driving force - police association · 20 brain teaser 24 holiday homes 25 letters 27 memorial wall...
TRANSCRIPT
VOLUME 48 | NUMBER 4 | MAY 2015
TAKING ON THE BULLIESNew guidelines
PARTY LINEThe perils of policing rowdy parties
WE CAN REBUILD ITFour years after the quakes
Getting recruits up to speed
DRIVING FORCE
CONTENTS
News/Views4 Invitation only: What police can and
can’t do at out-of-control parties
6 UK police cuts: Worrying trends
6 Horse play: Constable volunteers with Riding for the Disabled
7 Barriers in cars: Trials begin with mesh and Perspex
7 Ten questions: The Association’s newest director reveals all
8 Bully for you: Workplace bullying is now a recognised health and safety issue
12 Obituaries: Brigitte Nimmo, Graeme Wilkes
14 Hands on the wheel: Police driver training, from recruits to specialists
16 Emerging from the rubble: One Christchurch police officer’s journey through a home rebuild
18 AGMs 2015: When and where
Notebook18 Most Wanted: Land yachting
19 Flashback: Historic Mt Cook Police Station
21 Health & Wellbeing: As simple as breathing… but are you doing it right?
27 For the record: Proposal for a memorial at site of the old Police Training School
Sport22-23 Sports Diary, surfing, golf
2 CONTENTS
May 2015, Vol. 48, No.4
ISSN 1175-9445
Published by the New Zealand
Police Association
P.O. Box 12344, Willbank House,
57 Willis St, Wellington 6144
Phone: (04) 496 6800
Fax: (04) 471 1309
Editor: Ellen Brook
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.policeassn.org.nz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
nzpoliceassociation
Twitter: @nzpoliceassn
Printed by City Print
Communications, Wellington.
Opinions expressed are not
necessarily those of the
Association.
© 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.
Those wishing not to receive a personal copy of Police News should contact the editor ([email protected]) to be removed from the distribution list.
Cover: Police recruits take part in driver training at the Manfeild track in Feilding, P14. Photos: KELLY QUILL; photomontage: CITY PRINT
Police News is the magazine of the
New Zealand Police Association,
originally the New Zealand Police
Journal, first published in 1937.
Regulars10 Home Loan Package News
20 Keen on Wine
20 Brain Teaser
24 Holiday Homes
25 Letters
27 Memorial Wall
27 Useful Information
Rotorua Constable Tony
O’Keeffe pays his respects
at the sculpture Gallipoli, by
Logan Okiwi Shopgood, which
is part of a commemorative
World War I sculpture trail in
Rotorua. Tony was in the New
Zealand Army for 20 years
before joining Police and
remains an army reservist. His
grandfather was in the army and
two of his great uncles were
in the Maori Battalion. Police
from all over the country took
part in this year’s Anzac Day
commemorations and tributes
marking 100 years since New
Zealanders landed at Gallipoli.
Photo: KIM PERKS/NZ POLICE
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
Police officers often have little understanding or regard for policy and those who develop it, but they are very quickly affected by strategies that are introduced and implemented without good policy research. For example, the Government has imposed on
Police a demand that not only must reported
crime be reduced, but also the number of
prosecutions must come down.
That seems like a good idea and, naturally,
money will be saved in the justice system,
which is clearly the plan. Combine that with
a change in emphasis from police being
essentially evidence gatherers to being
absolutely victim focused and you have a
significant change in the way police work.
By themselves, these are laudable changes;
fewer arrests, more warnings and total focus
on what complainants want.
The problem is, we are starting to get
criticism from the IPCA and coroners who
reconstruct cases after something has gone
wrong. Essentially, they are saying police
should have prosecuted, regardless of a
victim’s wishes.
Maybe they are right, but a new culture and
practice of not prosecuting unless absolutely
necessary has been imposed on police
– a policy that has taken hold and governs
much thinking.
Either the authorities need to align
themselves to the new thinking, or at least
understand the impact of it, or Police and the
Government need to understand the law of
unintended consequences a little better when
they impose targets.
In an era of highly constrained budgets,
Police and most other government workers
are having to make decisions about which
cases they will prioritise, fully aware that
everyone that misses the threshold for action
could be the one that goes wrong.
Unfortunately, all subsequent inquiries will
focus on the decision, not on the strategies
and policies that forced the decision to
PRESIDENTfrom the
NEWS/VIEWS 3
PFA WAC IN WELLINGTONDelegates from Australia and New Zealand attended the Police Federation of Australia Women’s Advisory Committee (PFA WAC) conference in Wellington last month under the theme of Women Shaping Police.
T he conference was opened by Police
Association President Greg O’Connor
and PFA Vice-President Scott Weber.
Guest speakers included: Police Deputy Chief
Executive People Fiona Michel; broadcaster
Kathryn Ryan and Labour Party Deputy Leader,
and former police minister, Annette King.
Police News will have full coverage of the
conference in the June issue.
be made. And the individuals at the sharp end
will be pilloried.
That is why good policy research is necessary
to work through the likely downstream effects.
And the advice delivered to policymakers
should always be the first port of call for those
conducting inquiries following failures.
I see the road toll is going through the roof.
I wonder what changes were made in the past
few years, not just in Police but elsewhere in
the sector, including Government, that are
starting to impact on those statistics. I'm sure
there are some experienced road policing
colleagues who have some theories.
One thing is for sure, you won’t find out by
reading reports or inquiry findings, or who
was the politician or official responsible for
introducing the failed strategy.
Police Association CEO Heather Verry, second right, with delegates Debbie Harries (Counties Manukau), far left, Karen Richards (Auckland), second left, and Marcia Murray (Auckland), far right. Photo: BILLIE BROOK PHOTOGRAPHY
THE PARTY LINE Police officers are in a no-win situation when they attend call-outs to rowdy parties.
On any given weekend in New Zealand,
police comms centres take dozens of
calls about parties that are annoying
someone – usually the neighbours, but
sometimes the party host who has ended up
with unwelcome guests.
The expectation is that police will turn up
and sort it out. “The public think that if police
have been called they should do something,”
says Sergeant Braydon Lenihan. The biggest
problem police face is “public expectation
versus the reality of what we can and can’t do”.
Braydon, who has previously worked with
the Wellington Police Support Unit, helped
develop Police’s revised Public Order Policy
which was implemented in December 2013.
There are no specific powers for police to
“close down” a private party, he says, adding
that calling a party “out of control” is a very
loose and subjective term.
In some cases, there can be a lack of
tolerance on the part of neighbours, he says. In
other cases, if a party spills out on to the street,
there can be potential for public disorder.
Whatever the case, there is an increasing
public perception and some criticism that
when police are called, the situation escalates,
just because they show up. As Braydon points
out, they would also be criticised for not
turning up.
Irate, drunk partygoers who don’t like being
told to move on and decide to confront police
probably don’t have a checklist in their minds
of why that might not be good idea. Police
officers, on the other hand, work within the law.
In the aftermath of a rowdy party there are
invariably complaints aired on social media
and the general media to which police officers
are unable to respond.
Police Association President Greg O’Connor
says nothing highlights the contrasting
interpretations of such incidents more than
those of “sober, disciplined police officers
attempting to control these situations, and those
of intoxicated, excited and myopic partygoers
who see their night’s activities curtailed”.
“It’s often a same situation following one
of these parties,” he says, “where either the
partygoers or their parents accuse police of
over-reacting. Consistently, those people
complaining have either come out of the party
when the disorder is well under way, and they
have no context, or they are part of the crowd
that is providing cover for the idiots who are
inciting the issue.
“Either way, the media are only too eager
to give air time to these people to fill a slow
Sunday news night, and by the time police
get the opportunity to respond, the story has
moved on.”
Although the vast majority of party call-outs
are dealt with quietly and peacefully, this
year some particularly unruly partying has hit
the headlines.
4 NEWS/VIEWS
STOP PRESSSHOOTING BARELY RATESDespite police officers being shot at and a police dog and the offender being shot and injured, it barely rates a mention in the New Zealand media. The incident on Tuesday, April 28, involved a man who had failed to appear for a court hearing and was fleeing from police. When unarmed officers attempted to stop the car he was in, he took off on foot. Dog handlers were called and he was tracked to a nearby property where he presented a firearm. Shots were fired by both police and the man. Police withdrew and cordoned the area until the Armed Offenders Squad and Police Negotiation Team arrived. Negotiations continued with the man for two hours until he surrendered. The man had non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital. Association President Greg O’Connor asks whether the lack of media interest in an incident in which police officers were shot at, a police dog was shot and the offender shot shows how indifferent society is becoming to violence against police.
IN BRIEFLAW AND ORDER BILLSThe Police Association recently submitted on two bills before the Law and Order select committee.
The Policing (Cost Recovery) Amendment Bill will amend the Policing Act 2008 to enable cost recovery for certain police services. At present, the only service being proposed for cost recovery is police vetting, which the Association is opposed to because it doesn’t support cost recovery for services that provide public benefit.
In this case, many organisations would be affected and volunteer and not-for-profit organisations would struggle with increased costs if they had to pay for police vetting services.
The Organised Crime and Anti-corruption Legislation Bill aims to strengthen the law to combat organised crime and corruption. The Association generally supports this bill and its intention to help police tackle organised and international crime. Specific measures in the bill include tightening money laundering provisions to specify that “intent to conceal” is not required, and requiring that all cash transactions of $10,000 or more and all international transfers of $1000 or more be reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit within Police.
The Law and Order select committee will report back to the House on both bills later this year.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Photos: WWW.SNPA.CO.NZ
NEWS/VIEWS 5
Last month, police had fireworks and
bottles thrown at them when they attempted
to disperse up to 300 people partying hard
in Christchurch. During the incident, several
young people were seen taking “selfies” with
officers in a skirmish line behind them.
Afterwards, the person who organised the
party told media that things had only got out
of control after police had arrived.
Police said it took about 90 minutes for
officers, some of whom were wearing
protective equipment and carrying shields, to
disperse the crowd.
Inevitably these days, social media sites
such as Facebook, where invites are posted
and shared, are the touchpaper that leads to
an explosion of people turning up to events
and providing the perfect environment for
mob mentality to run rampant, inside and
outside private properties.
Braydon said the main thing police need
to be aware of these days is to assess each
situation, including whether or not they
have lawful authority to respond, and not be
guided by the “squeaky wheel of a grumpy
neighbour”.
Disgruntled neighbours aside, when bottles
and other missiles start being hurled at
officers, things really can escalate.
Police have been criticised for wearing “riot
gear” when they are called to such incidents,
but Braydon says protective equipment is
standard if there are “missiles” being thrown
and staff safety is compromised. If there’s no
known threat – for example, if it’s simply a
large group of people heading home from
a party – officers will be dressed in their
standard uniforms.
Last year, the Independent Police Conduct
Authority (IPCA) reviewed the police response
to “out of control” parties in terms of their
legal powers and their methods. It looked
at eight cases where complaints about use
of force had been made against police,
including the 2009 party in Homebush Rd,
Wellington, that led to the IPCA call for an
urgent review of public order policing after
it ruled that police had entered the property
unlawfully.
The law covering powers in relation to
parties is complex: there is no specific legal
power for police to close down a party, but
there are other legal options.
They include:
• Trespass – if the owner/occupier asks
people to leave and they refuse, the
partygoers become trespassers who can
be removed by police if that is the specified
wish of the owner/occupier;
• Fire – if asked to by the fire brigade, police
can enter a property and remove people,
using reasonable force if necessary, if they
are in danger or interfering with operations
to deal with a fire or an emergency;
• Injury/serious damage/risk to life or safety
– police can enter a property without a
warrant if they have reasonable grounds
to suspect an offence is being committed,
or is about to be committed, that would
cause injury to a person or serious damage
or loss of property, or there is risk to the
life or safety of a person that requires an
emergency response;
• Noise control – police may enter a
property to assist a noise control officer to
remove or disable stereo equipment.
The reality of policing a large party when
complaints have been made is that police
may consider the gathering has the potential
to get out of control and needs to be shut
down. There may already have been fights
breaking out among the partygoers.
The thrust of the revised Police Public
Order Policy as it relates to “out-of-control”
gatherings is to tread softly and consider
several factors before taking any action,
including: Why am I here? What am I trying to
achieve? Do I have the power/authority to act?
The policy puts emphasis on engaging
with the crowd at an early stage and helping
people who are intoxicated, for example,
organising taxis for them. It suggests that
dispersal should be a measure of last resort.
That may not be the way the neighbours
want police to play it, but as the policy
says, there is no one simple mechanism for
allowing police to close down a party on
private property.
Braydon says current legislation is sufficient
for dealing with the issues on the ground at
the time of an incident. “We can no longer
take the approach of closing down a lawful
party on a private residence merely based on
it annoying neighbours,” he says.
“Even when a party spills out into the public
domain, police must weigh up our response
against the potential breaches of the law,
which are quite often very minor, public
expectation, safety of everyone involved
and the lawful ability of police to manage
the situation.”
There is no simple mechanism for allowing police to close down a party on private property.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
6 NEWS/VIEWS
STARK WARNING ON STAFF CUTS IN BRITAINA police commissioner in Britain has
released a document that was meant
to be private because she was so
concerned about how the funding cuts it
detailed would affect community safety.
Website Police Oracle reported last month that
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner
Jane Kennedy took the unusual step after Her
Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC)
asked her force to predict workforce numbers
assuming year on year cuts to government
funding of 4 per cent till 2019.
The forecasts produced for HMIC showed
that Merseyside Police would shrink by 40 per
cent and there would need to be hundreds of
redundancies, starting in April next year, to keep
the budget balanced.
The staff cuts would include about half of
the force’s 1840 support jobs, including call
handlers and court case preparation staff and
those roles would need to be filled by police
officers, Ms Kennedy told Police Oracle. That
was “exactly the opposite of what the force has
been striving to achieve over the last few years
as they have increased efficiency.
It will mean even fewer officers available to
police our streets”.
Merseyside Chief Constable Sir Jon Murphy
said a lot of hard decisions had been made in
the past five years, but the hardest were yet to
come. “When I became chief constable, I had
a force of 7276. By 2019, forecasts predict that
Merseryside Police will consist of just 4444 and
we will have lost a staggering 40 per cent of our
workforce.”
There was no way, he said, that you could take
that amount of people out of any organisation and
expect it to deliver the same quality of service.
Britain’s Policing Minister Mike Penning has a
different view. He told Police Oracle that there
was no simple link between officer numbers
and crime levels. What mattered was how
officers were deployed, not how many of them
there were, he said. “Under this government,
police forces have shown that, with reform, it is
possible to deliver more with less.
“Crime has fallen by more than a fifth since
2010, meaning citizens and communities are
safer than at any point since records began,”
he said.
LONG MAY SHE REIN Constable Tamah Carson grew up around horses which makes her a natural fit for volunteering with the Central Otago Riding for the Disabled (RDA) group, and, being a police officer, she also likes to help people.
O riginally from Oamaru, Tamah
worked in South Auckland for five
years after leaving Police College,
where she was the top recruit. In 2013, she
and her police officer husband, Matt, moved
to a lifestyle block near Alexandra.
A chance conversation with a neighbour
who was a RDA volunteer was the catalyst for
getting involved. Each Thursday, she leads
and “side-walks” the horses during therapeutic
riding sessions with children. She also helps
care for the horses during the week.
Tamah loves the work. “I was immediately
impressed with the facilities, the variety of
horses for riding and the overall setup,”
she says. “The people there were very friendly
and welcoming, and made the group an
inviting place to be part of.”
Tamah is a youth aid officer in Central Otago,
a prevention based-role that complements
her RDA volunteering, she says. “It’s great to
interact with children in such a positive way –
not just in police work, where sometimes
I witness the negative side of youth
behaviour. It is incredibly rewarding to work
with the children at the RDA group, to see
them outside of their comfort zone and
making such great progress during their
riding sessions.”
Tamah has also formed a bond with one
horse, named Honey. “It’s great to be around
horses again; especially ones that help change
the lives of their riders.”
Source: NZ Riding for the Disabled
IN BRIEFSTATION SAFETY UNDER REVIEW
Police has said it will review safety at all police stations in response to ongoing concerns from staff who work in them.
The commitment from Police follows several years of lobbying by the Police Association on the issue of front counter safety at New Zealand police stations.
Police told the Association last month that safety, including front counters, would be assessed as a matter of priority.
The Association welcomes the move; particularly the acknowledgment from Police that employee safety must be prioritised above its more recent policy of providing a customer-friendly, open environment at front counters in newly built stations.
A working group has been set up that includes an Association representative.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Tamah Carson with RDA horses Honey, left, and Benji.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
MESH AND PERSPEX TRIALLED IN VEHICLESSegregation barriers are being tested in police vehicles as part of Police’s Continuous Improvement (CI) programme.
I n Geraldine, a Police ute has been fitted
with a mesh barrier between the front
and back seats and in Counties Manukau,
a solid Perspex barrier is being trialled in a
Holden i-car, though it was recently rammed
during a pursuit and is being repaired.
Senior Constable Andrew Charles, one of
two officers at the Geraldine Police Station,
said he was getting used the barrier, though
he’d only had to transport one person since it
had been installed about six weeks ago in his
4x4 Holden Colorado double-cab ute. “If I do
have an offender who I think might be trouble,
I usually call for extra help anyway.”
He said the barrier was obviously sturdy,
but he wasn’t sure he’d want to see them in
every vehicle.
On the upside, it would probably be an
effective barrier against spitting, “which I
hate!”, but, on the downside, it did initially
affect visibility – although he had got used to
that and used the wing mirrors instead – and
meant he couldn’t easily put items in the back
seat from the front seat.
“If I had the option of having the barrier, I
would probably say no, but it might suit some
newer officers who may be more concerned
about that sort of security.
“I’ve been a cop for a long time, and in
many single-crewing situations, and I’ve been
lucky to never have any problems with being
attacked in the vehicle, though that may have
something to do with my size,” he said.
Inspector Rob Morgan, who is overseeing
the trials, said Police had accepted there was
a need for further research into segregation
barriers, particularly for officers working on
their own. Police has previously considered
there was no compelling case for barriers in
vehicles, but suggestions from staff, through
the CI scheme, had led to the current trials.
The Association has for several years
been hearing from frontline officers about
incidents in cars that include officers being
punched, kicked and spat at by offenders
placed in the back seat of vehicles. It has
sought segregation barriers for some time,
with previous attempts to have them installed
being thwarted by incompatibility issues with
Holden vehicles and budgetary constraints.
The Association believes segregation barriers
are necessary for health and safety and will
continue to push for their installation in
frontline vehicles.
TEN QUESTIONS FOR OUR NEW DIRECTOR
Mike Thomas has been elected as the
new Region 7 (Southern) director,
replacing Grant Gerken who has
retired due to ill-health.
Mike, a community constable in Wanaka, has
a long history of involvement with Association
activities. Police Association President Greg
O’Connor welcomed the appointment,
saying Mike joins the long line of “capable
and pragmatic Southern Men” who have held
positions with the Association. Becky Hill will
continue as deputy director for the region.
1. Are you a genuine Southern Man?
Exposed on day one! Actually, no, I'm
originally from Palmerston North, but my
daughters are all born and bred Southerners
(my best attempt at redeeming myself).
2. What's the best thing about being a community constable?
The variety of work and the great people I
work with in our local communities. Sounds
a bit PC, I know, but it’s a fact.
3. Have you always been a police officer and where else have you worked?
No. I worked in the ski industry for 10 years,
mainly in New Zealand and Canada, before
I joined Police in 2002. Before that my CV
included a variety of jobs including roofer,
sales rep, storeman and a stint milking
cows. It’s good to try a few things before
you decide on a career.
4. How long have you been involved with Association activities?
I was elected chairman for the Otago area
in 2009.
5. What motivated you to want to be a director?
Like most of us, I just wanted to make sure
everyone gets a fair deal, and working in the
Association is the best way of achieving that.
6. What are the biggest challenges of modern policing?
Challenge wise, I think we have to be
adaptive and relevant to an ever-changing
environment, strategically and, more
importantly, operationally. Technology will
continue to drive change, but we still need
to keep our focus on making sure our staff
are trained and resourced to meet the
environment of the day. Keeping safe in our
job has to be the No 1 objective and we can
best achieve that by recognising that our
working environment is not just local,
but is far more global, these days.
7. Tell us about your family?
Married to Anna with three daughters, and,
like everyone else I know, we're just busy
juggling work with life and making sure we
have some fun while doing it.
8. What do you do in your spare time?
Spare time? Refer to question 7. I'm now
the “go-to” guy with the kids and all their
activities and sports. Actually, I’ve just
become a netball dad.
9. Where are the best hunting/fishing/swimming spots around Wanaka?
Nice try! Anyone this far south knows that
information is never disclosed. You are right,
though, they are the best.
10. Have Wanaka police caught the infamous "loo firebug" yet?
Happy to report, yes, one of them being
a Northerner!
NEWS/VIEWS 7
8 NEWS/VIEWS
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Workplace bullying is a recognised health and safety issue in New Zealand. Are you a victim? Have you seen it in your team – or are you the bully? New guidelines issued this year aim to tackle the problem at the source.
H ell is other people… So wrote French
existentialist and philosopher Jean-
Paul Sartre. He probably didn’t have
fellow workers in offices and factories in
mind, but we can empathise.
Over our working week, we often spend
more time with our colleagues than we do
with our families and, chances are, we are
not going to get along with all of them. The
important thing is that we try to work well
together and that’s why certain standards of
behaviour and professionalism are necessary
and in everybody’s interests – employers,
employees and their organisations.
In some places, however, there’s an ugly fly
in the ointment – workplace bullying.
It can be very disheartening, especially for
young people, to realise that the perils of
the schoolyard continue to haunt them at
the office or on the shop floor. The same
subtle melodramas, power plays and outright
aggression can thrive in the workplace and
often in a more sophisticated form that is
harder to prove.
But bullying at work is now a well-
documented problem and it’s keeping HR
departments, counsellors and employment
courts busy the world over. New Zealand is no
exception to that rule.
Because it has become a bit of a buzzword,
and it is a deceptively easy term to apply to
all sorts of behaviour or perceived injustices,
academics and employment experts have
been doing their best to try to define bullying
to give clarity and guidance on the subject.
WorkSafe NZ is clear that bullying is now
classified as a significant workplace hazard
that is not only bad for employees but also
bad for business. WorkSafe has produced
a comprehensive guide to preventing and
responding to workplace bullying, which it
says is prevalent in New Zealand workplaces.
The Police Association deals with several
enquiries about bullying each year and
recognises that one of the most difficult
aspects is knowing when is the right time to
do something about it.
Although early resolution is always desirable,
bullying, by its very nature, is often only able
to be confirmed after a persistent pattern
of mistreatment is verified. By the time a
complaint is made, the victim is usually at
the end of his or her tether. There is a range
of bullying behaviour (outlined on the facing
page), but the most important aspect is
recognising the impact that such behaviour has
on the person who feels they are being bullied.
The Association will represent members to
help repair working relationships, but it does
not believe that one size fits all in terms of
solutions and each complaint is looked at on a
case-by-case basis.
Because Police is a particularly hierarchical
organisation, the issue of rank is significant.
Although a robust chain of command is vitally
important, especially on the frontline, there
can be cases of supervisors inappropriately
“pulling rank”.
If a persistent pattern of bad behaviour is
established, it needs to be managed.
Mismanagement of bullying has a ripple
effect in terms of loss of productivity (for
example, people taking lots of sick leave),
dysfunctional work groups and a lot of
HR resources brought into play – some
investigations can take years.
Most complaints of bullying are about
people in supervisory roles, although peer-to-
peer bullying is also common.
The Association believes it is the
responsibility of everyone in a workplace to
help prevent bullying – that means that if you
see such behaviour and stay quiet about it,
you are part of the problem.
BULLY for“The first step, whether you are the victim or not, is to raise the matter directly with person, but, if that is not possible, the matter must be raised with a supervisor.”
YOU
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
While some bullying might be easy to identify, such as personal attacks and put downs, other forms are not, eg, attempts to undermine credibility, performance or confidence. Here are some of the guidelines from WorkSafe NZ.
WHAT IS BULLYINGBullying is defined as unreasonable and repeated behaviour towards a person or group that creates a health and safety risk.
Repeated behaviour is persistent and can include a range of actions. Unreasonable behaviour covers actions that a reasonable person wouldn’t do in similar circumstances, including victimising, humiliating, intimidating or threatening a colleague.
A single incident of unreasonable behaviour is not considered workplace bullying, but it could escalate and should not be ignored.
Workplace bullying can be done through email, text messaging, internet chat rooms or other social media channels. In some cases workplace bullying may occur outside normal working hours.
Workplace bullying can be directed at a single worker or group of workers and be done by one or more workers. It can also be directed at or perpetrated by other people such as clients, patients, students, customers and members of the public.
Types of workplace bullying, as categorised by WorkSafe, include:
• institutional bullying
• bullying from managers
• bullying of managers
• bullying by colleagues
and include:
• unwelcome comments and gestures
• physical attacks and degrading or threatening behaviour
• abuse of power
• isolation
• discrimination
• put downs
WHAT ISN’T BULLYING• One-off or occasional instances of
forgetfulness, rudeness or tactlessness
• Setting high performance standards because of quality or safety
• Constructive feedback and legitimate advice or peer review
• A manager requiring reasonable verbal or written work instructions to be done
• Warning or disciplining employees in line with the workplace’s code of conduct
• A single incident of unreasonable behaviour (but it could escalate).
It’s important to remember that everyone can have a “bad day” where their behaviour may slip below the norm.
The fact is, you don’t have to like the people you work with, but you do have to be professional, polite and respectful.
WHAT IF YOU’RE ACCUSED OF BEING A BULLY? It can come as a shock if someone says that you’ve been bullying them. But it’s important to be open to feedback and be prepared to change your behaviour if necessary.
Talk to a friend, family member, colleague, supervisor, manager, health and safety representative or HR member. Seeking an objective perspective on the issue can help you address it.
Speak to the person you may have offended, if you think it’s reasonable and safe to do so. They may also approach you directly for an informal resolution.
If this low-key informal response is an option, do it as quickly as possible without retaliation. Calmly explain that you didn’t realise the effect your actions were having on them or others. Be open to feedback, and be prepared to change your behaviour.
Keep a record of the time, date and content of the conversation.
You may ask your health and safety representative to be with you when you speak to the person.
NEWS/VIEWS 9
The first step, whether you are the victim
or not, is to raise the matter directly with the
person, but, if that is not possible, the matter
must be raised with a supervisor.
If you’re being bullied, consider this advice
from others who’ve been through it:
• Don’t resign in a fit of anger or despair
• Consider the consequences of any action
you take
• Keep your temper and avoid behaving
in kind, eg, name calling or excluding
the person
• Be mindful of your employment agreement
– don’t take leave without permission or
send angry emails
• Try not to rally other staff members to
“your side” or create a witch hunt
• Don’t complain to people in other
organisations about what you’re
experiencing
• Look after your health and ensure you eat
well and get enough sleep
• Seek independent or formal help
• If lawyers get involved it is likely to take a
lot longer to resolve the issue
For more information and help on bullying
visit, http://www.business.govt.nz/worksafe/
information-guidance/all-guidance-items/
bullying-guidelines/workplace-bullying
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Police Home Loan Package News
The Police Home Loan Package (anz@work Elite Package) details are subject to change. Package discounts do not apply to other ANZ campaigns or special offers. ANZ’s eligibility and lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. A copy of our terms, conditions and fees are available at anz.co.nz or at any ANZ branch.
This material is provided as a complimentary service of ANZ. It is prepared based on information and sources ANZ believes to be reliable. Its content is for information purpose only, is subject to change and is not a substitute for commercial judgment or professional advice, which should be sought prior to acting in reliance on it. To the extent permitted by law, ANZ disclaims liability or responsibility to any person for any direct or indirect loss or damage that may result from any act or omissions by any person in relation to the material. ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited.
With daylight saving now behind us and winter on its way, it’s a good time to think about installing or improving your home’s insulation. If you’ve moved house this summer, you have yet to spend your first winter in your new home, so before the cold weather sets in, make sure you take some time to check if your home is well insulated. And if you’ve been in your home for a number of years, it could be time to do renovations and make some improvements to your home’s insulation.
Many New Zealand homes (especially older ones) are poorly insulated. That causes problems on two fronts.
First, cold homes are often unhealthy ones. The World Health Organisation recommends a minimum temperature inside your home of 18 degrees Celsius, or 20 degrees for more vulnerable people like children and the elderly – and if you live in a badly insulated house that can be a real struggle in winter.
Second, it’s expensive. Much of your heating may disappear through the ceiling, floor, windows or gaps, making your power bills much higher than they need to be. Insulation makes your home warmer and drier, so it’s easier to heat up. And once you’ve got it warm, it’s also easier to keep it warm – so you get more value for your heating buck.
The good news is that as well as giving you a more comfortable and healthier home, money spent on insulating your home properly will more than pay for itself. Your heating bills will be smaller so you’ll have more money in your pocket each month. And when you come to sell, well-insulated homes are more attractive and more valuable to buyers.
ANZ can helpIf you have a home loan with ANZ, you may be able to finance installing or upgrading your home’s insulation by topping up your home loan. This could be a very cost-effective option for heating your home this winter. And if you’re a Police Welfare Fund member, you can take advantage of the special benefits of the Police Home Loan Package with ANZ. You’ll get discounted interest rates on home lending, along with other benefits.
To find out more, simply contact ANZ’s Police Home Loan Package team on 0800 722 524 or visit your nearest ANZ branch.
Stay warm and add value to your home this winter
Buying a new home or refinancing can be an expensive process. We aim to make it easier on Police Welfare Fund members’ pockets. So for the time being those drawing down a new Police Home Loan will be eligible for six months free home insurance through the Welfare Fund’s Police Fire & General Insurance*.
Members eligible for the free cover should contact our Member Services Team on 0800 500 122. You will need a copy of your loan document from ANZ.
For more information or to apply for the Police Home Loan Package visit www.policeassn.org.nz*Police Fire & General Insurance will be subject to the standard underwriting terms and conditions and is provided through the Police Welfare Fund not by ANZ. Members are eligible for one period of six months free Police Fire & General Home Insurance premium only, per member, regardless of the term of Police Home Loan taken. Police Fire & General Insurance is underwritten by Lumley General Insurance (NZ) Limited.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
NEWS/VIEWS 11
To update Iam Keen with information, contact him at [email protected]
PCT losing relevanceThe police competency test (fitness) was introduced in the mid-1980s, motivated by cost savings. Costly police medicals were axed and the boffins of the day designed a fitness test to simulate frontline police duties. But how can the PCT still claim to mimic police duties in the era of SRBA and bulky appointments?
Many of us would struggle over the wall if we had our full kit on. The PCT no longer meets its primary objective of simulating frontline duties. Additionally, there’s now changed PCT times for more mature members and a toughened policy of consequences if you don’t pass.
Senior members have to face the challenge of the new PCT death knell or lose their dignity and become unemployable.
This will affect us all, as our “use by” date gets closer. Our largest sworn age group is in the 45-49 range, and rising. An ageing workforce is identified as a significant risk (code for employers to get shod of oldies and hire newer, cheaper, faster models).
What’s happening to our mature members seems unconscionable. The method of deciding their future has lost its relevance and a sudden rule change after 30 years has put the boot in. It’s another example of continuing to get expert decisions until one turns up that suits the hierarchy, which then implements it.
When John became JoanneGazing into the frothy head on my Canterbury ale, I never imagined I’d still be around when official acceptance of GLBTI police officers became the norm. Such folk have always been on our team, just not that visible, which wasn’t their fault.
It was a long, slow road for those seeking change until suddenly, as if the epiphany had arrived, the Commissioner put the turbo-charger on all things “diversity”.
Some female officers had been open in the past about their different gender orientation and it was never an issue as I saw it. Male officers, however, found “coming out” a much tougher call in a testosterone-dominated organisation, as policing was.
Now, in 2015, we have these staff feeling more comfortable about revealing their true selves, swapping trousers for blouses and even going further, and why not?
The vibrancy will shock some, but it would be very wrong to ridicule it. “Difference” is central to our very existence.
Closed until further notice A recent newspaper article was a bit dramatic in the way it portrayed the sale of 30 police stations. The reporter made it sound like doomsday, when actually there’s logic in selling off some smaller and older premises to make better use of the taxpayer dollar.
But the thought of returning to centralisation will worry many if we can’t counter that by improving public access to police services.
It seems our doors are closing faster than we are able to provide new and better processes to communicate with folk out there.
Here’s the rub; there’s no clear method for people to contact a police officer for advice. Surely this is a fundamental service?
This column is written by a frontline police officer. It does not represent the views or policies of the Police Association
Constable Iam Keen
Take care out there!
How did we overlook providing this?
Our civilian colleagues were always supported at public counters with several sworn officers per shift and a grumpy, but wise old Senior. Now they have to hunt around to get that sworn assistance and it’s made worse by closing some public counters and shortening the hours at others. CRL only provides a partial answer.
What if we just had some sworn staff in CRL to double as an advice line service?
Mobility is a great idea – a patrol car can be the mobile office – but the public can’t actually contact those officers zooming around. Bricks and mortar may have gone, but they haven’t been replaced by more cars.
Here’s an idea from the private sector: after issuing a traffic infringement notice our troops could simply ask, “Is there anything else I can help you with today, sir?”
Members – don’t miss out on great discounts
Les Mills has updated its discount offer for Police Association members.
• Free 7-day trial at participating Les Mills clubs across New Zealand
• 10% off a 12-month gym membership
The new discounted corporate rate is $1 a week cheaper than the previous Police Association discount rate. Talk to your local Les Mills to make sure you are getting the updated discount rate.
Terms and conditions apply – see our website for details.
Another NZ Police Association member special shopping event with Noel Leeming is coming up soon.
Monday 18 May to Sunday 24 May
Members made good use of the last special shopping event so keep your eye out for the email with further details. This will be sent to you closer to the time.
To make it as simple as possible, all you will need to do is print and present the flyer in store or simply download it and show it in store from your smartphone. The flyer will be loaded on the NZPA website under the Noel Leeming member discount page a few weeks before the event.
12 OBITUARY
COMPASSIONATE COP WHO MADE A DIFFERENCEBRIGITTE HELEN NIMMO SEP 8, 1970 – APR 10, 2015
Brigitte Nimmo was a talented police officer who accomplished an extraordinary amount in her short career with Police.
Born in Wellington, Brigitte began
her professional life as a lawyer and
worked for a legal firm in Wellington
before deciding to join Police in 1999,
motivated by a desire for new challenges and
to be able to contribute to society.
She graduated from Wing 188 in 2000,
receiving the Minister’s Prize for First in
the Wing.
She was posted to Wellington Central Police
Station, but her legal acumen was quickly
recognised and just over a year later she was
transferred to Police National Headquarters as
a legal adviser.
She specialised in operational and legal
issues, including human rights complaints,
use of force, tactical options, mediation and
employment issues.
She quickly rose through the ranks to
become an inspector in 2005 and remained a
loyal member of the Police Association.
Generosity of spirit was an obvious part of
her nature and colleagues said that even when
she had a busy workload of her own, she also
cared for others.
Her particular combination of legal ability,
policing knowledge and compassion made
her a natural fit for working on family violence
issues and she became dedicated to making a
difference for victims and their children.
She was seconded by Inspector Ross
Grantham to the role of National Family
Violence Co-ordinator in late 2009, where she
oversaw the drafting and implementation of
the new Police Family Violence Policy and the
implementation of Police Safety Orders. She
also developed a new Police Family Violence
Death Review process and strategically
repositioned Police Family Safety Teams
with the aim of setting them up throughout
the country.
Ross described Brigitte as “intelligent,
tenacious, professional, compassionate and
articulate” and said she worked tirelessly to
“develop and maintain networks supporting
victims of family violence and offenders to
modify their behaviour”.
Brigitte was found dead in an Auckland hotel
room. Colleagues and others she worked with
were devastated. In online tributes after her
death, those working against family violence
described her as a “heroine”.
Trustees of the Sophie Elliott Foundation,
formed after the murder of Sophie by her
former boyfriend Clayton Weatherston, said
Brigitte was “dedicated, driven and determined
to make our world a better place. You gave
all the energy and expertise that you had to
help others. A true leader, your work ethic
and practice was inspirational, but you also
conducted yourself with such warmth and
care and a bright smile for those around you”.
In 2010, Brigitte had taken on the
challenging job of leading the Police
family liaison response to the Pike River
mining disaster in which 29 men died. That
experience led to work with victims of the
Canterbury earthquakes.
In late 2014, Brigitte took up a new role in
the Policy Group at PNHQ.
She was also a committed athlete
who enjoyed running and cycling with
her husband.
Speaking at her funeral last month, Ross
Grantham said Brigitte had been proud of her
efforts in drafting the Charitable Trust Deed
that established the Police Dog Section as a
separate entity able to receive independent
funding – “a first for New Zealand Police and
a significant instrument for the betterment of
police dogs and their handlers”.
She also helped rewrite Police policy on use
of force. One battle-worn AOS dog handler
said: “She cleaned up all that policy and
wrote it in a way it could be understood by
the frontline officer. She was really talented
because she could understand it and write it
so we could understand it.”
Ross told a story that highlighted Brigitte’s
quiet but effective work on employment
relations. “We went to the Auckland Central
Police Station cafe. As we walked in, the
woman behind the counter let out a scream of
delight, turning to her colleague and excitedly
explaining that Brigitte was there. They threw
themselves on Brigitte, hugging her and asking
after her. She humbly explained to me how
there had been a complex situation where the
women had no contracts, were earning below
the minimum wage and, when she began her
investigation, they thought she was there to
close the place down. She worked her magic;
a new manager was appointed and the ladies
got contracts and pay rises, so they thought
she was pretty special.”
Ross said Brigitte’s death had left a huge
void in the Police family and she had certainly
fulfilled her desire to contribute to society.
She left an indelible legacy including a Police
service focused on reducing family violence,
employment relations solultions and a Dog
Section that is flourishing.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Brigitte Nimmo was considered a “heroine” by those working to stop family violence. Photo: NZ HERALD
OBITUARY 13
A COLOURFUL LIFE, WELL LIVEDGRAEME JOHN WILKES AUG 9, 1946 – MAR 24, 2015
Friends and family who met in March to mourn and remember former police officer Graeme Wilkes hope he would have approved of the send-off.
A lthough Graeme had specified that
when his time came there was to be
no funeral, chances are he would
have enjoyed the convivial and “un-PC”
gathering held in his name.
Graeme was well known for thumbing his
nose at political correctness and “new age”
sensitivities and stuck to that to the end, even
arranging a “camo” coffin with “Police” written
on the side in which to take his final journey.
He was also renowned for his sayings,
including two he used frequently to describe
limited resources: “stretching a fly’s arse over
a bucket”; and “rare as rocking horse shit”.
His “colourful and adventurous life” was the
focus of a memorial service, and members of
the Waimea Gun Club, of which Graeme was
a long-serving member, paid tribute,
saying: “He lived life to the fullest, didn’t hold
anything back and gave everything he had for
family and friends.”
Graeme was born in Geraldine, coming into
the world alongside his twin sister, Adrienne.
His early schooling was in Motueka and
Murchison where, he quipped, he “attended
Murchison finishing school – graduated early”.
He was 17 when he joined Police in 1964, as
a member of the 8th Sam Barnett Cadet Wing.
He was posted to Wellington Central in 1965.
During his early days there, he was involved
in the 1968 Wahine disaster, working in the
mortuary, which provided vivid memories for a
young constable.
It was also during those years that he
first saw Armed Offenders Squad vehicles
speeding past the station to an incident.
A week later, he recalled, he applied to join
the squad.
He was one of the first AOS members
in Wellington and it was a part of policing
that suited his personality. During last year’s
AOS 50th anniversary celebrations, Graeme
shared many stories from his years with
the squad, including how primitive the
equipment was in comparison to today’s
tech-savvy squads.
“To negotiate we used the telephone or a
loud hailer. We didn’t have our own radios.
If the squad was called out, someone would
collect as many beat radios as they could
find – which meant three: two sections got
one and the boss had one too. But they were
hopeless. The aerial was in the hand strap. At
one training day, some guys stuck their radios
on broomsticks and held them up in the air to
improve reception.
“For a time, we had 12-volt car batteries to
power lights at night. In the dark, there were
often problems getting everything connected.
Sometimes there were great showers of
sparks, which gave the show away. But the job
still got done.”
Away from the AOS duties, Graeme did
a short stint in CIB in Wellington and was
promoted to sergeant. He was posted to
Nelson in 1976, where he served as a section
sergeant and was one of only two Nelson
prosecutions sergeants from the early 1990s
till his retirement in August 2001. He was
also appointed as the officer in charge of the
AOS there.
A former colleague says the AOS was the
“love of Graeme’s life”. He served with the
squad from 1966 to 1990 and was awarded
the Commissioner’s Silver Merit Award for
services to the AOS when he retired from
the squad.
Graeme was also an active member of the
Police Association, first as a member of the
Nelson committee, then as deputy chairman
and chairman for many years.
An associate says Graeme had a strong
sense of justice when it came to the members
he represented. “In the role of an advocate for
members, he was often able to relay his view
of the abilities of the senior officer conducting
the enquiry. Generally, these views were not
openly accepted by the person receiving
them. That said, his views were more often
than not correct and the officer had to accept
Graeme’s opinion, generally given with Anglo
Saxon expletives attached.”
After retiring, he worked part-time doing
maintenance at a rest home and hospital in
Stoke. He also spent many hours at the Nelson
Waimea Gun Club shooting clay targets.
Graeme is survived by his wife, Raye, three
children and nine grandchildren.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
Graeme Wilkes was a dedicated member of the Armed Offenders Squad.
14 COVER STORY
Each day, police are on the road, covering long distances and driving in challenging situations, so it’s important they are well trained on being safe behind the wheel. KELLY QUILL gets a taste of the Professional Police Driver Programme (PPDP).
P olice College supervising instructor
Sergeant Simon Kernahan gave me a
quick rundown on the perils of under-
steering and over-steering before letting me
loose on the college’s “skid” track.
Strategically placed sprinklers were wetting
the tarmac to create the kind of slippery
conditions that require good vehicle control.
Recruits attempting the skid track have
already been assessed on their skills,
confidence and experience.
Simon says some will be “nervous Nellies”,
who need their confidence gently built up,
others are “cowboys” who need to be reined in.
The only information Simon had about my
driving was that I had my driver’s licence. In
his instruction he was firm but kind, telling me:
“We try to foster a relaxed manner... Recruits
won’t do well if they are so nervous they’ve got
a death-grip on the wheel.”
Fifteen minutes later, my self-assessment
was that I had gained some understanding of
how the car worked in a skid, but I obviously
needed a lot more practice. Skidding was fun
on a track, but I wasn’t confident I’d cope if I
found myself skidding out on the road.
Lesson No 1: Police cars are rear-wheel drive,
so skids occur differently to front-wheel
drive vehicles.
Recruits must learn how to control the car
in “worst case” conditions – with the car’s
traction control turned off and snow tyres
fitted to exacerbate the skids.
Fortunately, by the time recruits hit the skid
track they have already learnt some basic skills,
including the system of car control and the
car’s safety features.
However, my time behind the wheel of a cop
car wasn’t over. I was fortunate to be invited to
a driver training day at Manfeild Events Centre’s
4.5-kilometre racetrack in Feilding, and to take
the wheel for a couple of laps.
A lot of people are inspired to be police
officers when they see a police car race by
with its lights flashing. Manfeild is where the
recruits receive training in crash avoidance,
quick lane changes, sudden braking at 100kmh
(to engage ABS), cornering and general
smooth handling of the cars.
For many of them, this is the highlight of the
driver training programme, but for others it can
be daunting. College recruit Jacinda Karaitiana
agreed that it could have been scary, but “I had
such trust in what I was being told that I wasn’t
scared at all”.
The day at Manfeild ends with an assessment
of each recruit’s ability to safely get to a job
under “urgent duty”, ie, with the “red and
blues” lit up.
WHERE the RUBBER MEETS the ROAD
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
Police News reporter Kelly Quill on the track at the Police College.
Recruits Scott Saurin and Jacinda Karaitiana who completed the Professional Police Driver Programme recently.
COVER STORY 15
This is the scenario: accepting a “callout”,
the recruit must sprint 100 metres to the
car. Then, with their heart racing and the
adrenaline pumping, the first test is how well
they can get themselves under control and
focus on the task at hand.
“It’s important that they are able to calm
themselves, get into a clear thinking and
focused state, where they are much more
likely to make better decisions”, says Simon.
Then, over three laps of the track, instructors
who aren’t doing the assessments deliberately
display the worst kind of driving behaviour
the recruits will encounter from the public:
stopping and starting in a confused manner,
performing U-turns and generally getting in
the way.
“Essentially,” says Simon, “the whole day is
about building their confidence, then throwing
them in the deep end.”
From the passenger seat of one of the
“member of the public” cars, I watched the
recruits as they safely navigated the obstacles.
All but one passed – a lower success rate
than usual.
Then it was my turn to drive two laps of
the circuit.
Lesson No 2: It’s an automatic, but you can
manually change gear.
Being used to a manual gear shift, I didn’t
know how to change gears in an automatic
car. Lucky for me, my instructor worked the
gears while I did the rest. With calm instruction
on cornering and speed, I quickly and safely
completed the laps.
Since completing the programme, Jacinda
says she now drives in a more cautious
and considered manner and is more aware
of everything around her – not just other
drivers, but pedestrians, cyclists and other
road hazards.
Recruit Scott Saurin, who has the benefit of
rally driving experience, says the programme
built on the skills he already has and recruit
Rhonda Cockerton says she feels like she’s
twice the driver she was before the training.
The PPDP also covers “cat-and-mouse”
exercises in city and residential locations that
require simultaneous map-reading, analysis
of a suspect’s potential destination and
controlled communication with other units
to test the recruit’s ability to multi-task and
manoeuvre within populated settings. Rural
skills and cornering are tested on a day trip to
the Wairarapa.
Extra training wish listNationally, police respond to about 160,000
urgent incidents each year. Central District
road policing manager Inspector Dave White
said earlier this year that considering the
amount of driving police do every day, they
have an excellent driver safety record.
However, some instructors have indicated
they would like to see additional training,
including in less pressured situations. Ideally,
the Manfeild circuit would be set up like the
police driver training facility in New South
Wales, where the circuit reflects a public
street environment, allowing for more
realistic scenarios.
As with so many aspects of policing, budget
and resourcing affect the amount and type of
training that can be delivered.
Compared with the Metropolitan Police
in London, which has some of the highest
driver training standards in the world, New
Zealand’s nine-day PPDP is short. Met
officers must serve for a minimum of two
years before they can even apply to undergo
driver training. Those that are selected receive
a minimum of six weeks training, with almost
all driving done in realistic driving conditions
on public roads in unmarked cars.
In 2014, New Zealand Police was going to
introduce driving simulators into the PPDP,
but budget constraints meant that has had to
be shelved for now.
WHERE the RUBBER MEETS the ROAD
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
The Professional Police Driver Programme (PPDP) is designated to meet the operational and strategic needs of Police. While a minimum of a bronze standard is required, almost all recruits achieve a silver standard, and can sit the gold standard, which permits pursuit driving six months after graduating from Police College. Bronze standard does not cover urgent duty driving, which can be a hindrance in some districts. As a result, training is geared towards an expectation that recruits will achieve a silver standard, which permits urgent duty driving and pursuit driving if the officer is supervised by an officer with a gold classification. Ninety-six per cent of recruits complete the PPDP having achieved the silver standard.
Below: Police College supervising instructor Sergeant Simon Kernahan. Photos: KELLY QUILL
Cost is also an issue for continued training
for specialist groups such as the AOS, STG
and DPS. “Ideally,” Simon says, “specialist
groups should receive additional training
each year, but we recognise that districts
must balance the need for continued
driver training with their other training
requirements. Each district has to prioritise its
own training needs.”
Lesson No 3: After my experience on the
skid track and at Manfeild, I had gained just
a fraction of the knowledge of the police
recruits. They will go on to drive in difficult
and stressful situations above and beyond
what a normal motorist like myself would
ever encounter.
16 NOTEBOOK
EMERGING THE RUBBLEConstable Richie Parker is one of many Association members who can empathise with the insurance and rebuild problems encountered by so many after the Canterbury earthquakes.
Shortcomings in the way the
Earthquake Commission (EQC)
has handled its customers were
highlighted earlier this year in an
independent report that criticised its
structure and time management. It also
drew attention to the lack of access to
information, inconsistencies in information,
unnecessary delays, poor communication
and lack of training for staff.
Road policing officer Richie Parker can relate
to that.
His story began on September 4, 2010, when
the first big shake (7.1) happened at 4.35am.
He and his wife, Kate, and their three boys
had been asleep in their five-bedroom home
in Burwood that they had built in 1997, and
which they loved.
Daylight revealed a three-centimetre split
down the middle of the foundations and the
windows were out of alignment. The house
was still able to be lived in, but youngest son
Caleb, who was eight, decided to move his
bed in with his older brothers.
A few days later, Richie put in a claim to
EQC. “No one thought another big earthquake
would happen,” he says. Richie’s insurer,
Lumley, had calculated repair of the cracks in
the foundation at $168,000, but by February
2011, EQC had still not done its assessment.
Then February 22 “happened”. Richie had
the day off and was at home. Kate was at
work and the boys were at school. When
the 6.3 quake crashed its way to the surface,
Richie was in the dining room. “I watched as
the kitchen and pantry started falling down in
front of my eyes. My 42-inch TV was swaying,
furniture was tipping over. It was chaos.”
When the shaking subsided, his first thought
was for Caleb, who had been assured by his
parents that there wouldn’t be another big
scary earthquake. Richie jumped in his car to
pick Caleb up from school. On the way, he
was shocked by what he saw.
“The city looked like a bomb site,” he
recalls. The roads were covered in water
and liquefaction, and he was worried about
sinkholes. He’d already seen some cars tipped
front first into the hidden hazards. Most of the
bridges across the Avon River were “munted”.
Cellphones weren’t working. “I was
wondering about my wife, who it turned out
was stuck in a traffic jam on the other side of
town, and worrying about my parents, who
lived further east. They were okay, but they
had no power or water.”
It wasn’t till later in the day that he found
out that many people had died in collapsed
buildings in the city centre (the final toll was 181).
Eventually, everyone got back to the
house. The original crack in the foundation
had become considerably larger, doors and
windows wouldn’t open or close and there
were no services. It was like the house had
“snapped”, says Richie, but it was still a roof
over their heads.
They had a small emergency kit and were
able to cook on their wood burner. Like
households all over the city, the worst thing
was not having water, and they got busy
digging a long drop toilet in the garden.
Richie went to work the next day, patrolling
the central city cordons until the army arrived.
“It looked like Bosnia or like I imagine the
aftermath of a bombing in World War II.”
Richie’s second claim with EQC then joined
hundreds of thousands of others. That was the
start of the waiting game.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
from
Wrecked interiors and streets awash with liquefaction after the February 22 shake.
He and Kate had a pretty good idea that their
house wasn’t repairable, but it was not their
call. Meanwhile, they had to live in it and winter
was closing in. The water and power were
back on, but, because of the gaps and the
cracks, even the trusty wood burner could
not properly heat the house.
“I would ring EQC frequently and be told
we were in the queue, but never be given
a timeframe. They always said something
like, ‘We are not authorised to give that
information; it has to go to the next level’.
It is a massive bureaucracy.”
A year later, in February 2012, EQC agreed
that their house was a write-off, however, like
many other claimants, the family were left to
face another winter in their broken home.
By November 2012, it was still status quo
at the Parker household. Patience was
wearing thin.
Meanwhile, Lumley had done another
assessment and was waiting in the wings
for funds from EQC. It was also teeing up
building companies to do the rebuild. In
2013, a building company was chosen and
plans were selected in agreement with
Richie and Kate.
They were optimistic, but their hopes were
no match for the red tape of the rebuild
bureaucracy, which involved a lot of form-
filling, telephone calls, further delays and tears.
Eventually, the Police Association stepped
in to help negotiate a path through the
paperwork, and the rebuild, overseen
by Lumley, began in May 2014 with the
demolition of the Parkers’ house.
The keys to a new home on the same site
were handed over to Richie and Kate on
January 29.
Today, they are happy and grateful to be
in their new home and “feeling much better
about living in Christchurch”.
After more than four years and 11 case
managers, the relief that their rebuild journey
is finally over is almost overwhelming, and
Richie knows he is one of the lucky ones.
Many others are still waiting for their claims
to be settled, let alone any sign of a new
house.
In Richie’s experience, it was the people
who kept in touch and promptly returned
emails and phone calls who made the most
difference during those difficult years. Being
kept in the loop in a professional and sincere
way really stood out, he says, and is exactly
the sort of response that everyone who has
gone through this daunting time deserves.
His observations are echoed in the
independent review into EQC, which said
the organisation must make its customers
the focus of its operation. Leanne Curtis,
spokeswoman for the Canterbury
Communities Earthquake Recovery
Network, wrote that it was time for EQC to
take up that challenge instead of continuing
business as usual. There were still plenty of
people left on its books who needed help.
It was the people who kept in touch and promptly returned emails and phone calls who made the most difference during those difficult years.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
The “munted” Medway Bridge over the Avon River. Photo: SCHWEDE66/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; Richie Parker, pictured, is one of the many Police Association members who endured the Canterbury earthquakes and their aftermath.
Police Welfare Fund manager Pete Hayes says Richie’s story is not unusual. “Like many others who suffered significant losses, Richie’s initial frustration was with EQC and the delays in getting things started, and those frustrations extended on to Lumley, the insurers under the Police Welfare Fund Fire and General Insurance,” he says.
It was the Police Association and Welfare Fund’s role to ensure members were getting the necessary help from its providers. “We assisted in keeping this matter high on Lumley’s list of claims to resolve and, in conjunction with all parties, came to an agreed outcome.
“This is a benefit that members enjoy from being part of a large group, such as Police Welfare Fund Insurances, rather than an individual policy holder,” Pete says.
There are still several claims outstanding and the Fund will continue to assist members where it can, Pete says, excluding any claims under legal action in which it cannot intercede.
NOTEBOOK 17
Like many others, the Parkers had to construct a “make-do” outside loo.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
18 NOTEBOOK
ON A WING AND A WHEELSomeone first came up with the idea of
putting a sail on a land-based vehicle
about 500AD in China, according to historians.
Of course, they said it was so they could
transport goods from one place to another (as
long as it was flat), but it wasn’t long before
people cottoned on that it was actually really
good fun and the “land yacht” was born in
1600 in Flanders.
The first races were held on beaches in
Belgium and France in 1909. By 1960, the
design had become quite sophisticated and
some adventurous Americans raced land
yachts across the Sahara Desert.
Then, in New Zealand, in 1999, engineer and
inventor Paul Beckett launched the blokart
– a compact, lightweight land-sailing kit that
fits in a rucksack the size of a body board and
can be quickly assembled and taken apart.
Blokart racing now has its own international
body that holds biennial championships
around the world.
In 2009, a British man set a world land
speed record of 202.9 kilometres an hour in
his land yacht at the Ivanpah Dry Lake in the
Mojave Desert.
But you don’t have to enter a race or
a competition to enjoy blokarting or
land yachting. In New Zealand, there are
several clubs throughout the country and
many people just enjoy piloting their blokarts
along the beach, nipping in and out of the surf,
making the most of blustery conditions and
getting the adrenaline pumping.
There are several places that rent out
blokarts, including Blokart Heaven at Papamoa
Beach. They are also manoeuvrable enough
to be used in small urban areas such as car
parks and tennis courts if you can’t get to
the beach.
Sources: Wikipedia; blokart.com
YOUR AGMS When & WherePolice Association annual general meetings begin next month around the country. A member of the Association executive will attend each meeting, the first of which is on June 3.
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
1Public Holiday Queen’s Birthday
2 3 » Taupo (3pm)
4 » Rotorua (10am)
» Whakatane (2pm)
5 » Hamilton (2.30pm)
» Tauranga (10am)
6
7 8 9 » New Plymouth (10am)
» Hawera (3pm)
» Christchurch (10.30am)
» Rangiora (2pm)
10 » Whanganui (10am)
» Taihape (2pm)
» Timaru (9.30am)
11 » Palmerston North (10am)
» Levin (2pm)
12 13
14 15 » Hutt Valley (11am)
» Masterton (3pm)
16 » Police National Headquarters (10am)
» Wellington (3pm)
17 18 » Blenheim (10.30am)
» Nelson (2.30pm)
19 » West Coast (1pm)
20
21 22 » Kerikeri (10am)
» Whangarei (3pm)
23 » North Shore (10am)
» Henderson (2pm)
24 » Auckland (10am)
» Counties Manukau (3pm)
25 » Queenstown (1pm)
26 » Dunedin (10am)
» Invercargill (3pm)
» Kapiti (10am)
» Police College (2pm)
27
28 29 » Gisborne (2pm)
30 » Hastings (11am)
» Napier (2pm)
The schedule for June
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
NOTEBOOK 19
The Police and Families Credit Union can help you take back control of your debts!By transferring your Credit Card debt of say $10,000 to a Police and Families Credit Union loan you can:
Save $3,042 in interest charges Be debt free 9 months faster
Phone our friendly team today on 0800 429 000 tto discuss your options to a debt free future.
Debt Repayments $150 per fortnight
Normal lending criteria and a $100 establishment fee applies to all new loans.Copies of our Terms and Conditions, Prospectus and Investment Statement are available online at www.policecu.org.nz
Do you want to get out of debt?
HISTORY IN THE BRICKMAKINGThe historic former Mt Cook Police Station has been incorporated into Wellington’s newly built Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, which is a key part of this year’s national commemorations marking the centenary of World War 1.
I t’s quite an achievement for the
121-year-old building, which is dwarfed
by its imposing neighbours, the former
National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum
and the Carillon.
The two-storey brick building’s distinctive
black-and-white glazed brick banding has
been appreciated for many years, but in the
1930s its charms were not so obvious and it
was earmarked for demolition to make way
for the art gallery and museum.
Luckily, in hindsight, no alternative premises
could be found for the police station so it
remained in use until 1956 when staff moved
to the new Taranaki Street Station. Police
continued to use the Mt Cook building as a
clothing store till 1967.
At that point it was taken over for use by the
museum until Te Papa was completed in the
late 1990s. The building was then sold to a
private buyer and now houses several small
businesses.
Hopefully, they are aware they work in one
of New Zealand’s most important police
buildings. It is one of the oldest purpose-built
police stations and for 12 years, from 1898 to
1910, it was also the national police training
facility.
Heritage New Zealand says that not only
does it have considerable aesthetic value,
due to the decorative brickwork, but,
if you’re into bricks, it has special
appeal as one of the few
remaining buildings
in which it is possible
to see “prison bricks”
in situ.
Unlike most other
public buildings at the
time, construction of
the police station in
1894 was overseen
by the Prison
Department, which Photo: BILLIE BROOK PHOTOGRAPHY
put its inmates to work on the site (the irony
of their labours may not have been lost on
them). They also made the bricks at the nearby
Mount Cook brickworks, and each brick was
marked with a distinctive arrow, still visible on
some of the walls.
At that time, the Mount Cook-Te Aro area
was known for its high crime rate, which is
why the station was built on a key corner of
the city – Tasman and Buckle Sts – with a
clear view down Tory St.
Today, it is still a distinctive landmark and
its black-and-white livery continues to shine
against the red brick as an enduring reminder
of its policing heritage.
Sources: Heritage NZ; ww100.govt.nz.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
20 NOTEBOOK
2013 HAWKE’S BAY REDSThere’s been a lot of talk up north this year among winegrowers, winemakers and distributors about the 2013 Hawke’s Bay vintage.
Some are saying it may have been the best in living memory; possibly even better
than 2009. New Zealand has a cool climate, so warm
weather conditions are critical for producing excellent wines. Our 2013 summer was consistently warm and dry; not too hot. This was ideal for producing quality reds with ripeness, concentration and balance.
I recently went to the launch of Te Mata Estate’s latest wines, including the 2013 Awatea and Coleraine. They are regarded by many as consistently being two of the best New Zealand Bordeaux variety reds. These were both stunning wines and possibly the best Te Mata reds I’ve tried.
It confirmed for me that there could be something quite special about Hawke’s Bay’s 2013 vintage. A test of just how good this vintage actually is would be to try a selection of its lower-priced reds. I found four under $15 examples at my local supermarket and here’s what I thought of them.
2013 BRANCOTT ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT
$11 | 63.4% |
This is a medium-bodied wine, shiny in colour and pleasant on the nose. It’s lightly oaked and fruit forward with notes of ripe cherries, fruitcake and spice on the palate. Texture-wise it’s quite fleshy with fine tannins and some acidity on the finish. It’s an enticing, youthful wine that was just as tasty a day or two after being opened.
2013 CHURCH ROAD HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT/CABERNET
$14 | 73.2% |
This wine is vibrant in colour with rich aromas of red and black fruits. It’s dark and concentrated with ripe blackberries, plum and dark chocolate on the palate. It has good structure, reasonable
length, is nicely balanced and has a firm, tense finish. It is drinking well now, but should develop further if cellared for up to five years. It’s a steal at this price.
2013 MISSION ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY CABERNET/MERLOT
$11 | 62.5% |
This is a lively young wine with aromas of cassis and wild herbs on the nose. On the palate it has ripe black fruits and cigar box smokiness. It’s still quite tight, with acids and tannins providing structure. The slight edginess on the finish may settle when opened for a while. Overall, this is not a bad wine, especially for this price.
2013 MORTON ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY SYRAH
$10 | 67% |
This is an alluring wine, deep purple in colour with aromas of raspberry, plum and spice. The raspberries, plum and spice, along with a hint of pepper are very attractive on the palate. While the fruit is ripe and the finish is good, it does lack a little palate weight and complexity. Overall, though, this is a lovely, drink-now wine and at $10, it’s definitely a good buy.
So, I think ripeness has emerged as the key ingredient that makes the Hawke’s Bay 2013 vintage special. If you like reds, have a look around as I’m sure you’ll find plenty out there that don’t cost a fortune. Having said that, if you are prepared to pay a bit more, the Te Mata Estate Awatea is phenomenally good.
K E E N on W I N E By Ricky Collins
1. Which of these movies was not released in 1989 – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Crocodile Dundee, Ghostbusters II or Dead Poets Society?
2. Which well-known United States children’s author/cartoonist will have a book posthumously released later this year?
3. What is Grumpy Cat’s real name?
4. What term describes the group of cards that would give you an unbeatable hand in standard five-card poker?
5. Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus is said to have been killed when an eagle dropped which creature on his head?
6. More than 100,000 of which creatures are said to have served in WW1, some from as far away as New Zealand?
7. New South Wales is celebrating 100 years of women in policing this year. When will New Zealand celebrate this milestone?
8. What river forms part of the boundary between Costa Rica and Nicaragua?
9. Which of the following cities has the largest taxi fleet in the world: Mexico City, New York, Mumbai or Sao Paulo?
10. How many vertebrae are there in the human vertebral column?
Answers: 1. Crocodile Dundee; 2. Dr Seuss (What Pet Should I Get?); 3.Tardar Sauce; 4. Royal flush; 5. A tortoise; 6. Homing pigeons; 7. 2041; 8. San Juan River; 9. Mexico City with more than 100,000; 10. 33.
BRAIN TEASER
BOOK WINNERSThe winners of Country Cop 24/7, The Life and Times of a Rural Cop, by Gavin Benney, published by Catherine Ballard, are David Nichols, Craig Campbell, Eric Tannion and Brian Burns. Your books will be posted to you.
COMBAT TACTICAL BREATHINGCombat breathing is a technique taught to first responders, the military and athletes to regain control over their bodies in situations of stress and to cope with worry and nervousness.
It’s a simple controlled breathing technique that slows down your breathing and can be used daily while on patrol to regulate breathing during the adrenaline bursts that come with police work.
• Inhale through your nose, expanding your stomach for a count of four — one, two, three, four.
• Hold that breath in for a count of four — one, two, three, four.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth, contracting your stomach for a count of four — one, two, three, four.
• Hold the empty breath for a count of four — one, two, three, four.
• Repeat these steps until you regain control.
It can help if you visualise the numbers as you count.
AS SIMPLE AS BREATHING...But are you doing it right?
DO SOME GOODTANIA MARTIN
Police detective Tania Martin, of Napier, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2013 and is seeking to raise
$82,000 for treatment not funded by the New Zealand health system. Tania has had to stop work and a friend has set up a “Give a Little” page for her. If you would like to learn more, visit http://givealittle.co.nz/search?q=tania+martin.
ANNALISA LAWFORDNorth Comms employee Annalisa has metastatic breast cancer which has spread to the vertebrae in
her neck. She continues to work part-time and is having radiation and chemotherapy treatment. She is seeking help with raising funds for overseas treatment. Annalisa says it’s like having a “time bomb” in her neck, while she waits to see what damage it may eventually cause. To find out more, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/fightingthegoodfight.
JUST LIKE YOU, JUST LIKE MEFormer Auckland police officer Darren “Tex” Morton (AOS/STG) is seeking funding for a series of non-fiction books to educate young people about children with special needs. He’s started his project with Conner’s Story, about his son’s daily struggles with epilepsy, and wants to extend the books to cover other real-life stories of children with medical conditions and disabilities to foster understanding and acceptance. For more information, see kickstarter.com/projects/896623701/just-like-you-just-like-me-epilepsy-concept-cover.
We’ve all got bad habits, but one you may
not be aware of is the way you breathe –
and we don’t mean down a phone.
Don’t beat yourself up about it – who knew
there was a right way and wrong way to
breathe? You’ve only been doing it since you
were born, for goodness sake. Surely we should
have it right by now?
Of course, we’re doing the basics, but
breathing experts say it’s important to develop
better habits to make sure we are taking in
healthy amounts of oxygen and breathing
out the right amount of carbon dioxide – the
process that keeps the body well supplied with
oxygen. And it’s especially important if you are
an emergency responder.
When you breathe, do your chest and
shoulders rise? Where do you place your tongue
– towards the bottom of your mouth perhaps?
Apparently, these are tell-tale signs that you’re
doing it wrong, according to Tania Clifton-Smith,
a physiotherapist and co-founder of Breathing
Works, an Auckland clinic for breathing pattern
disorders.
She says that one in 10 people, of all ages,
experience some form of breathing pattern
disorder or chronic overbreathing at some time
in their lives.
And people who work in high-stress
environments, such as emergency responders,
should be aware of their breathing. During an
emergency, breathing rate and pattern change.
Instead of breathing slowly from the lower
lungs, people in stressful situations begin to
breathe rapidly and shallowly from the upper
lungs. This can cause hyperventilation, which
can lead to shortness of breath, tingling or
numbness in the hands or feet, nausea and,
most seriously, confusion.
If we hyperventilate, and we are not exerting
ourselves at the time, we lose too much carbon
dioxide (CO2) which upsets the balance of
oxygen and CO2 in the bloodstream.
Lack of CO2 causes blood vessels to narrow
and restricts blood supply to the brain. What the
body needs at that point is more CO2 to restore
the balance so more oxygen can be released
from the bloodstream into the rest of the body.
The solution is to focus on the exhale,
extending it out longer, so it is complete and
relaxed, and the body can return to normal.
Away from the frontline of emergency
responders, there is a long list of symptoms for
“breathing pattern disorder”, which includes:
frequent sighing and yawning, disturbed sleep,
clammy hands, achy muscles and irritability.
A key technique for healthy breathing is
learning how to use your diaphragm and inflate
your stomach and tummy rather than your
chest. In proper breathing technique, you can
feel your diaphragm pushing down into your
belly. A relaxed belly lets your nervous system
know that you are relaxed.
Another bit of advice is to avoid holding your
stomach in – it may temporarily make you look
thinner, but it’s not helping your breathing.
There’s lots of information online about how
to improve your breathing, but one simple piece
of advice from Breathing Works is, “If in doubt,
breathe out.”
Sources: breathingworks.com; stuff.co.nz;
anxieties.com; policemag.com
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
HEALTH AND WELLBEING 21
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
22 SPORT
POLICE ASSOCIATION CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
When: June 25, 2015.
Where: Taupo.
Contact: Roger Whale, [email protected]
Note: Walk or run 6km or 9km, either individually or as a team.
POLICE ASSOCIATION SKI AND SNOWBOARD CHAMPIONSHIPS
When: August 31-September 2, 2015.
Where: Turoa ski field.
Contacts: [email protected] (Te Puke) for information and to enter, [email protected] (Christchurch) for transport plans for South Islanders, or [email protected] (Otautau, Southland).
SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR
Nominations for the 2014 Police Association Sportsperson of the Year award have closed and the winner has been decided, but you’ll have to wait until the presentation ceremony, to be held in the next few months, to find out who it is. The award acknowledges the outstanding national sporting achievements of our police members and the hard work they have put into achieving them. The 2013 winner was Selica Winiata, a key member of both the New Zealand Women’s Sevens and Black Ferns rugby teams. An award for 2014 Sports Administrator of the Year will also be presented later this year.
SPORTS DIARY
SWELL PARTY“Somewhat large” surf conditions delayed the start of the 2015 Police Association Surf Championships held at Port Waikato’s Sunset Beach this year.
Fortunately, the swell subsided to more manageable levels for
day two, allowing the 55 surfers to get in and get wet before
rising again for the final two days.
The big waves made conditions challenging for some competitors,
and the contest arena between the beach and the bay was adjusted to
cater for all the skill levels.
There was great surfing across all divisions, including the beginner
On Ya Guts and Novice sections.
Gina Samson and Tim Smith (who, along with Grant Coward,
Scott Pitkethley and Brendan Ngata, haven’t missed an event in
11 years) were given a run for their money by some new talent.
Best Overall (Gross) Elton Nicholson
Best Overall (Nett) Ian Lawrence
Senior (Nett) Garry Ball
Intermediate A (Nett) Nick Hibbert
Int B (Nett) Peter Bower
Juniors (Nett) Dion Cooksley
Team prize Waikato (Richard Lewis, Ian Lawrence, Todd Hubbard and Nick Hibbett)
RESULTS
WOMEN WANTEDThe Surf Championship organiser, Campbell McEvedy, is sending out a plea for more women to take part in the annual competition. “We don’t want this to be a male-dominated event; I’m sick of winning pink caps and bikinis [as spot prizes]” he said.
Other spot prizes available for competitors include surfboards, wetsuits, watches and other surfing paraphernalia.
The 2016 Surf Championhsip will be held in the Far North, where three different coasts will provide a multitude of surfing options. For more information, contact Campbell, [email protected].
RAIN AFFECTS PLAYThe 2015 Police Association North Island Golf
Championship was held at the Grange Golf Club in
Auckland earlier this year (March 16-18).
Cyclone Pam put the tournament under threat as it
descended from the north the day before the competition was
due to begin and flooded the course. Excellent work by the
green-keeping staff allowed a single round to be played on day
one followed by 27 holes on each of the following days.
The water made for a tough format for the ageing field and may
have been one of the reasons for higher scores across the field.
Organisers were pleased to see good numbers of players
travelling from the South Island this year, but have a challenge
on their hands to boost numbers of women golfers for next
year’s tournament.
Keep an eye on the bulletin board for next year’s
tournament dates.
SPORT 23To contact Police Sport, email Dave Gallagher at [email protected]
OPEN MEN’S1st Ben Weteni
2nd Campbell McEvedy
3rd Michael Graham
OPEN WOMEN’S1st Michelle Hearne
2nd Gina Samson
3rd Jess Beckett
NOVICE1st Michelle Hearne
2nd Liam Tanner
3rd Jess Beckett
ON YA GUTS1st Jess Beckett
2nd Shaun Warin
3rd Ashleigh Allport
OVER 40s1st Campbell McEvedy
2nd Chef Faka’avamoenga
3rd Bill Dawson
OVER 50s1st Colin Harvey
2nd Tony Williams
3rd Rob Cameron
OVER 60s1st Lyn Manning
2nd Loyd Buckley
3rd Tim Smith
LONGBOARD1st Troy Williamson
2nd Jeremy Parker
3rd Steve Nicholl
STAND-UP PADDLE BOARD1st Aaron Fraser
2nd Craig Thorne
3rd Karl Blinkhorne
RESULTS
Photos: STEVE SMITH
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
24 NOTEBOOK
Getting away on holiday can be affordableA Police Welfare Fund Holiday Home for just $60 a night is great value.
WHANGAMATAWith a mix of ocean beach, rainforest and a
safe boating harbour, the North Island town
of Whangamata offers year-round fun on land
and in the water. Take to the bush-clad hills
for tramping, mountain-biking, horse riding
and historic gold mine sites or get out on the
water, which has some of the best surfing
breaks in the country. Close to Tauranga and
Rotorua, Whangamata is also the gateway
to Coromandel and is only an hour’s drive
from Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.
Other activities include: fishing, diving and
snorkelling; boating and kayaking; golf;
waka charters; arts trails; meditation centres
and retreats.
The Police Association has two homes
in Whangamata ($60 a night), close to the
centre of the town, sleeping seven and five.
They both have a TV, washing machine,
dryer, spare blankets, pillows, high chair,
radio and a fenced yard.
GREYTOWNThis dot on the Wairarapa map was New
Zealand’s first planned inland town and, as
such, it still lays claim to the country’s most
complete main street of Victorian architecture.
Since being rediscovered and restored in the
1990s it has become a favoured weekend
destination for jaded Wellingtonians, but
it’s worth a visit no matter what part of the
country you’re from. It’s stuffed with cafes,
excellent restaurants, upmarket boutiques,
galleries and antique shops and it’s a great
base from which to explore the rest of the
Wairarapa, the attractions of which are too
many to list here. Visit wairarapanz.com/
greytown for more info.
The Police Association has two homes in
Greytown ($60 a night). Both sleep eight and
have a TV, DVD player, washing machine,
dryer, shower, bath, spare blankets, pillows,
fold out couch, port-a-cot, high chair, radio,
fridge, microwave, kitchen facilities, car port
and a fully fenced section and lawn.
TE ANAUTe Anau has adopted various catchphrases
over the years – Gateway to Fiordland,
Holiday Resort of Fiordland, Walking Capital
of the World – all true, but its spectacular
setting on the shores of New Zealand’s
second-biggest lake (after Taupo) speaks
for itself. Lovely Lake Te Anau is deep and
placid, bordered by virgin forest and with
stunning views of the Murchison mountain
range, including Mt Luxmore. Activities in and
around the area include: hiking in Fiordland
National Park; visiting Milford Sound and
Doubtful Sound; guided tramps and nature
walks; kayaking, cycling, jet boating, fishing,
hunting, farm tours and scenic lake cruises.
The Police Association has two homes in
Te Anau ($60 a night). They are one street
back from the beach (about one minute’s
walk away) and each has a TV, DVD player,
washing machine, dryer, shower, bath, spare
blankets, pillows, high chair, radio, night
store heater, electric blankets on all beds,
and a secure garage.
There are dates available for houses at all these holiday destinations and others around the country. Visit www.policeassn.org.nz/products-services/holiday-accommodation, or call us on 0800 500 122.
DON’T BE STRANDED BY THE ROADSIDEIf 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.
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.
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.
Getting cover is easyInsure your vehicle with ‘Full Cover’ Police Fire & General Insurance and you’re automatically covered. If you would like a quote, Police Welfare Fund members can log in and visit the insurances section of our website:
www.policeassn.org.nz or call 0800 500 122.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
LETTERS 25
What motivates you?
I recently retired as one of the Police
Association’s field officers after 22 years’
service and, before that, a similar period of
time with Police.
During those 40-plus years I have seen
managers continually adopt management
fads, which come and go and come again.
The latest ones have created a climate of fear
and disillusionment, generated from the very
top, to the detriment of Police in general.
There is now a culture of looking after
yourself and your supporters and bullying
those around you who are “not in the team”.
While cleaning out my office, I found an
article published in the April 1993 Police News.
It included this quote: “We trained hard, but it
seemed that every time we were beginning to
form into teams, we would be reorganised. I
was to learn later in life that we tend to meet
any new situation by reorganisation; and what
a wonderful method it can be for creating
the illusion of progress while producing
confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation.” It
was attributed to Petronius Arbiter, the Greek
navy, 210BC.
What has changed in the past 2000-plus
years? Nothing, really. Nowadays, they do it by
“restructuring and rotation”.
Even some of the very best senior managers
I have known are having to either play a game
they don’t really agree with or get out. The
option of questioning their superiors would
be career suicide.
Maybe this letter will make some step back,
think, and do what is best for Police and the
staff they work with, because those dedicated,
hard-working staff are the engine room of the
organisation.
DAVE McKIRDYChristchurch
Resourcing in the community
Having retired after 36 years of Ministry of
Transport and Police service, I thought
I would add my tuppence to the debate on
staffing and closure of police stations.
What concerns me is that Police is
short staffed and despite both the current
hierarchy and Government trying to Band-
Aid the problem, it will not go away. The
other issue is that the public are generally
apathetic when it comes to Police staffing
and resources until it actually affects them,
either as victims or by being associated with
victims of crime. I remember as a young
sergeant, my senior sergeant was Greg
O’Connor and even then he was predicting
issues with methamphetamine, gangs and the
like. Have we taken notice? No. Despite the
best efforts and intentions, we are fighting a
continual battle against crime, both organised
and random.
Whether we like it or not, the more
resources and staff we have, the higher the
chances are of the bad guys getting locked up.
Not brain surgery, is it?
Before my retirement, I was lucky enough to
have two stations and 12 staff at my disposal
to run my area in what I thought was an
efficient and problem-solving way.
Sumner Station was closed and is now
being used by the local community, and
Lyttelton has a sergeant and four staff. While
we still offer service, we do not offer the same
support to our communities.
Whether I agree with the management
philosophies of centralisation, tier one and
two responders, district command centres
and central rostering is academic – the public
really are not that concerned. There may be a
knee-jerk reaction to the loss of community
police stations, but, in my experience, wool is
a great cover over the eye.
Hopefully, the empty Police properties
will be sold and money can go into funding
more staff on the street and administration to
support them.
GARY MANCHChristchurch
Every role is important
I read Elette Painter’s letter (Police News,
March 2015, “How frustration led to
resignation”) with sadness at the loss of a
valuable member from an organisation that is
in sore need of good people.
Crime prevention is the primary role of
police, yet many officers involved in the
secondary objective – detection of crime and
apprehension of offenders – lose sight of that
to the detriment of the organisation as a whole.
Insults and slurs cast by the public, the
media, the legal profession and the criminal
element are seen as “part of the job”.
The real damage is done internally by the
ignorant and arrogant who fail to understand
that every task done by an officer is important
and contributes equally to the mission of
the police. It takes true insight to understand
that the important work that you are doing
is matched by other work done by folk
in other sections. I hope that those hardy
souls who persist in giving their best will
always outnumber the collection of stripes,
crowns and pips who confuse authority with
achievement.
BOB MITCHELLEngland
Trousers are just pants
Unbelievable!
OMG,
are they for
real? These
were the first
thoughts that
went through
my mind when
I saw the new
trousers in the
recent issue of
Police’s Ten One
magazine.
Police staff
have been sitting back waiting for the results
of the now infamous trouser trial, which
seemed to drag on for an eternity, only to find
that we are probably going to be no better off
in the near future than we are now.
Seriously, with all the available trousers out
there on the market (and some of them are
classy and practical), they give us something
that I could get done in five minutes by buying
a zip and then visiting my local seamstress
to cut a slit in my trouser leg and do
some sewing.
The excuse of “I do not want the New
Zealand Police looking like a military
organisation” does not come down to the type
of trousers we wear – it’s how we wear them,
and we keep getting told how proud you all
are of us. Cripes, our SRBA is more military
than a pair of trousers.
Again, we have been let down by the bosses,
very disappointing and a complete waste of
time and energy from staff involved in this
decision who I believe are just trying to justify
their existence.
NAME WITHHELD
Operational training
There have been some complaints recently
from staff concerning PITT empty hands
training and a lack of credible drills or skills
(Police News, letters, April 2015, “Poor defence
tactics”). The Close Quarters Tactics package
(originally Close Quarters Battle) is a gap-
Letters to the editor must include the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, and may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. Email: [email protected] or write to Editor, PO Box 12344, Wellington 6144.
MAY 2015 | POLICE NEWS – THE VOICE OF POLICE
26 NOTEBOOK
cancer and he had a blue ta moko done
on the side of his face. As you can imagine
at this time, there is a lot to organised with
the changing of bank accounts, etc. I would
like to say a very big thank you to all those I
have dealt with. You have been helpful and
compassionate.
In the times ahead, I will probably have to
deal with lots of organisations and you have
certainly set the bar high.
Many thanks.
SHARON TRICKLEBANKWaikato
filler and not designed to be anything other
than what it is. If our empty hand skills were
regarded as important we would be training
more often and include defence against knife
attack, ground fighting and multiple and
diverse techniques to accommodate age, size
and gender disparity.
Police will fund only the bare minimum
training required to fulfil its obligations under
health and safety laws.
In 2014, we didn’t fire a live round in firearms
training nationally because it was believed
that the simulator was an adequate training
mechanism to qualify frontline staff for
operational firearms deployment.
There was a saving of more than a million
dollars, but there was a backlash causing a
rethink of this negative policy.
Any practical skill that is initiated during an
adrenaline response (to danger) is subject to
biomechanical and psychological processes.
To prepare adequately for these life-and-
death situations the most accepted best
practice is stress response training – repeated
exposure to high-intensity threat stimulus
while conducting practical skills and drills.
Live-fire shooting exercises encompass
those criteria and are the normal method
of firearms training for military and law
enforcement deployment.
Everywhere I look at work, there are posters
identifying subjects like Code of Conduct and
Police strategies, but nowhere on my office
walls do I see posters detailing PITT training,
the implications of being fit for purpose, or
skill sets a sworn member should maintain in
the New Zealand Police.
New Zealand Police used to attend range
days twice a year, in the form of Maintenance
Day One and Day Two programmes. Now,
under PITT, we shoot only once a year.
Maintenance One and Two included high-
risk arrests, high-risk vehicle stops, field craft,
incident survivors and stripping, cleaning and
assembling pistols and rifles.
Now we don’t have time to revise, strip/
clean/assemble, but we do Systematic
Safety Clearance (room clearing) and use
the simulator to qualify for operational
competency in pistol and rifle.
There was a third day – Maintenance
Day Three – done at six-weekly intervals
by districts. This was designed to maintain
knowledge and practise weapon readiness,
immediate action and stoppage drills, safe
weapon handling and deployment routines,
plus the theory of use of force, F61 and best
practices in deploying with Police firearms.
Maintenance Day Three was never a
responsibility taken seriously by district
commanders and its abolishment was a failure
to recognise the importance of basic firearms
skills and use of force law and policy.
Police firearms skill sets, like any weapon
or empty hand drills, are perishable skills
that require constant and repetitive practice.
Shooting live rounds is not something that
should ever be replaced with simulated
training. Would we use Mortal Combat on
Xbox to practise empty hands?
The maintenance of key skill sets must be
viewed by the Police hierarchy as essential
elements of operational competency for a
constable.
Police should be mindful that use of force
standards are measurable and the way
cops are measured is by their mistakes and
incidents of wrongdoing, more so than the
occasions we perform admirably.
The School of Response mission statement
is “to deliver the best operational training
available”. My challenge to my bosses is, are
we doing our best?
NICK HALLAuckland
Helping after a death
On March 25, my husband, Bruce, passed
away. Some of you will know him
personally from working at Hamilton.
Others may remember him from when he
featured in Police News in 2010. At that time
he was promoting awareness of prostate
A letter that appeared in last month’s
Police News under the heading
“Micro management”, and signed
as John Hill of Pukekohe, was later
found to have not been submitted
by John Hill. John Hill did not write
the letter and it should not have been
published. Police News apologises
for running the letter under his name
and reminds correspondents that
all letters to the editor must include
the writer’s full name, address and
telephone number.
That terrible day
Police officers’ career memories often
fade, but are seldom forgotten. A recent
Dominion Post feature on the Wahine
disaster included a photo of me and
rekindled vivid memories of helping with
the living and the dead washing ashore on
the Eastbourne side of the harbour after the
ship foundered and capsized in huge seas
near Barrett Reef.
I was stationed at Lower Hutt, working
an early shift that day – April 10, 1968. The
realisation of what was happening in the
harbour hadn’t dawned on us at first as we
were frantically dealing with land-based
incidents from the storm’s rage in the
Hutt district. But I was soon dispatched
to the even greater crisis of the Wahine
and worked with my colleagues helping
ashore survivors. Bodies of victims who had
succumbed to the sea were also evident.
There were several police officers who
were passengers on the ship and I can
recall seeing two of them emerging from
the rolling sea.
For several days afterwards, I was
assigned to staff searching the coast, raking
over the huge mounds of seaweed and
other debris, recovering several bodies.
I was not to know then, that 21 years
later, as the Hutt District commander, I
would stand silently with detectives and
others on the same coastline as they slowly
unearthed the body of 13-year-old Karla
Cardno, murdered by Paul Dally in 1989
after dragging her off a bicycle in a Lower
Hutt street.
I doubt that any other career can match
the Police for never being able to anticipate
what will happen next. Dally was declined
parole last year after having already served
24 years.
GERRY CUNNEENWellington
Gerry Cunneen, second left, helps survivors of the Wahine sinking on April 10, 1968.
NOTEBOOK 27USEFUL INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
New Zealand Police AssociationPolice Network 44446Freephone 0800 500 122
Police Health Plan 0800 800 808
Police Fire & General InsuranceQuotes & information 0800 500 122 or 04 496 6800Claims 0800 110 088
Police Home Loans 0800 800 808
Police and Families Credit UnionGeneral inquiries 0800 429 000 www.policecu.org.nz
GSF information 0800 654 731
PSS information 0800 777 243
Field Officers Waitemata and Northland DistrictsSteve Hawkins 027 268 9406
Auckland City District Natalie Fraser 027 268 9423
Counties Manukau DistrictStewart Mills 027 268 9407
Waikato and BOP DistrictsGraeme McKay 027 268 9408
Eastern and Central DistrictsKerry Ansell 027 268 9422
PNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington District Ron Lek 027 268 9409
Tasman and Canterbury DistrictsCatherine McEvedy 027 268 9410
Southern DistrictCeleste Crawford 027 268 9427
Vice-PresidentsLuke Shadbolt 027 268 9411Craig Tickelpenny 027 268 9442
Regional DirectorsRegion OneWaitemata and Northland Districts Jug Price 027 268 9419
Region TwoAuckland and Counties Manukau Districts Emiel Logan 027 268 9413
Region ThreeWaikato and Bay of Plenty Districts Wayne Aberhart 027 268 9414
Region FourEastern and Central Districts Emmet Lynch 027 268 9415
Region FivePNHQ, RNZPC and Wellington District Pat Thomas 027 268 9416
Region SixTasman and Canterbury Districts Mike McRandle 027 268 9417
Region SevenSouthern District Mike Thomas 027 268 9418
For immediate industrial and legal advice (on matters that cannot be deferred such as police shootings, fatal pursuits or deaths in custody) ring 0800 TEN NINE (0800 836 6463) – 24 hour/seven days service
MAGGS, Audrey Dorothy 6 Dec 14 Spouse Upper Hutt
DICKIE, Norman Lindsay 5 Feb 15 Retired Lower Hutt
CREPIN, Sandra 25 Mar 15 Spouse Invercargill
TRICKLEBANK, Bruce William 25 Mar 15 Resigned Raglan
TURTON, Arthur Quinlan 25 Mar 15 Resigned Kawakawa
KALFF, Kevin Graeme 30 Mar 15 Retired Napier
BARDWELL, Lance Ewing 1 Apr 15 Retired Dunedin
GOGGIN, Stephen Philip 4 Apr 15 Retired Masterton
SIRET, Adrian 4 Apr 15 Retired Oamaru
COONEY, Rosemary Haston 9 Apr 15 Spouse Wellington
NIMMO, Brigitte Helen 10 Apr 15 Serving Wellington
SMITH, Murray Owen 21 Apr 15 Retired Upper Hutt
MEMORIAL FOR TRAINING SCHOOLA group of retired police officers is looking into the possibility of erecting a memorial to mark the site of the former Police Training School (PTS) at Trentham.
The PTS Memorial Feasibility Group,
chaired by Pat O’Neill, has pinpointed the
site of the headquarters of the former school,
which operated from 1956 to 1980, within the
present New Zealand Army camp at Trentham.
“The old school has vanished without a trace
within the new army base,” Pat says.
“One concept is that there be a memorial
plaque set in stone at the site of the HQ
building, and that there be a noticeboard
photographic display, inside the camp fence,
looking across to the HQ site,” Pat said. “We
will need to explore costings and funding for
the project.”
Pat says there is already informal support for
the project from the army and the group is
interested in hearing from any members who
may have further information about the school,
including photos of the site.
He can be contacted by email at
The old Police Training School barracks inside and out.
NEW ZEALAND POLICE ASSOCIATION | MAY 2015
27
Planning leave?Make your holiday easy and economical
All units are fully self-contained with blankets, crockery, cooking utensils, a fully equipped laundry, a TV and a DVD player.
All you need for a great holiday is your own food and linen.
Campsites are also available at Stanmore Bay (Auckland Region) over the summer months for $30 a site.
BookingsFull members can book up to a year in advance, except when ballots are conducted. Associate members can book up to three months in advance.
With a low overnight tariff of $60 a night, our Police Welfare Fund Holiday Homes
are great value for money.
Login to: www.policeassn.org.nz to view the range of homes and their facilities. You can also see when each home is available and book and pay online, or call our Member Services Team on 0800 500 122, 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
There’s an advantage to working shift work!Often many of our popular homes are available during the week, for short to medium stays.
Login to: www.policeassn.org.nz to see what homes are available.
You can also book and pay for a home online, or call our Member Services Team on 0800 500 122, 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday.