New police uniform to distinguish temporary staff from full-timers

Temporary Constable Nick Udy, of Wellington Central, wearing the new uniform. Picture / NZ Police

A new uniform for temporary sworn police officers has been approved, following criticism over civilians wearing standard police uniforms.

Police general manager human resources Wayne Annan said the new uniform would be delivered to police districts within the next month.

It comprises a navy blue polo shirt and zip-up jacket with the police logo, which will be worn with the standard issue police trousers and belt. It was developed in consultation with local police districts.

"The uniform is quite distinct from the standard uniform and it will be quite obvious to staff and members of the public that the wearer is not a fully-sworn officer," Mr Annan said.

Earlier this month National law and order spokesman Simon Power mocked the Government for allowing "decoy cops" to walk the streets in police uniforms, which could create confusion in the public mind about whether people in uniform were police or not.

Police Minister Annette King said non-sworn staff had been wearing uniforms in some circumstances for 10 years, but police and the Government had decided in the past year that a different uniform for non-sworn staff was needed.

Mr Annan said the uniform was part of a package of initiatives being implemented to standardise employment conditions for temporary sworn staff and work on this had been underway for some time.

"Currently there are about 330 temporary sworn staff across the country. They are employed mainly as jailers or prisoner escorts and observers."

Mr Annan said staff in jailer or prisoner escort roles physically engaged with prisoners and required the limited police powers their temporary sworn status gave them.

An employment policy has been developed for temporary sworn staff and an induction and training package covering custodial management, first aid, self defence, and the extent of temporary sworn powers would be implemented later this year.

"Temporary sworn staff play a vital role in the organisation by freeing up fully-sworn staff to concentrate on frontline policing duties," he said.

- NZPA