Government dumbing down Police! More Crime results!

Kia Ora,

Well the new report is out slamming the New Zealand Police as been poorly run.

The Police Commissioner has come out in defence of the Police as suppose he can now he is not staying in the job. The Police Association has also made good points about how it isn't really focussed on what the police face on the street.

Now the police will admit like any organization that there is always areas they can improve on & that they need too.

But it appears the answers that have been proposed, as highlighted in the past even in these posts, are the very things that are stopping the police from doing their job.

Just try to ring in suspicious activity & see the run around you get by the requirements at police communications. It is often more like you are the criminal depending on who you get.

Then you can get the police who at times show up like at my attack, note it in their note book, but not as they put it 'hard copy' unless definite evidence comes up. Evidence did come up when two of them died in an accident, but how sure could they be of conviction of the other two involved?

Now you can't blame the Constable for that, as has been mentioned to me, the police virtually have to comply with that poor management tool of KPI's(Key Point Indicators) & are judged by their numbers of arrests or traffic tickets. So if they don't put one down that there is little likelyhood of a conviction, then their numbers will look better. It is just human nature but it is at the expense of a real impact on crime.
Policing and Crime Prevention
There is comment about the NCO's(Non-commissioned officers) not changing fast enough. The thing is most of the NCO's I have meet in the police, during the course of security work, are in support of the changes in regards to the poor parts of the previous culture. But not in regards to anything that affects actual policing on the streets. The real important parts of been in the police role I would think.

Then there is the comments about those in the senior roles. Those roles are political & so they have to tread a fine line.

As was shown in the drink driving debate the government wanted more study & figures even though everyone knew it should be implimented immediately. So the pressure goes on for more figures of arrests, tickets at the detriment of good policing.
Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime Prevention, Fourth Edition
Gone are the days virtually where, as a retired police officer & I reflected, a police officer could hardly arrest anyone from year to year but still have a big impact. Just by having that presence for suspicious activity impacts directly on crime.

At each level people are seen as under performing if they are not making their numbers of arrests or tickets.

In whose eyes are they under performing?

If there is a serious crime I would expect a detective constable to be doing their best to solve that crime not, as I heard the other day, pulling someone over to give them a warning, if not ticket for a driving offence.
Crime Prevention (Criminal Justice Series)
Or a team police units prime role is not to arrest people but break up any disorder then worry about the arrests. Such a unit worrying about arrests might find itself short of staff when they need them most.

This dumbing down of the police by the government is the reason behind so much of the unreported crime. People have lost faith in the police as they have to work within the guidelines to make the numbers look good.

Business management techniques do not work in a true service organization. Police officers join to make a difference last I looked, not satisfy some numbers game.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Here we go again!

Kia Ora,

Well the news last night was another crash resulting in the loss of life due to a 'police pursuit'.

Straight away the finger was pointed wrongly at the NZ police.

It doesn't matter these days what happens the finger is never pointed at those who are at fault.
Policing Today
Earlier this week we had the break in of a chemist store that resulted in a scuffle then the death of the offender.
It has now been revealed that the offender had not long been recently released from prison in part for causing a death in a vehcile accident, but also burglary & drugs offences. He was a career criminal from information out so far.

But it is the owner of the Chemist store that is under investigation.

That is not the police fault though as they are just their job as required. The finger just gets pointed at them. They are dammed if they do & dammed if they don't.

Then the night I was attacked there was a police chase resulting in the drivers death. It is now my opinion that that crash & those that carried out that attack were connected. The two survivors were in hospital with me that night, feeling very sorry for themselves.
Why? They were with a criminal. He was at fault.
Policing Today
Three weeks later there was the accident on Morehouse avenue here in Christchurch which resulted in three deaths.
On this one I got a bit of a shock when the photos of the two males who died were published. It appears to me they are two of the people who attacked me. The police though been so busy have not been able to get back to me yet, so I cannot confirm that by identifying the person who first fronted me if he was in that vehicle.
Picture of the funeral of one though gave the impression he was involved in the gangsta culture.
Policing Ontario: The Opp Today
Then we get to the accident last night. Well known to police, disqualified driver in a vehicle with no warrant of fitness or registration first sighted doing nearly double the speed limit(how not to attract attention).
All the traffic accidents have been in Christchurch & just as I write this a boy racer has tried to do a burn out just out front, followed by what sounded like a crash. But on going outside there is nothing, so lucky this time but we are expecting one again.
Policing Today& Mycrimekit Sac Pkg
All ready the media is focussed on what the police can fix.
Why the police?

It is quite clear from the above examples that previous crime is an indicator of the likely hood of someone running. That & the media focus on how the police disengage if the driving gets too dangerous. Not to mention video games & movies that glorify it.

What the focus should be on is how the police are underfunded, lack the numbers to impact on all crime & in major metropolitian areas need helicopters in the role of what the military know as force multipliers.
Policing Insecurity Today: Defense And Internal Security (Ceri Series in International Relations and Political Economy)
The other area is driver education in school. At present the economy world wide is collapsing. One way to cut some of the unemployment is to add extra requirements for the school system such as drivers education. It would mean more time in the system but would require instructors, but down stream it is likely to cut costs invovled in death & injury, not to mention costs to police where funds could be focussed elsewhere.
Policing Western Europe: Politics, Professionalization and Public Order
In general NZ driving is extremely poor & so starting with good driver education could change that.

But we have to stop blaming the police everytime there is a crash as a result as a 'police pursuit' or as the NZ Police Association called them 'fleeing driver incidents'.

The only person to blame is the driver of the car that flees the police.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Best use of Resources. Do the bureaucrats understand it?

Kia Ora,

Today we have the head of the NZ Police Association arguing not only for every frontline NZ Police officer to have a taser on them. He is also arguing, quite rightly, that the rules governing their use need to be made more realistic.

It appears the rules have been written by the same people who came up with the Corrections services policy on body armour/stab vests.

It is also the mentality I get when people question why I wear body armour to events such as childrens shows.

No good waiting for the threat to be there & then say "stop there mate I have to go get my body armour on." It just doesn't happen. When the threat appears, it is at the most unlikely times.

In NZ & in particular the NZ Security industry as well as with bureaucrats what they need to learn is to plan for the worst case scenario. In fact it is an OSH requirement, but it is not the NZ mindset. It is more, let it happen then have four investigations & blame those involved.

Instead it appears they have the police, whilst assaults go up against them,leave their tasers in vehilces until the situation requires it. No common sense used there!

Although I don't think NZ needs to go where the first advert does with buying a taser (in pink even) online.

Bureaucrats need to realize that though it may cost in the first instance, having all Corrections officers in vests or all officers wearing their tasers would in the long run cut the costs involved with inquiries or injuries that could of been prevented.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

So do we need to arm the New Zealand Police?

Kia Ora,

After yesterday's shooting of a police dog & two police officers debate has erupted again about arming the New Zealand Police force.

It is certainly dangerous enough out there to justify arming the NZ police & parts of the NZ security industry.

There are a lot of myths based around our police been armed. I have just heard a high ranking police officer say NZ police have never been armed full time.

Not exactly true.

As the NZ police maybe not but prior to being known as that they were called the armed constabulary.

It is the same with the security industry. It was armed until 1974 when the current act was put in place. In 1974 it might of seemed overkill having armed security, but these days to not have some armed in certain areas of the industry is shear bloody mindiness.



As I have said in a previous blog there are several issues to consider when looking at arming the police.

First is the training & resources required. To be accurate with say a pistol, requires a huge amount of training (a former British SAS member quoted at us in Iraq that to be confident with a pistol it needs to be drawn 6000 times in training to make it natural) but you can look at other weapons systems that will require initial in depth training, but less on going.

The officer I seen armed on the night I was beaten up had his pistol, that with his body armour on, could not of been drawn in a confident manner in a hurry. It was all about looks.



In NZ it all comes back to money.

If you have watched the 'Bill' you will have heard them refer to SO19 which talking to members of British Police are known as ARV's (Armed Response Vehicle's)which contain groups of permanently armed police officers. As opposed to the Keystone cops situation you get at present where the AOS (Armed Offenders Squad) are doing normal police duties until required.

That to me is best option for NZ, along with stepped up training for those officers who want to have access to firearms.

Of course that is another issue. Whilst the NZ Police Association argues for arming of police, not all their members think they should be.

It is actually quite a large number of police think they should remain unarmed. Percentages quoted today have ranged from 40-50%.



Having people with firearms that do not wish to use them is an issue. Solution is to not train these people at all in firearms use unless they later wish to change. It would free up training resources & time for those that are prepared to.

There should be no stigma to that choice as not everyone can face using a firearm. Even those with the training can have trouble pulling the trigger!

Said it before & will say it again & it has been said by many others with much more experience than me.

When you are fired at, it is quite easy to return fire. Just identify your target & fire. For a soldier your training kicks in & as soon as rounds are coming your way, you start looking to identify where they are coming from to return fire.



Where it gets harder is when you are in a situation like the police, the British in Northern Ireland or us working private security in Iraq & you have to in each situation go through the ROE's(Rules of Engagement or OFOF-orders for opening fire).

The military train in the BHL(Battle Handling Lessons) followed by BHE's(Battle Handling Exercise's) to ensure each person understands their legal obligations.



For example a person shoots your mate then turns & runs. Can you shoot them?

No or not unless they turnback towards you with weapon pointing(or starting too) back towards you. Then your life or those of those whom it is your duty to protect come under threat.

It is also not as easy to pull that trigger when you have to go through that thought process.

Not everyone can do it.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Youth versus Authority! No Win Situation!

Kia Ora,

Well it seems the international disease that has been about for a while has finally arrived here in Christchurch at least, if not wider New Zealand.

That is Youth versus Authority! But they are really in a no win situation.

Obviously these guys do not remember the 1981 Springbok tour. It has been said that had the second match of the tour gone ahead, due to the quiet opposition the tour would not of lasted.

Storm out of Africa: The 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand

From the moment the anti tour protestors stormed the Hamilton pitch & forced the game to be cancelled, it became a question of law & order.

So blocking an on ramp to a motorway is not going to endear the boy racers community to anyone. An estimated 40 vehicles & 140 people who are part of this hardcore that are causing the issues which ends with all car enthusiasts tainted is nothing short of criminal & idiocy.



There is hope that the judges finally throw the book at these idiots of whom the police arrested 30.

Meanwhile it being quiet in my area after the earlier incident related in my previous blog I went to see what was happening in other areas to see if I could get some footage of crime for these blogs.

Talking to an attendant at a service station he said quiet when suddenly an ambulance & paramedic went past followed by police.

We were watching some crazy driving going on as well.

Then I thought I would move on into central Christchurch to see what was happening.



Suddenly on Morehouse Avenue see all these police cars light up & head over the Colombo street over bridge & some lights start flashing orange.

Was about a minute or less from the intersection when vehicle had crashed in a 'police chase'.

You could tell just by looking at it that the vehicle had hit at extreme speed as it looked to be virtually wrapped around the post.

Reading the police report this morning, I am not sure they could actually call it a chase as the officer who pulled them over would of only just got back to his car & headed off. In effect the chase would of hardly begun by the time there was a crash.

I wondered as I drove past why there were also lights underneath the over bridge, but would now take it was the person who left the scene being spoken too. If you had seen the wreckage then the most likely of the six people in the car (so over loaded illegally) to have left was either the driver or the passenger directly behind them.



Right now I am waiting for the outcry of how the police were in the wrong. Excuse me, minimum crimes that we know of are taking off, overloaded car, going through at least one red light, speeding, probably failing to stop for police, leaving scene of an inury acccident.

Good likley hood of drugs or alcohol involved & odds are driver is on restricted license or is disqualified.

How is it the police's fault?

A simple traffic stop has turned into a major criminal investigation all because some idiot thought they were above the law.

It's good to see the police on the front foot saying it was unneccesary because it didn't need to happen.

There is a saying "do the crime, do the time" & another "the only crime is getting caught". They were caught, by taking the next actions a life has been lost.

The only action now is the driver must get jail time, jail time & more jail time.

None of this PC crap & they are from a good family so should only get home detention or worse community service.

To the Driver of the Vehicle you are an Idiot.

To the boy racers blocking the on ramp Grow Up, you can't win. Show some common sense because there is none been shown at present.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Gun Control!

Kia Ora,

Since the shooting in Britain there have of course been murmurings about gun control & since the NZ Police Association President was near by some comment has being made comparing the two forces.

So first thing to look at would Gun control make any difference?

Not really, most incidents will occur if a firearm is available or not & recently there has being a spree of knife attacks by males on young children groups in China.

A firearm in most cases will allow someone to do more damage quickly.  Too heavy restrictions will only tip the scales more in favour of those who obtain them illegally, which is where most of those involved in crime get them from.

But then you can go the other avenue which is just as dangerous. Until recently the US state of Arizona has like many states required its citizens to under go testing to gain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Whilst everyone has been up in arms (excuse the pun) over Arizona's  new immigrant law, where anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant can be stopped & asked for papers, no one has commented much on the changing of their gun laws allowing all & sundry to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

That can be as bad as been too restrictive as you just don't know who is carrying a weapon.

The other side of this is the police response & from a NZ point of view how would we respond.

As the Police Association President on business in the UK pointed out NZ police have better access to firearms than their average British counterpart, but if we are to move towards arming our police, they need better training.

In reality the speed with which these incidents grow we can take a leaf out of the British police book & have a group of specially armed police on permanent duty as the current procedures of getting AOS together resembles keystone cops, whilst the general duty police officer generally unarmed is left to deal with the situation.

So conceivably by the time the AOS are assembled the same situation of someone with good local knowledge could wreck mayhem.

Actually I have being in a situation where this could of happened shortly after leaving the army & entering the industry, asked to guard a house overnight that certain people with a history of violence had threatened to firebomb (& as we found out later in the night threatened to kill the owner as he run from the fire). So a guard was required in the meantime whilst they had time over night to get the AOS together.


People were so scared of these people as they had firebombed houses previously that
no one would let the owner stay with them so he came home.

Another issue is many of the police force do not want to carry weapons, but they do want to be police officers.

I am sure there is a way to accomodate both as they are not the military.

Having a firearm & using it is a huge responsibility & as the Australian security guards found over the weekend it has consequences. One  guard was shot dead in a bungled armed robbery & a firearm taken from one of the guards.

That is what those in the  NZ security industry without adequate training or  experience with firearms have to think about. We do need them in some roles but who should be allowed to use them is another matter.

                                                   http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Arming Police & Security in NZ.

Kia Ora,

Well since my last blog there has being a development in this area. The NZ Police Association has renewed its push for NZ Police to be armed.

Having access to firearms is something in todays society is a must, but there are other issues.

As Simon pointed out in his comment several blogs back they need the training to be able to use them correctly & that in general NZ police do not get at present. They also need the mindset to use them possibly with deadly force. That mindset is just not there in the NZ Police Force at present.

Then there is when they would be able to get that required extra training. There is just not the numbers in the NZ Police to allow that to happen.

In the latest incident where the officers where set upon it was suggested they should of had a Taser to which the police have replied that pepper spray was best option.

The situation of a large group would see pepper spray as best option in first instance. A taser could only stop one person at a time. Firearms might persuade people to co operate but as with any weapon it can be double edged if the group are able to get hold of them.

So if the police are looking at them shouldn't some of the security industry also have weapons?

I have said it before. I wouldn't arm 99% of the current security industry with a ball point pen let alone a firearm (to which one police officer replied "I wouldn't arm 75% of the NZ Police Force").


If the Police see from a health & safety issue to wear bodyarmour then all security should be also wearing it as we are often confronting the same issues & usually alone.

Therefore if the Police are now considering arming themsleves then so should security.

It is not well known in NZ that whilst the Police have being unarmed since about the end of the 1800's, private security was armed until 1974 in NZ in a very low key fashion. There is no reason for that to start again & in fact a proper Risk Assessment  would show that weapons should already be carried in many situations.

So what would that require on behalf of the security industry?
First a change in mindset. As is stands currently the industry just 'Plays' at it.

Going hand in hand with that is training & good training at that, not the general mickey mouse stuff we get in the guise of NZQA at present.

For example earlier this week I was in a public building where a guard was lounging against a wall watching those using the facilities. First thing you would of noticed was he was wearing a fluro jacket in breach of Health & Safety.

Next thing was the smell of smoke from a fire  started coming in the door. So what does our guard do, but walk away.

Security is actually Safety & Security & in this case it was likely a cigarette dropped in rubbish bin outside door, therefore guards area of responsibility, & you could see the smoke building out of it. So it was up to me to report it to reception, which then resulted in the cleaners in responding with buckets of water.

Then & only then did our hero guard return to lounge against the same wall. In the meantime one of the area guards, from another company, had come in to check out the smell of smoke.

Now as expected it is a common incident here, but the reactions of the guard shows a few things.

First he hasn't being properly trained.

Second the venue & in particular the security have no procedures for this issue.

Third he was lazy & incompetent as even without procedures he should of had his own & it should not include just walking off.

So with guards like that I wouldn't want him armed. If he is going to be lazy or not bothered in this incident what is he going to be like when he has to use a firearm.

From a legal point of view whether soldier, police officer or private security when using firearms you need to not only know the Rules of Engagement(ROE's), but understand how they work in practise.

The military achieve this through BHL's/BHE's. Private security would have to do the same. That means using military instructors more as the majority of the current crop of instructors have little idea of true security but would struggle with the instructing required.

Another consideration is the weapons to be used.

With a pistol or revolver you only achieve the competency seen in the movies with hundreds of hours of practise. They are not that accurate especially when a person is your target not cardboard cut outs.

The Private industry will not have the budget for training that government agencies have (& in NZ they virtually could call themselves private companies for the amount allocated to use of firing live rounds. The army being the agency that uses them the most), so will need a weapon that needs minimum training & greater accuracy.

Therefore it is dangerous enough out there for Police to be pushing for firearms then the security industry needs to look at it too. But it needs to those with sufficient training.

A two day course is not enough. Even a two week course could be well short of the mark.

Where as a two hour refresher for ex military(teeth arms/special forces in particular) people is more than enough usually to switch them back on to the use of firearms.

Then you have to add in the training to understand ROE's, which again there is less of a requirement for ex military as they inherently understand them having trained & used them before.

So Police permanently armed? There is a good case for it, it is just the training required & the increase in numbers. But there is an equally good case for arming a small number of the private security industry.