Police still Overwhelmed! What can be done?

Kia ora,

First I try to write this blog daily, but with the nature of the work it is not always possible. Last few days have been a little hectic.

Some time back I wrote a blog saying NZ Police are Over Whelmed. Well last night the police in one area came out on TV saying they were been over whelmed with lack of reources & manpower. I know an ex army mate has recently left the police in another area as it just got too much.
Prentice Hall's Test Prep Guide to accompany Proactive Police Management (Prentice Hall Test Prep Series)
So the first thing that needs to be done is more resources & manpower into policing. It is not a political football but a necesity as our society is becoming much more violent & crime is now out of control. It is also been reported less & less.

That can also be seen in the response to looting in Christchurch post the earthquake. Anecdotal evidence is that looting was actually widespread with people not notifying police as they just didn't think they would respond. As the comment from Justin shows security companies decided not to report crime as well as they thought the police were too busy.

What else can be done to help the police get back on top?

Good Private security. That is security companies carrying out security as it is supposed to be, not in the often fraudulant nature it is at present.

Security carried out properly has an impact on crime. Less crime then the police can get right on top & society will feel safer. It is taking that Broken windows policy of New York & using it to take our society back to where people feel safe at night. They definitely don't at present here in Christchurch & that has nothing to do with the earthquake.

Hitting things like last night where it appears a group of people went past here knocking over rubbish bins into the road. It was reported but police did not respond as no one was seen by time it was able to be reported.
Proactive Police Management (8th Edition)
Last of all society has to take some responsibility. They don't have to take the law into their own hands, but report or record details.

It is not on that we leave our police to deal with more & more issues without any real support.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Training for Bomb alerts.

Kia Ora,

It has being interesting to watch the reaction of late after the latest bombing attempt in New York.

The objects in two incidents, that were deemed suspicious could of being easily dealt with in a safe manner had the correct training being applied.

It was something that former members of the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) working  in Baghdad commented on.

The comment was "one IRA ASU cell could of tied up the whole of Baghdad in the way the US responded to threats." An ASU cell was thought to generally consist of four people.

From New York it appears nothing has being learned.

It was also part of our army training based on the British experience in Northern Ireland. Each team  came up with a way to deal with suspicious packages on their own as other wise the 'bomb' squads would never stop going from one incident to another & would basically lock  down a city or area

Having each team go through some procedures meant most iteams were dealt with, with little or no disturbance.

So how does that relate to NZ, the NZ security Industry, security training or even the NZ police?

Well due to lack of training the same situation could happen here as in New York. In fact it already does.

Often the area closed off is much greater than that needed for the size of the suspicious item.

There are clearly at times no procedures to allow activities to carry on.

For example the Dunedin airport bomb scare. I landed there a week after it. Yes I can see where the mens toilet can effect passengers, but where were the procedures to carry on in another part of the airport.

Now  report said that after that one had being cleared, after waiting for 'bomb' squad to arrive from Christchurch, then rest of airport was cleared.

Excuse me but the proper procedure is clear, cordon, contain & control & in that includes searching all other areas once initial item is cordoned, in particular where the emergency services are going to congregate. Obviously in NZ you show up clear the one you know about then think, well maybe there is another.

Terrorist tactics world wide are use a device or a hoax as the come on then hit with the second , maybe even third (as happened this week in Al Hilla, in Iraq) aimed at emergency services. We are ready for the Rugby World Cup.
Yeah Right.

Good training can not only make a real incident safer, but also deal with  potential issues before they become a problem.

This also means changing the mindset of the NZ security industry to one that looks beyond its little world.

To do that though will need help from the Politicians & the bureaucrats, though Sir Humphrey seems to be in residence here & that is not likely to happen.

So maybe we just have to do it ourselves.

                                         http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

World in Turmoil

Kia Ora,

It  has being an interesting week.

First there has being the attempted car bombing in Time Square, New York.

Mayor Bloomberg made the statement that it was down to great people & police work.

Now people are just saying lucky & I would go with this one.

It was only after the failed detonation that it was detected.

The bomb was called amateurish, but what is not known well is that is how many in Iraq were put together.

There was one ocassion where to avoid detection by security forces, the suicide bomber picked up passengers in his taxi. It was only when there were some popping sounds from the boot of a premature detonation that the passengers realized, but luckily it failed.

As it was relayed, that when the Iraqi police arrived the three fares were giving the driver the hiding of his life.

This morning there is news of at least three deaths in riots in Greece. Yet if you have being studying the economic woes of the world, Greece is one of the western countries with the lest debt. Being part of the Eurozone though, it can't do what the US & UK are doing by trying to print their way out of trouble. In the long run that is a worse option if you look at history.

So what does that bode for the rest of the world?

The more people say there is a recovery, the bigger the shock there is going to be for those hit by the depression taking full effect & therefore the bigger the emotions that will be unleashed.

So, no where is safe.

Then we go to the Liquor licence hearings in Christchurch, where police oppose the issuing of liquor licences to Party buses.

In one part of their submission, the police refer to the time where 100 patrons of  three party buses, through aggressive behaviour were able to deny the police the ability to detain for questioning a male suspected of assaulting a woman.

So to say Greece won't happen in NZ is a myth. It bubbles away just under the surface & having had riot training courtesy of the military, you often see the requirements for a riot to happen building. In particular with the NZ alcohol issue is to the fore.

As the economies worsen you will see more extreme groups form ready to stir any crowd into action against the police or even security who deny them what they believe is their right.

So an increase of good security (which in general doesn't exist or the security staff are not allowed to practise it) is required not just to combat terrorism, but the growing trend of crime in general.

As of today there is a new security service available here in Christchurch with the aim to make our communities safe.

Details can be found at www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz