under-15 level through to under-19 level.
During the 2007-2008 season, he coached
eight Auckland boys who went on to contest
the 2008 Junior Men’s World Championships
in Canada, including his son Jamie Love
who captained the 2008 Junior Black Sox
• From left to right: Council of Sport Administrator of the Year award winner, Tony Tumai
(see story next page about Tony), his wife Donna Rika, with Catrina Love and John Love
(Council of Sport Coach of the Year award winner).
(under-19 side). In 2009, he was the assistant
coach with the Auckland 39ers, which took out
the National Softball League title.
Appointment
He was recently appointed as head coach to
the New Zealand Junior Boys’ Development
(under-17) team, which will compete at the
2009 Friendship Games in Sydney in July next
year.
John is highly-trained and is held in high
regard amongst the New Zealand softball
fraternity. This is evidenced by the fact that
Softball New Zealand recently announced
John as head coach for the Junior Black Sox
through to the 2012 World Championships.
John now has three years to mold the future
of NZ softball into the next world champion
Black Sox.
Plenty of interest in next year’s Triathlon and Duathlon Champs
Entries are rolling in for next year’s Police Council of Sport/Police
Triathlon and Duathlon Champs to be held at Omaha Beach on
Wednesday the 17th February 2010 at 11.30am.
Omaha Beach is a short drive from Warkworth, which is 45 minutes
north of Auckland City (one hour’s drive from the airport).
The course will be set amongst the multi-million dollar holiday homes
of the rich and famous and will take in the stunning beachfront.
Triathlon and duathlon options
The triathlon will consist of a 750-metre swim, 20km ride and 5km
run. This can be done as an individual or as part of a team. There
will also be a duathlon option consisting of a 2km run, 20km ride and
5km run.
It is a flat, fast course and caters to a wide range of abilities. The focus
will be on enjoyment with a competitive element.
The event will be open to any Police member, ex-Police member or
their families.
Prizegiving
There will be a prizegiving/party starting at 3.00pm at the Omaha Surf
Club (which is right on the beach). A meal will be provided.
For further information contact
Greg Foster via Lotus Notes at Gregory.Foster@police.govt.nz
An information pack is available including entry forms and
accommodation information.
Visit www.policeassn.org.nz for updated contact details for the Police Council of Sport management committee,
District Sports Officers and the latest schedule of events.
236
October 2009
New Zealand Police Association
Tony Tumai takes Official
of the Year award
Tony Tumai has won the Police Council of
Sport’s Official of the Year Award.
The Tumai family live and breathe policing and
BMX. Tony, who has been in the Police for
six years also has a daughter, Alice working
at Papakura as a constable. Another daughter
Tayla is in the process of applying to become
a police officer.
BMX consumes a lot of the time for the Tumai
family, with Tony’s wife Donna and all of their
children engaged in the sport. Donna’s father
was heavily involved in the sport previously.
Big commitment
Tony has been the race director for many
events in the last year, including the National
Championships, the North Island Champs,
the UCI World Super Cross Series and the
Australian BMX Championships. This job may
sound glamorous, however, the race director
is responsible for the entire tournament where
the number of competitors can range from
300 to 1,500.
Tony is one paper away from gaining the
rank of International Commissaire and had
procedure not changed, he would already
have this title. Once he has this ranking from
the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI), he will be
sent around the world to officiate.
Having Sarah Walker as World Champion
has increased the interest and exposure of
BMX to the extent that New Zealand has
submitted an application to host the 2011
World Champs. A decision on that application
will be taken next month.
Positive spin-offs
Hotspot is a project started by Tony Tumai and
Willie Iosia in Papakura. It identifies areas with
high incident rates and establishes contact
with local youth through sports such as touch
and basketball. As that relationship grows,
the parents and community become involved.
The project started with just one youth taking
part and it has now grown to include many
families. The spin-off from the project has
been that a once hostile neighbourhood is
now eager to approach Tony when he turns
up in his police car.
Both Tony Tumai and John Love, the Coach
of the Year award winner, are very low-key
people but are obviously hugely talented,
skilled and driven. It is with great pride that
the Council of Sport and the Police Association
congratulates them on their success in
their chosen sports and acknowledges that
success with their respective awards.
Schools of Training to be set up at RNZPC
The Royal New Zealand Police College is to
adopt “Schools of Training”.
Police
National
Manager;
Training,
Superintendent Mike Wilson said the
establishment of five “schools” within the Police
Training Service Centre will help Police produce
better outcomes for communities by introducing
contemporary teaching and learning systems.
He said this will help frontline officers work
more effectively within their communities to
solve problems.
The proposed new structure will consist of; The
School of Leadership, School of Investigations
and Case Resolution, School of Community
Policing, School of Patrol and Incident Policing
and School of Initial Training.
“This approach aligns the delivery of training to
the roles and services currently used within NZ
4.5 kilograms of
marijuana found
in New York child
care centre
Investigators seized 4.5 kilograms
(10 pounds) of marijuana and about
$US100,000 in cash last month from the
basement of a Brooklyn (New York) day
care centre that was the scene of a police
shooting and an attempted robbery a day
earlier.
Police Commissioner Raymond W Kelly
said the money and drugs appeared to
have been what the robbers were after
when they burst into Special Moments
Daycare in East Flatbush recently - while
a dozen or so children were napping.
Three men were arrested at the scene,
including a suspect who was shot by
police. He was hit in the torso and wrist and
taken to King’s County Hospital Centre.
The three men face charges of burglary,
robbery and weapons possession. None
of the children were hurt in the incident.
“It now appears the day care centre was a
drug haven, or where drugs in significant
quantities were kept, primarily marijuana,”
Mr Kelly said.
Police. It will also help improve the way we
train Police Employees to ensure we meet the
public’s services expectations.
Superintendent Wilson said the school
structure has been proposed because it is
a recognised way of grouping teaching and
vocational staff together on the basis of
common disciplines. It is an approach that
is widely used in New Zealand and overseas
in both academic and service training
institutions.
Useful Information & Contacts
Police Network
44446
Freephone
0800 500 122
Police Health Plan/Police Fire and General Insurance
(on matters that cannot be deferred such as Police
Quotes & information
0800 500 122
shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths in custody)
or Fax
(04) 496 6819
ring 0800 TEN NINE (0800 836 6463)
Police Fire and General Insurance claims 0800 110 088
– 24 hour/seven days service
All enquiries
(04) 496 6800
New Zealand Police Association:
For immediate industrial & legal advice
Vice Presidents
www.policeassn.org.nz
0800 800 808
0800 429 000
www.policecu.org.nz
0800 654 731
0800 777 243
Regional Directors
Stuart Mills
Chris Cahill
(027) 268 9416
(027) 268 9411
Field Officers
Auckland District:
Waitemata and Northland Districts:
Waikato, BOP and Eastern Districts:
Central and Wellington Districts:
Tasman and Canterbury Districts:
Southern District
Website
Police Home Loans
Police Credit Union
or (04) 472 9645
Credit Union
GSF information
PSS information
Stewart Mills
Steve Hawkins
Graeme McKay
JJ Taylor
Dave McKirdy
Dave Steel
(027) 268 9407
(027) 268 9406
(027) 268 9408
(027) 268 9409
(027) 268 9410
(027) 268 9427
Region One
Region Two
Region Three
Region Four
Region Five
Region Six
Region Seven
Jug Price
Dave Pizzini
Mel Ridley
Luke Shadbolt
Ron Lek
Craig Prior
Tracey Maclennan
Whangaparaoa
Counties-Manukau
Tauranga
Hastings
Wellington
Sydenham
Invercargill
(027) 268 9419
(027) 493 0524
(027) 268 9414
(027) 478 9001
(027) 268 9417
(027) 268 9412
(027) 268 9418
October 2009
237
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
Tracey Ball (Miss Ruby Redsmoke) captures SASS Ladies
B-Western Cowboy Shooting World Championship
By Steve Plowman, Editor, Police News
Tracey Ball (aka Ruby Redsmoke) a former
Council of Sport Sportsperson of the Year, an
award that acknowledged her international
success at Western Cowboy shooting,
recently toured the USA, competing at various
competitions.
Tracey joked to Police News that while
waiting for the flight out to the States, she
was “holding her breath” when the firearms
residue test was being done.
When Tracey arrived at Los Angeles airport,
there was even more drama when she
discovered that a rifle with the exact same
serial number as her shotgun had been
reported stolen. After a brief explanation
that her Baikal 12-gauge shotgun could not
in fact be a .370 rifle, she was duly sent on
her way.
After an overnight stop in Denver, Tracey
travelled to Powell, via Casper. For four hours
solid she encountered torrential rain, crashing
thunder and sustained lightning flashes.
First match
Half an hour’s drive from Powell is the town
of Cody, where the first match took place.
The competition, known as The Wild West
Shootout was hosted by the High Lonesome
Drifters but it “wasn’t the best match” for
the Australasian contingent, according to
Tracey.
“It was great walking around Cody in our
cowboy clothes. The best part was all the
shopkeepers knew we were there for the
shoot and even better they knew all about
Cowboy Shooting, and we didn’t have to keep
explaining ourselves. The tourists didn’t know
any better though and some thought we were
a tourist attraction and asked for photos with
us!” Tracey explained.
Although she had felt she had not had her best
shoot, Tracey was surprised to find that she
had shot well enough to secure sixth place
overall and first female shooter, while also
taking out the Lady B-Western competition.
One hundred and forty-one (141) shooters
took part.
In the side events (men and women
combined), Tracey finished third in the Speed
Shotgun and second in the Speed Pistol
events respectively.
Tour
A tour of Cody followed, with visits to the
Buffalo Bill Historical Centre and a night
rodeo, and an overnight stay at the Western
Six Gun Motel.
238
October 2009
• Miss Ruby Redsmoke, SASS Ladies B-Western World Champion 2009. (Photo courtesy of
Trinity).
The next match was in Cortez, Colorado
where ‘Ruby’ said she was “pleased to be
back” for the Revenge of Montezuma, as the
competition is known. “We were made very
welcome again by the Windygap Regulators,”
she said. At this match the organisers take
particular care to display the national flag of
each competitor and every year competitors
sign not only an attendance book but an
attendance wall.
Tracey won the Speed Rifle match and
another interesting side event called “Hell’s
Revenge”. The latter event featured small
swinging targets – the Texas star for the
pistol shoot with the Texas star and static
targets for the rifle match plus knock down
shotgun targets. Tracey also won the Lady
B-Western grade again, was first female and
seventh overall. “There were 88 shooters
including 18 Aussies and me. We had such
a great time,” she told Police News.
Special shooter
Then it was on to Albuquerque, New Mexico
for the SASS 28th Annual Cowboy Action
Shooting World Championships.
Tracey said that what made this competition
so special was the presence of a disabled
deaf mute shooter named “Pecos Jane”,
who never let her wheelchair-bound status
prevent her from competing on even terms
with her able-bodied counterparts. “She was
bloody amazing,” Tracey said frankly.
“Jane shot every single stage the same as
the rest of us. We kept trying to make it
easier for her but she wouldn’t have a bar
of it. One stage consisted of climbing a flight
of stairs and shooting the whole stage on the
balcony. We told Jane she could shoot it from
the ground…in answer to this she rolled her
wheelchair to the stairs, hauled herself on
to them and climbed them on her bottom,
pulling her legs up by hand on every stair.
We took her wheelchair up there and she
shot on the balcony the same as everyone
else,” Tracey said.
Determination personified
“There was another stage where we start
sitting on a horse on an ‘exploding’ bridge,
which fell away a very small distance
underneath us when we started. They told
New Zealand Police Association
Jane we could move the horse out and she
could shoot the stage in her wheelchair.
No way was she having that! She dragged
herself on to the horse and shot it the same
as everyone else again.”
Tracey said it was a “real eye-opener” for
all the competitors and made them “very
appreciative of what we have.” “It was an
experience I will never forget,” she added.
At the end of the Albuquerque match
Tracey won the Ladies B Western World
Championship and was 40th overall amongst
419 shooters.
The spectre of 9/11
Tracey said the spectre of 9/11 hangs heavily
over airport security in the United States. She
said getting her guns out of Denver was a
“nightmare”. It took three hours to get all
the legal technicalities of transporting four
firearms (the limit of United Airlines is two
per locked case) sorted out to airline officials’
satisfaction. “It was very lucky we got to the
airport so early,” Tracey mused.
“Still it hasn’t put me off travelling with
firearms permanently. I have time to forget
about it until we head off for Chisholm Trail
in Australia at the end of this month,” she
added.
October
Invitation to attend
the 2009 Interbase
Trap and Skeet
shooting competition
Incorporating the 28th RNZAF Interbase,
22nd Police, 6th Army and 17th Joint
Services Championships.
