What is Aid to the Civil Power?

Kia Ora,

Thought I would expand on this as there seems to be some confusion over military's role in this situation.

I say that because when working the other night it came up re the military should of been on the ground sooner.
Military Aid to the Civil Power
One of the Civil Defence people wsa most concerned that that would mean the miltary arrivng & taking over.

It was pointed out to them that as pointed out when army went on streets with police they were under police command. From a military point of view they are just transferring skills used in other roles such as SAE(Services Assisted Evacuation) & SPE(Services Protected Evacuation) used to evacuate people from foreign shores.

Aid to the Civil Power is just what it says. It is there to Aid the Civil Power. Not take over.

Last night how it can be used was shown with combined Police & Army Patrols around quake hit areas to limit crime on the streets of Christchurch. It could of been used to limit rubber neckers.
Military Aid to the Civil Power (International Military Law & History Series, Vol 1)
It was also pointed out that having some military people there could help with their set up as it was pretty haphazaed. Civil Defence been mainly volunteers who do contribute greatly but there are upsides to having peole alongside who use those processes at times on a daily basis.

At this particular site I knew two of the civil defence people from another role they have in life. One was telling me that when they first showed up it was chaos. Some of the people were trying to use an old system, others the new system & someone else told me the new system didn't work so they had to go back to the old system. It took one person arriving & taking control after hours of non action that got them moving. Yet what I saw it was still not that great. But you did notice the difference when that one person came back on shift.
Some aspects of aid to the civil power in Australia (Occasional monograph / Dept. of Government, Faculty of Military Studies, University of New South Wales)
Right from the start it puts numbers out there. Such as on the street. Justin's comment about hs security company not reporting crime as they thought the police were too busy with other things points to the problem. Just having the manpower on the streets, first impacts on crime by just been there & second allows the authorities to ensure those core services are still deliverable. Otherwise as shown in New Orleans the norms breakdown very quickly.

It was not just Justin's security company thinkng that way though. Those who carried out burglaries obviously thought the same.

So did the boy racers. With the police been on top of this anti social grouping in the last month or two, it has been noticeable in this area which has got off reasonably lightly, boy racers drinking smashing bottles then carrying out their anti social activities as they believe they can not be touched. Had it been upgraded the boy racers would of not enjoyed meeting a Lav.

Same with some deciding they can use it as an excuse to again start playng loud music at outrageous hours & use drugs. Last Saturday night I could understand it or had they been part of those helping out, but six days later when they have done no more than they normally do, it is just an excuse to carryout anti social behaviour.

Not to mention that if you have been part of the help or having issues then using drugs & marijuana in particular is the last thing you should be doing.
MILITARY AID TO THE CIVIL POWER
The other advantage of having the military is if their is a requirement to step up a level they can do it easily.

As Justin points out in his comment the NZ Security Industry is putting in big hours during this earthquake & aftermath with no recognition.

What is less well known is that after Katrina in New Orleans as the US military is not allowed to give security assistance within the US, it was left to the National Guard & Private Security. In regards to the private security many of them came straight from private security work in Iraq or training courses pre deployment to Iraq.

There was even the story of someone completing a course to deploy to Iraq & then their group been told they are not going to Iraq but are required in New Orleans & one person saying. "Great where is that & what happened?".

Having the ability for the military step up stops the haphazard security standards in the NZ Security Industry been exposed.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz