KEY POINTS:
Greg O'Connor, President of the NZ Police Association
Do you personally believe the reputation of the police has been unfairly tarnished by revelations of sex crimes against women?
The damage to the police reputation based on the actions of very few officers many years ago
has unfairly tarnished the 20,000 men and women who served over the past 25 years. Dame Margaret Bazley's report makes it clear that those actions were isolated then and are isolated today.
Do you think the bad publicity and court cases about the behaviour of a few police officers will make it harder for you to recruit young men, and in particular young women, to the police force?
This could in some ways be positive for police recruiting. There will be people who think that by joining the police they can improve the situation, as after all most people who join the police do so to make a positive difference. I'm sure the sort of thinking people that police need will be able to see past the headlines of the last few weeks.
How is morale among the police?
One danger of the negative publicity is that it will leave a strong sense of unfairness among police. This can be dangerous if it leads to officers thinking that it's just not worth the trouble to keep policing. Police need to feel they have the support of their public or they can start to feel isolated from that very public. If that happens the public become the losers.
Do you agree the police disciplinary process needs overhauling, as the Bazley report implied?
The police disciplinary process does need modification to separate performance issues from disciplinary and criminal issues. Currently the only way to deal with poor performers is through waiting for them to break the rules so they can be disciplined. The association is working with police to identify and deal with poor performers early, before they become disciplinary problems. Where police are unique is that the commissioner is the employer and the prosecutor. The system needs to recognise this uniqueness and it is essential to have a forum where allegations can be tested.
What's the Police Association doing to rebuild police credibility in the public's eyes?
Police credibility is dependent on us remaining professional, effective, non-brutal and non-corrupt. Dame Margaret's report reassures that we are those things and the association is encouraging members to be the best they can be at their jobs.
How has the Bazley report been received generally by members of the Police Association?
Those who have read the report and not relied upon media headlines are generally reassured by it. The report makes it clear that with the exception of four or five cases police had done a very good job of dealing with inappropriate and illegal behaviour.
Do you think a code of conduct for police is a good idea? Will it work?
We believe clearer guidelines are necessary but should not be a substitute for good supervision and common sense. Police officers are recruited from and are part of the society they police. While they must not ever use their powers or position to obtain advantage, sexual or otherwise, they must still be allowed to have a private life. Policing is a professional not a religious calling.