To be held in Christchurch over the week
commencing Monday 9th to Friday 13th
November 2009.
Competition to be shot at the Marlborough
Gun Club, Blenhiem.
Accommodation available at the Woodbourne
Air Base, Blenhiem.
• Miss Ruby Redsmoke (Tracey Ball) after
the opening ceremony at the SASS 28th
Annual Cowboy Action Shooting World
Championships. (Photo courtesy of Trooper)
November
Any queries please contact
peter.boyd@police.govt.nz or
phone (03) 363-7718
December
PAIHIA............................................ Fully booked ..................................................1-2,30 .....................................................................1-2,6,15-16,18
STANMORE BAY ............................. 14-15,18-22,26-30 .......................................4-6,9-12,15-19,22-26,29-30 ..................................1-4,6-9
AUCKLAND .................................... 20-21 ............................................................2,25,29-30 ..............................................................2
WAIHEKE ISLAND ........................... 15,25 .............................................................Fully booked ............................................................2
WHANGAMATA ............................... 11-14,19-22 ..................................................5,11-12,18-19,29....................................................1-2,15
MT MAUNGANUI ............................ 18,22,28-29 ..................................................1-2,17-18,22-23,26,30 ...........................................3-4,7,22,25
OHOPE........................................... 11-15,18-22,27-31 .......................................1-4,13,19,25-26......................................................10,13,16,21
ROTORUA ...................................... 11-14,27 .......................................................1-3,11,15-19,22-26,29-30......................................7-10,13-15,17,22,24-25
TAUPO ........................................... 11-13,15,19,22,26-28 ...................................1-2,11-13,18-19,23-26,29-30 ................................3,6-10,13,15,21
TURANGI ........................................ 11,13-14,19-22,27-28 ..................................1-5,9-12,14,16-19,22-25,30...................................1,3,6-11,13-18,20-21,23,25
NAPIER .......................................... 11,20-21,26,28-29 ........................................8-12,16-19,22-26,29 ..............................................1-3,6,9-10,13-15,20
PARAPARAUMU .............................. 14-15,28-29 ..................................................4-6,16-18,22,29-30 ................................................1-3,6-10,15
GREYTOWN.................................... 8,12-15,18-22,26-27,29 ...............................3-5,9-11,18-19,23-26,30........................................1-2,6-10,13-17
WELLINGTON ................................. 12,27-28 .......................................................2,4,22,26.................................................................8-10,14,17,23
NELSON......................................... 15,18,20, .......................................................1-3,5,9-11,17..........................................................1-3,13
HANMER SPRINGS ......................... Fully booked ..................................................25-26 ......................................................................Fully booked
CHRISTCHURCH ............................. 12-13,20,27 ..................................................8,11,19,24-25 .........................................................3,15.23-25
AKAROA......................................... 26 ..................................................................25............................................................................Fully booked
TEKAPO ......................................... 14,27-28 .......................................................26............................................................................13-14
WANAKA ........................................ 15,20-21,27-30 .............................................22,24-25 .................................................................14-17
CROMWELL ................................... 11-12,15,17-21,27-29 ..................................1-5,9-11,17,24........................................................1-2,7-8,12,14-15
QUEENSTOWN ............................... 13, 26-27.......................................................5,8,25,29.................................................................2,6-8,13-14,17,23-25
TE ANAU ........................................ 8,14,18-21,26-31 ..........................................4,7,11,15-18,24-25,30............................................1-3,5,9-19,24-25
DUNEDIN ....................................... 13-14,19-20 ..................................................1-3,5,9-11,16-17,24,30 ..........................................1-3,7-9,13,16
October 2009
239
PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games
to be held in Hobart between 20-27 February 2010
The 13th Australasian Police & Emergency
Services Games will be held in Hobart
between the 20th and 27th February 2010.
This is the first time the Games have been
held in Tasmania. Tasmania’s countryside
and climate is considered similar to New
Zealand. The difference is that it’s filled with
Australians!
The Games offer a unique opportunity for
all members (sworn, non-sworn, volunteers
and retired) involved in Law Enforcement
and Emergency Services within Australasia
to participate in this high profile international
event.
Seven days of competition
During the seven-day APES Games period,
it is anticipated that over 1500 competitors
will participate in this amazing event. Over
40 sports will be offered including the
traditional track and field, bowls and netball.
The Hobart event also includes a few feature
sports such as trout fishing, sailing and stair
racing. For a full list check out the website
apandesgames.com
The venues that Hobart has selected for the
Games are outstanding, with competitors
having the chance to enjoy a number of
world class sporting facilities located in, and
around, the Hobart area. The size of Hobart
will ensure that competitors will easily be
able to compete in many events or support
others with ease.
Entry fees
There is an initial entry fee of $80 for each
competitor. This is payable only once and
is separate to the sports entry fee, which
is a cost associated with each sport and
normally covers the running of the event.
The entry fee will include admittance to the
closing function at the Tasman Room, Wrest
Point Hotel Casino. An added bonus is that
all competitors will be able to travel free on
the normal timetable services of Metro Pty
Ltd during the Games.
TasVacations is a travel wholesaler and
can offer special deals on accommodation
in Hobart and air flights within Australia.
They have booked most of the available
accommodation already and are able to
offer competitors a variety of choices at
reasonable rates. You can contact them at
holidays@tasvacations.com
Council of Sport involvement
The Council of Sport is interested to know if
you are planning on attending these Games,
as it will be sending a Manager to assist
New Zealand competitors. Please notify the
Council as soon as possible if you intend
to compete. Interest is also being sought if
members would like a co-ordinated travel
plan or if individuals would prefer to make
their own arrangements.
It is hoped that a big contingent of Kiwis
will travel to Hobart to bolster interest in the
14th APES Games to be held in Christchurch
in 2012. If you are thinking of attending the
Hobart Games please contact:
Alison Murray at info@policesport.org.nz
• Hobart, Tasmania will host the 13th Australasian Police and Emergency Games in February next year.
240
October 2009
New Zealand Police Association
Bolton and Rivers acquit themselves well
at NZ Powerlifting Championships
On the weekend of the 8th and 9th of August,
the NZ National Powerlifting Championships
were held at the Auckland University
Recreation Centre in Auckland.
It was the 25th running of the event since
its inception in 1970. The champs are held
at the ‘business end’ of the NZPF calendar,
where lifters are pushing their bodies to the
edge to gain the ultimate prize in powerlifting
- a national championship title. A total of 93
lifters registered to compete after qualifying
at regional powerlifting competitions earlier
in the year.
Three events
Powerlifting is a sport where competitors
attempt to lift the maximum weight in three
events: the squat, bench-press and deadlift.
Each lifter has three attempts in each event
and their combined total from their best
squat, bench and deadlift determines the
overall placing at the end of the competition.
Lifters are divided into weight and age
classes so individuals of a similar size can
compete against each other.
John Rivers from PNHQ lifted in the Master
2 (50 years and over) 82.5 kg weight class.
With a body weight of 79.6 kgs, John’s
best squat was 170 kgs, bench-press 105
kgs and deadlift 185 kgs with a competition
total of 460 kgs. John’s total qualifies him to
compete in next year’s Oceania Games.
Big total
Craig Bolton from Palmerston North lifted in
the Master 1 (40 years and over) 110 kgs
weight class. With a body weight of 109.4
kgs Craig’s best squat was 255 kgs, benchpress 165 kgs and deadlift 232.5 kgs with a
competition total of 652 kgs.
“I was lifting for second place on my last
deadlift with an attempt of 245 kgs. Half way
up the weight started to pull me forward and
off balance. I gave it everything to recover
Planning for next year’s 3rd Police
National Raft Race already started
Planning has already started for the third
annual Police National Raft Race, which
will be held on the Kaituna River near
Rotorua on the 12th of March 2010.
Part of the planning has included a new
website (www.nzpolicerafting.co.nz),
which is envisaged to promote not only the
Police National Raft Race but also rafting
in general to the Police community. The
website will also serve as the first port of
call for information on new Police rafting
events planned for 2011 and the New
Zealand Police Rafting Team.
DVD footage
The services of a professional adventure
photographer and an adventure cameraman
(who has filmed for Million Dollar Catch and
Police Ten 7) have been secured for next
year’s event. The plan is to provide teams
with a DVD containing footage and photos
from the day.
The 2010 Police National Raft Race will
be open to more teams than last year,
due to the high demand for slots in 2009.
The event will also go to an all-day event.
and lock it out, but unfortunately the lift was
turned down by the judges on a technical
point,” Craig told Police News. “After a
month’s break from weights and doing my
PCT (physical competence test) it’s back
to the gym to get stronger for 2010,” he
added.
Inspirational lifter
An inspirational lifter at the nationals was Brian
Froggot, who only has one leg. Brian lifts in
the Master 2, 82.5 kg weight class now. Brian
owns a gym in Dargaville, Northland. Brian’s
squat was 90 kgs, bench-press 171kgs and
deadlift 155 kgs. He balances the weight with
one leg when he squats and deadlifts – which
is an amazing sight.
The biggest lifts during the competition came
from the super heavy weight class. These
lifters weigh over 125 kgs. The biggest squat
was 350 kgs, the biggest bench press was
265 kgs and deadlift was 302 kgs.
NI Lawn Bowls
Tournament on
4-5 November
Teams will also have to register only 30
minutes prior to their heat instead of the
mass registration, as was used this year.
The kayak/riversurfing race will also be
split into separate events, as there has
been a lot of interest from people wanting
to just compete in the riversurfing event.
Next year, the Kayak race will use the
length of the whole river for its course,
while the riversurfing race will run from
the bottom of the waterfall down to the
raft race finish line.
The Police Association North Island Lawn
Bowls 2009 Championships will be held in
Taupo on 4 - 5 November.
Registration deadline
Registrations will be by Email for
all three races and will open on 1
November at 0001 hours and will be
on a first come basis. If the 2009 event
is anything to go by, the slots for the raft
race will fill up fast. Last year, 12 teams
were on the waiting list.
Confucius say
(allegedly)
So start sorting out your teams now and
book your leave early, as you don’t want
to miss out. For further information
contact Aaron Holloway via Lotus
Notes.
Teams must have two current or retired
Police employees, and will be played under
the ‘classic’ format.
Entry fee is $30 per Council of Sport member
and $40 per non-member.
To register or for more information,
contact Brendon Gibson or Anaru George
via Lotus Notes.
Man who run in front of car get tired.
Man who run behind car get exhausted.
Man with one chopstick go hungry.
Man who eat many prunes get good run for
his money.
War does not determine who is right, war
determine who is left.
Man who drive like Hell, bound to get there.
Man who live in glasshouse should change
his clothes in the basement.
October 2009
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PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
New Zealand Police Association
Road Cycling and Mountainbike
Championships 2009
New Zealand police officers are forbidden
from taking money or gifts for their services
but in Fort Bend, Texas County Sheriff Milton
Wright surprised his 220 patrol deputies and
detectives recently when he called them to a
meeting and handed each of them a white
envelope containing a cheque for $1,000.
Rotorua
5th & 6th November 2009
Name:
Age:
Gift to Texas
Police raises
eyebrows
(As at 5th November 2009)
Station:
Email address:
Contact phone number:
EVENTS ENTERED:
Road race
5th Nov
Cross-country
6 Nov
Hill climb
5th Nov
Downhill
6 Nov
(Enter all four events and qualify for the superman/superwomen prize!)
AGE GROUPS
No, they hadn’t received a pay rise or an
unexpected bonus. The money came from
an anonymous donor, who was appreciative
of the officers’ efforts in the community and
wanted to give them all a gift. The mystery
donor was described as “an international
traveler who owns property in Fort Bend”.
The donor is not a permanent resident of Fort
Bend according to the website Fortbendnow.
com, which carried the story.
Open Men
Open Women
Social Men
Social Women
As they opened the envelopes, there was
stunned silence and then a lot of ‘oohs’ and
‘ahs’. “and a few tears,” Wright said.
Masters Men (40 +)
Masters Women(40 +)
Legal questions
Super Grand Masters Men (50+)
Final age groups contested and prizes awarded will depend
on the number of entries in each field.
COUNCIL OF SPORT MEMBERS
$10 per event (to a max. total - $20)
NON COUNCIL OF SPORT MEMBERS $15 per event (to a max. total - $30)
ENTRY FEE
No. of events entered
x
=$
Total.
Twenty-four hours later, the officers’ initial
elation had given way to a torrent of legal and
ethical questions about the $220,000 gift.
At issue was whether the money violated the
Texas Penal Code, a section of which states
that a public servant commits an offence if he
or she solicits or accepts any benefit from a
person the public servant knows to be under
his jurisdiction.
Police MTB and Road Cycling Championships
Wright argued the deputies didn’t do anything
wrong because they didn’t know the identity
of their benefactor. The sheriff did but he
wouldn’t identify the donor.
c/o- Constable Dave Hamilton
“I’m sworn to secrecy,” he said.
Custody Centre –Rotorua Police Station
Anonymity
Rotorua
County officials, including Attorney Roy
Cordes junior, County Judge Bob Hebert and
District Attorney John Healey considered the
matter and Healey subsequently announced
that because of the anonymity of the donation,
officers were legally entitled to accept it.
Make cheques payable to: Police MTB and Road Cycling Championships
Send form and fee to:
Len Snee to be remembered at WA rugby tourny
Senior Constable Len Snee, who was shot dead in Napier earlier this year, will also be
remembered in Western Australia on 24 October at a rugby tournament, which remembers
four West Australian police officers killed in a plane crash at Newman on the 26th of
January 2001.
A trophy named in Mr Snee’s honour will be presented at the tournament. The trophy will
go to the winner of the under-11 match between Perth and Newman.
The organisers are happy to host any New Zealand police officer in Perth at the time, who
is able to travel to Newman for the event.
The rugby tournament is known locally as The Bloody Slow Cup. Considering Australia’s
record in the Bledisloe Cup – perhaps it’s a fitting name.
242
October 2009
Healey said: “The anonymity of the donor at
the time of the gift insulates the donor and
deputies from the applicability of the laws of
Bribery and Gift to a Public Servant. Because
there was no agreement or understanding
between the donor and deputies that
the deputies would be getting a gift in
consideration for doing their jobs, Acceptance
of an Honorarium does not apply.”
New Zealand Police Association
WA Police launch an
offensive against bikies
West Australian Police have launched a major new offensive
against outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) with a threepronged attack on the increasing bikie presence in Western
Australia.
WA Police and Crime Stoppers joined forces to help target
the bikie culture with a significant newspaper and radio
advertising campaign that culminated in a public phone-in.
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 login to the ‘Members Only’ section of our
website www.policeassn.org.nz. Select “Member
Discounts” from the menu to view all the discounts
available.
The Crime Stoppers phone number 1800 333 000 became
a bikie information hotline for 16 hours, taking anonymous
calls from anyone with knowledge of bikie activities.
Assistant Commissioner (Specialist Crime) Wayne Gregson
reassured the WA public saying: “We don’t want to know who
you are, we just want to know what you know about bikies,
their activities, and their associates.”
The bikie phone-in was aimed at focusing public attention
on the criminal activities of OMCGs and reassured the
community that anyone with relevant information could
safely talk to Crime Stoppers anonymously to help stamp
out these criminal organisations. The big anti-bikie offensive
followed scores of raids over the past 12-months on private
and business premises with known bikie connections.
by Ricky Collins
A cook’s tour of Wellington
During a recent mid-winter break in Wellington
with my wife, I discovered there was more to
our capital city than all day meetings in Police
offices in Molesworth or Victoria Streets,
followed by steak, eggs and chips at the Green
Parrot.
We spent five days based in the heart of the city
and took the chance to check out Wellington’s myriad of eateries. We
weren’t disappointed. Here are some notes on my pick of the places
we visited.
Best breakfast/brunch venue for me was Floriditas, a smart but casual
French Bistro style café in Cuba Street. The food is simple but they
source good quality supplies. The bacon is some of the best I’ve tried,
the eggs are definitely free range and the coffee was perfectly done.
The best lunch venue we tried was a quirky little spot along Wakefield
Street called Finc (short for Food Incorporated). There was a good
selection of counter food available; but the mains, which were all
around the $15 mark, offered great value. I really enjoyed the Asian
bowl dish, which was spicy pork belly with an Asian pancake served
over Bok Choy.
We were in town from Saturday to Wednesday, and a number of
restaurants had specials on offer to entice diners out in the early part of
the week. The best specials went to two casual dining spots. The house
specialty at the Leuven Belgian Beer Café on Featherston Street is a
kilo pot of mussels, steamed over a selection of delicious sauces and
paired with fries and mayonnaise.
On a Sunday or Monday they
double the mussels. We are both
mussel lovers but this combination
even stopped us in our tracks.
Equally as good was the Monday
night buy-one, get-one-free
special at Chow, an Asian
restaurant that focuses on fresh,
quality ingredients that are free
range where possible. I loved the
Vietnamese rice paper rolls of roast
duck, mint and namh prik. There are a couple of inner city locations
to choose from; one in Tory Street and the other in Woodward Street,
off Lambton Quay.
The best wine list went to Floriditas. The range is huge and there is
a good selection of European wines to try as well. The interesting line
up at Finc was also pretty good. Any restaurant that pours Sparkling
Shiraz by the glass gets my vote.
Wines of the month
2008 Nederburg Special Late Harvest
RRP $15
This South African wine is a blend of several white varieties, including
Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Riesling and is a delicious
expression of fruit that’s been left to hang on the vines a little longer.
It shows honey, raisin and apricot flavours with fresh vibrancy. The full
750ml bottle makes it great value.
2007 Nederburg Noble Late Harvest
RRP $15
This has a similar flavour profile to the late harvest, but packs
more flavour concentration and sweetness. It is produced from
predominantly Chenin fruit and has delicious dried fruit flavours and
a crisp acidic finish. This would be one of the best under $20 stickies
that I’ve ever tried. Look out for both wines on special at Countdown
for $10 or less.
October 2009
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PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
Write it here! Letters to the Editor are welcome.
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 without explanation. Email to: editor@policeassn.org.nz or
write it to the Editor at PO Box 12344, Wellington. Letters under 400 words are preferred.
STU and the arming debate
In the September issue of Police News, I read
the article regarding the “Arming debate”.
It states that the Auckland City District is
exempting the Safety Traffic Unit (STU) staff
from firearms training.
As an STU member, I have not received any
communications from higher-ups directing or
advising me on this “policy”, so cannot confirm
it is factual.
I am aware however, that secondary response
Traffic Investigations Unit (TIU) members are
exempted because they sit in the office all day
and deal with traffic crash reports taken via the
watchhouse. They hardly go out on the road
and are not involved in frontline response.
I would like to point out that at the recent
police shooting of actor Rob Mokoraka at Point
Chevalier, that all primary response units were
STU as there were no “I” cars available at that
time.
With that in mind, I hope the Association
petitions for continued firearms training for
all frontline response officers and for better
immediate access to firearms. It is often
impractical to wait for the General Duties
Branch (GDB) supervisor to arrive with the
firearms cache in order to arm up. I feel that
the time has come to petition for all new cars
to be fitted with a Glock safe so that every car
can have ready access to a firearm.
Of other note is that the Auckland City District
Commander Superintendent Fraser has decreed
that empty pistol holsters shall not be worn.
Crime response Criminal Investigation Branch
(CIB) staff are expected to wear shoulder style
holsters so that they are out of view. I think
this is a bad tactical decision as precious time is
lost taking off attachments from one’s duty belt
in order to refit the holster. Most supervisors
have access to the “Safariland” hardened plastic
shell holster, which is designed to slide onto
the duty belt. They do not use the tactical
holster, which is a simple webbing formed into
a loop to attach to one’s duty belt. As such, it
takes much more time to put on the Safariland
holster, but maybe the District Commander is
just “toeing the line” with the Commissioner’s
thoughts of an unarmed Police Force.
Superintendent Fraser has also decreed that
PR24 long batons should be handed in to
supervisors and only be deployed from the
sergeant’s vehicle in situations of mass disorder.
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October 2009
This is, of course, similar to the firearms issue
policy. We have to wait for the incident to
occur and then wait for the sergeant to arrive
in order to gain access to a PR24 long baton.
I must question what is going on in the thinking
of the higher command as we are finding it
harder and harder to access “use of force”
equipment because someone might complain
we “looked” too threatening.
“Been there”
(Auckland)
The report in the last Police News re the
proposed firearms policy change in regard to
STU was factual. - Editor
Let’s be leaders not follows
While I agree it is time to debate the issue
of firearm access by frontline police, it is
important that we don’t over simplify or
politicise the issue.
Carrying a firearm effectively removes the
majority of our tactical options. You cannot
afford to get in a close contact situation with
anyone when you are carrying a firearm. This
effectively removes all open-handed options.
Looking at all the recent police deaths involving
firearms, it is unlikely that carrying a firearm
on the officer’s hip would have prevented these
deaths. Anyone who honesty believes they can
draw, aim and accurately fire a low powered
handgun and disable an offender in less time
than it takes that offender to pull the trigger
of a rifle is sadly mistaken. The only advantage
we would have if we were carrying a handgun
is if we could get safely to cover we could then
return fire (good luck finding cover from rifle
fire inside a house). Even then, a handgun is
not a good match for a rifle.
The other option is to follow the lead of
overseas jurisdictions and draw our weapon
before entering any situation. This means you
must always be prepared to use that weapon
if any threat presents itself. Then the country
and the Police must be prepared to accept the
consequences.
The argument that staff should be able to
deploy weapons from their vehicle if they come
under fire is also flawed. Your best chance of
survival is to escape any ambush then return
when you are in control of the situation (ask
any properly trained military personnel). Your
best chance is to drive away quickly. If your
vehicle is disabled, then endeavour to escape
from the threat. Your best option is to affect
an escape. This is something we could teach at
firearms training.
I believe the best option is one that ensures
sufficient weapons are carried in vehicles to
ensure staff can stop a safe distance away from
an incident and then calmly assess the incident
with an experienced person in charge.
Yes, we do need more training and more
realistic training. Yes, we do need to ensure we
have access to enough weapons to do our job
when things turn bad. No, we do not need
to follow the rest of the world. Our staff are
thought to be some of, if not the best, police
officers in the world. We should be leaders
not followers. We do need to look outside our
little world. Learn the lessons but don’t be a
follower.
While we are looking at the carriage of weapons
we should also review what weapons we are
using. A handgun is a last resort weapon, good
for doing some things that the Armed Offenders
Squad (AOS) do and easier to carry but very
ineffective really. The weapon of choice for
most situations should be the Bushmaster M4.
I ask the question simply for discussion: “Is it
time to look at shotguns as a replacement to
the Glock?” Plenty of ammunition options,
good knock down, short effective range. Can
be used to deploy gas or less than lethal rounds
and more likely for our people to hit their target
when under stress. To all those people who
think we can aim for and hit the arm or leg of
a moving target in a combat situation with a
handgun, get off the Playstation, stop watching
rubbish on TV and join the real world.
At the end of the day, the Commissioner will
make the call and my vote, not that anyone
will listen, will be to remain an unarmed Police
Service.
George White
(New Plymouth)
A fighting chance
It has occurred to me, after reading such a
good expose by the Editor of Police News,
of the current situation in the “arming of
Police” debate, that I am kidding myself that
better access to firearms and more training is
the solution for the New Zealand Police - we
should all be armed and better trained!
There is gang warfare in our streets and
organised crime syndicates who terrify and
murder as a business strategy.
New Zealand Police Association
The criminals and the thugs are using serious
violence in our communities and against us.
Offenders are carrying and using firearms, knives
and other weapons more so than ever before.
To assume there will be an escalation, that
criminals will arm themselves if we arm, is now
unsound reasoning in the argument not to arm
the Police.
More firearms training is the solution to the
lack of skill at arms, but is not the solution to
making our job survivable with the increasing
number of dangerous offenders. Let us have at
every encounter the real ability to defend others
and ourselves from the threat of grievous bodily
harm or death.
No ridiculous half measures – where the weapons
are locked in the vehicle and are useless to the
cops fighting for their lives on the pavement
nearby.
Our men in Napier never had a fighting chance.
Nick Hall
(Auckland)
Times have changed
and so should we
I read with interest the letters in the Police News
regarding firearms training and the savings,
which are being mooted by the Police.
After serving 21 years, 11 as a frontline cop and
eight as the Eastern District Staff Safety Tactics
Training/AOS instructor I have a pretty good
working knowledge of both fields.
I always thought that in my time, Police would
never get to the stage where we carried firearms
on our person. We live in such a beautiful
country with over 90% of the community
law abiding and pro-Police. Unfortunately,
over the past few years I have had this naive
thought thrown in my face and now believe
that we should be carrying firearms, (not all
staff but definitely frontline staff, from section
staff through to highway patrol).
The amount of training that is given to
staff, particularly on firearms days, is totally
inadequate to the point where I honestly believe
it is an Occupational Health and Safety (OSH)
issue.
You can’t expect staff to have two training days
on the range a year, where you’d be lucky to
fire 40 rounds per weapon (Glock and M4) each
training day, complete a couple of unrealistic
scenarios and then go out on the frontline and
confront some rabid offender high on drugs/
alcohol or emotion and talk them down, or
worst case scenario, shoot and incapacitate
or kill them and then get dragged through an
internal and an IPCA inquiry, where all your
decision making is intensely scrutinised and
lambasted and then probably having to front up
to the court for round two. Stress? What stress?
Firearms training needs to increase considerably
not decrease. I believe all staff should continue
to have firearms training but frontline staff
need to have theirs increased by at least 50%. I
thought it was obvious that the more hands-on
training you do the better you get at it.
Let’s be real here. We are talking about the
ultimate act against another human being.
Surely, that is worth more training than we
currently get and it needs to be realistic not PC
glasshouse stuff. There are ways of obtaining
more ammunition (if this is the major problem).
We have enough brass (shells) left over each
day to recycle them and reload our own. The
gun clubs do it why can’t we?
Commissioner Broad says that arming the
Police will not happen on his watch. I suggest
then that Mr Broad goes out into Districts and
observes what his staff have to put up with
sometimes. Things have moved on in quantum
leaps over the last 20 years of policing. The stats
clearly show that it is violent out there and we
need more than a pencil and a notebook.
Here in Hawke’s Bay we have had some horrific
tragedies of recent years, with the slaying of
Constable Glenn McKibbon and very recently,
Senior Constable Len Snee. Other Districts have
also felt the wrath of our criminal fraternity
with their own losses of very good staff.
Whether arming or not being armed would
have saved these men we will never know. We
need to learn from their deaths and prevent
further incidents like this happening again as
best we can. Burying our heads in the sand like
ostriches is not going to help the cause. At least
give the staff a fighting chance because the way
things are moving at the present time it will
not be long before another tragedy is going to
happen and then what are we going to say –
sorry?
Paul Symonds
(Napier)
The Police Tactical Options Review
In Police News (Sept 2009) Mr O’Connor
links the shootings of six police officers (two
tragically fatal) with Police’s Tactical Options
Review. I have raised this matter with Police
and have been advised the Project Manager for
the Review was first employed in May 2007.
The Review’s findings were presented to the
Police Executive Committee (PEC) in August
2007 and the then Project Manager was reengaged in November 2007.
I have further been advised that the Police
Association has been involved in and consulted
as part of this Review. In addition, I have been
advised that some officers, particularly rural
and provincial officers, will receive 40% more
training.
I accept Police are the experts in firearms
training, not politicians and not journalists.
I have been assured by Police that the Tactical
Options Review is not new. It has been ongoing
for almost two-and-a-half years.
Hon Judith Collins
(Minister of Police)
Greg O’Connor replies: The Police Association
has never said that the new firearms policy
was related to the current cost-cutting regime,
rather, that was a media interpretation.
Discussion on the policy has indeed been
underway for sometime and while we have
been consulted we have never agreed that any
police officer should be working on the streets
of New Zealand without being trained in the
use of firearms.
KiwiSaver and you
I recently joined KiwiSaver and after
mentioning it to several of my colleagues, the
general response was “Wow, I didn’t know we
could do that.” Given this response, I thought
there must be a whole lot of other police
members who are also unaware that they
can join KiwiSaver in addition to the Police
Superannuation Scheme.
Given the recent changes to KiwiSaver whereby
you as the employee only need to contribute 2%
of your pay, this is now much more affordable
than previously. While you won’t receive
any more contributions from Police, you will
receive the $1,000 kick start along with tax
credits up to $1,043 per year (providing you
have at least matched this through your own
contributions). If, after the first year of being
in KiwiSaver, you find your 2% contribution
is actually more than the $1,043, you can
just take a contributions holiday and pay the
$1,043 as a lump sum to earn the maximum
tax credit.
It would appear that any inclusion of Kiwisaver
into the Police Superannuation Scheme is a
long way off, so, if your finances allow, get in
and get some free money for your retirement.
Martin Blandford
(Mangere)
A place for zero tolerance
The debate about road policing and zero
tolerance is really interesting and worthwhile.
One of the problems I have is around this
warning or ticket debate.
Those people who argue warnings are effective
probably don’t really believe that. If they really
believed warnings were effective they would
advocate for warnings for a whole range of
offences and not just traffic offences.
If warnings were truly effective we would
warn for murder – which of course no one
would countenance. How likely is a murderer
to reoffend? However, road policing critics
advocate warnings for speed when warned
speeding drivers are more likely to reoffend.
Speeding drivers kill dozens more citizens
every year than are killed in homicides.
The argument seems to be that if there’s a
continuum: with parking tickets at one end
and murder at the other end, that warnings are
effective at the parking end of the continuum
but not effective at the other end. That doesn’t
make much sense does it? Where along that
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PoliceNews
The Voice of Police
continuum does human nature change? Can
anyone define the point at which warnings
cease being effective? I don’t believe any such
point exists.
What a warning says to the offender is that
while society doesn’t like what I’m doing,
it doesn’t care that much so I can continue
with my behaviour until I’m sanctioned. If
the sanction comes with the first stop, the
behaviour is much more likely to stop at the
time.
I suspect that what the critics are saying is
that we should warn for offences they might
commit – such as speeding – but that we
should not warn for offences they would not
commit such as drunk driving. In other words,
I believe this debate is really around condoning
and validating their own behaviours rather
than about the efficacy of warnings.
in changing behaviour. It’s about saving lives.
Consistent zero tolerance road policing reduces
the road toll. Softening that stance means we
will see a rise in the road toll and who wants to
be responsible for that?
John W Kelly
(Auckland)
It’s reality not Playstation
It was interesting to read Peter de la Chaumette’s
letter in the Police News of September. He
mentions “commonsense solutions” to the
arming issue and yet his opening paragraph
bears little resemblance to that fact.
Asking “those responsible for firearm training”
to “encourage the targeting of offender’s limbs
rather than forcing officers to commit to the
chest area shot” is hardly rational and is a
totally unrealistic view on armed situations.
Some seem to be trying to argue that zero
tolerance is the sole preserve of road policing,
when it clearly is not. There is zero tolerance
around domestic violence offending and a
whole range of other offences as well – it’s just
not expressed in those terms. Why are there
no complaints about lack of discretion in those
areas of policing?
At the end of the day and in the simplest
language, the only time Police will draw a
weapon, is when they, or somebody else’s life or
safety is under serious threat. We are not there
to scare, or ward off such a threat by winging
a limb, in the vague hope that our psychotic
friend will drop his weapon or wave the white
flag and come away with us peacefully.
There’s also the issue of public support. Each
year the Ministry of Transport conducts a Public
Attitudes survey. Every year the results are
very similar – more than 90% of New Zealand’s
public want the same or more road policing.
(Editor’s note: The 2009 survey showed 44%
would like to see an increase in Police efforts
to enforce road safety law and a further 48%
want it maintained at the current level). That’s
public support of a very high order. There is
nothing there to suggest that public respect for
the Police is undermined by road policing and
there is everything to suggest that the public
want a vigorous road policing service because
they understand it’s about keeping them safe. It
seems strange that in these days of community
reassurance we seem to be going out of our
way to ignore the wishes of the public in this
regard.
Most of us know, that an armed offender who
is injured, frightened or desperate, can quite
easily carry out their deadly mission. Then
what? Because Police took the ‘other’ option
and neglected to take the lunatic out when
the opportunity arose, the public, our mate or
ourselves may then be killed.
While the point about the Police Diversion
scheme is interesting it’s wrong. In my (perhaps
dated) understanding of the Diversion scheme
the offender has to admit guilt, they have to
make one or two court appearances, they have
to do some community service or they have to
make a donation to some organisation. That’s
not a warning; it’s a conviction and a sanction
in all aspects except for the entry on the record
sheet. If the Diversion scheme is successful it’s
precisely for the point that it’s not a warning.
The Diversion scheme point, in my view,
serves Hugh Flower’s argument much better
than Mr Morley’s.
I am quite happy to advocate for zero tolerance
around those fatal road offences, which kill
approximately 400 New Zealanders every year.
The research evidence is there. I’m quite happy
to provide and it was demonstrated in the first
half of this decade in New Zealand. A sanction
(a ticket) is far more effective than a warning
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October 2009
Mr de la Chaumette raises issues that do need
thought and discussion, but I shudder to think
what would result, if our trainers took on his
suggestion.
Theresa McCabe
(New Lynn)
Oh my God!
In response to Peter de la Chaumette’s letter in
the September Police News, somebody please tell
me that this person is not in any way, remotely
associated, to any decision making with respect
to police firearms training in New Zealand or
the developed world for that matter?
Rob Carnegie
(Palmerston North)
No he’s not – he’s a member of the public who
wrote in about the arming issue. - Editor.
Bosses out of touch
on arming issue?
How long has it been since the members of
the Police Executive Committee (PEC) and our
Commissioner have been involved in frontline
policing?
our tools and all we have to do is negotiate
with our crims and talk to them.
I have 49 years service with all emergency
services and can say with some authority that
the amount of aggression has increased a huge
amount over the last few years, normally with
P-fuelled idiots.
I work in a rural area, mostly alone and at times
can be an hour away from backup. I have had
one incident, where if I had not been armed I
would probably been stabbed with a very large
knife. This was at about 6 a.m. in a remote
rural location with no radio coverage.
I would rather not be armed, but in today’s
environment I feel a lot safer when I am.
Doug Henry
(Opotiki)
Heartfelt thanks
On behalf of the Lowe family and friends, I
would like to take this opportunity to once
again convey our deepest, heartfelt thanks to
all those members of the New Zealand Police
who helped make our little brother and son
Andrew’s service the wonderful send-off that
it was.
We couldn’t have asked for anything better.
His friends and colleagues that shared their
thoughts and memories made what was a
sad occasion into something at times quite
humorous and very memorable for us all.
We do understand that some of you will be
hurting as much as we are and we are grateful
that his friends took the time to be with us
recently.
You were all part of another family of Andy’s
and we thank all those officers past and present
who helped guide Andy along and who helped
turn him into a very competent policeman. He
believed in the career he had chosen and had a
lot of faith in those he served with.
So once again, we thank you all for being Andy’s
friend and family and we know that there are
some that will miss him as we miss him.
John Lowe
(Hamilton)
Use of 0800 Ten
Nine phone line
Association representatives maintain this
telephone line (0800 8366 463) on a 24-hour
basis.
It is to be used ONLY for matters that cannot
be deferred, such as Police shootings, fatal
pursuits or deaths in custody.
They seem to have their respective heads
buried in the sand. Maybe they should come
out from their warm offices and see what it is
really like out here.
Important and immediate industrial and legal
advice can then be arranged through the
Association networks.
Though maybe Keith Locke and Marie
Dyhrberg are right and we don’t need any of
Please do not phone this line for nonurgent matters.
New Zealand Police Association
Longest-serving US policeman dies after 62 years service
New Orleans police Sergeant Manuel
Curry, 84, believed to be the USA’s
and most probably the world’s longestserving, active-duty police officer
working full time, died recently.
As a police officer, the lifelong Irish
Channel resident served the city for 62
years, five months and four days.
The World War II veteran worked a
tough beat in his younger days in the
6th District, wrestling with bank robbers
and nabbing shooting suspects during
some of his more notorious arrests. But
his most lasting impact was as a mentor
to countless police officers.
Nickname
They called the white-haired veteran
“Paw-Paw,” a nod to his all-knowing,
grandfather-like status. Even officers
who never worked beside Curry spoke
of him in reverential terms.
“He was an icon,” Captain Henry Dean
said. “His enthusiasm and dedication
can never be duplicated.”
Colleagues noted that Curry was levelheaded, thoughtful and patient. He
often managed to settle disputes on the
street before tensions escalated.
His public service began long before
he entered policing. Curry was a medic
with the 29th Infantry Division, landing
with the third wave of soldiers at Omaha
Beach in the Normandy invasion.
Worst experience of his life
He said that the invasion was the worst
experience of his life. He remembered
taking cover behind dead soldiers as he
stormed the beach.
When the war ended, the young veteran
returned to New Orleans in need of a
job.
Signing up with the NOPD, he wore a
badge for the first time on December
31, 1946. He was soon walking a beat
around Central City.
“You’d get to know everyone on the
beat,” Curry recalled.
And everyone on the beat knew Curry.
A friendly face
He was friendly with the street hustlers as
well as the neighbourhood’s hoi polloi.
He knew people because he talked to
them. He learned and remembered
their names.
Sometimes parents would call Curry to
their home at night so he could scare
a kid straight. Other times, a citizen
would phone him with a hot tip on a
minutes-old crime.
He worked through Hurricane Katrina
at the age of 80, sleeping some nights in
a parked vehicle.
In 2004, Curry was part of a Louisiana
delegation of veterans that took a 12day trip to France to commemorate
D-Day.
He could have taken a pension as early
as 1963, after completing 16 years on
the job. Instead, he pressed on. For
decades, he essentially worked for free.
Curry is survived by his wife of more
than 50 years, Jackie.
October 2009
247
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11-08