Wednesday, 06 December 2023
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDRIVEN Car GuideThe CountryPhoto SalesiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub
Voyager 2023 media awards
Subscribe

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Rodney Hide: Our cops should come clean

Rodney Hide
By
Rodney Hide
21 Mar, 2015 04:00 PM3 mins to read
Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail
The state of the car tells you whether a driver cares, writes Rodney Hide. Photo / John Borren

The state of the car tells you whether a driver cares, writes Rodney Hide. Photo / John Borren

New Zealand police cars are a disgrace. They are too often dirty and scruffy. They send the message that the police don't care and lack pride.

It's not that they are filthy from a hard day of chasing crims. I have seen them heading out of the station looking like they have just finished an off-road rally.

I don't know why successive ministers and police commissioners show so little care. I don't know why individual officers have so little regard for themselves and their job.

I know I'd get to work early to wash and clean my car. I wouldn't spend my shift in a car in such a state.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

My only interaction with the police is seeing their cars.

I don't see police out and about on the street and so I don't know the state of them or their uniform. I judge them by default by their cars. And it's not good.

A car tells us a lot about the driver. It's not whether they are rich or poor.

Some of the richest people I know drive modest cars. And some of the poorest drive flashy ones.

But the state of the car tells you whether a driver cares. There's nothing more magnificent than a well-maintained car, especially one getting on in years.

Dirty and beat-up cars tell me the driver can't be bothered and doesn't care. It doesn't take much to wash and clean a car.

Related articles

Politics

Rodney Hide: Government attitude disrespects us

15 Feb 12:19 AM
New Zealand|Politics

Rodney Hide: Corrosive wound to our democracy

21 Feb 04:00 PM
New Zealand

Rodney Hide: Mann up and take responsibility, how can poverty make you fat?

01 Mar 05:26 PM
New Zealand|Politics

Rodney Hide: Fun and games if Winston wins

07 Mar 04:00 PM

The state of a firm's vehicle fleet tells us a lot about a business. Businesses know this. They take a great deal of care and pride in their vehicles.

We have nationwide freight-forwarding companies whose trucks and trailers sparkle and shine and that look as if they have just rolled out the showroom.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

I love those vehicles and the businesses who own them. They present themselves as firms who care, who are proud and who can be trusted.

If they look after their trucks like that, I figure that they will look after us and our freight.

Those trucks and trailers do harder yards than police cars. They are bigger and harder to clean. They show up the police fleet for the disgrace that it is. It's not money; it's care. And pride.

It might be seen as a little thing, as nit-picking. But I don't think it is.

Those cars represent the police. They are their branding and their advertising.

They are everywhere. They are what we see of the police.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Something's amiss. It starts at the top with the minister and commissioner. But it's also from the bottom. There are individual officers driving those cars.

Next time they pull a big shiny rig over, they should forget about the driver's log book and the weight on the axles.

They should ask the driver how he or she does it. And why.

And the minister and commissioner should be asking themselves: "Why are the cars patrolling our towns and cities so scruffy and dirty? And what am I doing about it?"

Debate on this article is now closed.

Saveshare

Share this article

facebookcopy linktwitterlinkedinredditemail

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Politics

The left doesn’t own poor, Māori: National MP's revealing, personal maiden speech

06 Dec 01:20 AM
New Zealand

Timaru crash: Emergency services rush to the scene

06 Dec 01:15 AM
New Zealand

Watch: Spine-chilling haka farewell for principal who lost battle with throat cancer

06 Dec 01:14 AM
New Zealand

Watch: Napier MP Katie Nimon delivering maiden speed in Parliament

06 Dec 01:08 AM

Toy trends for Christmas

sponsored

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

The left doesn’t own poor, Māori: National MP's revealing, personal maiden speech

The left doesn’t own poor, Māori: National MP's revealing, personal maiden speech

06 Dec 01:20 AM

The Rangitata MP spoke of an at times challenging upbringing.

Timaru crash: Emergency services rush to the scene

Timaru crash: Emergency services rush to the scene

06 Dec 01:15 AM
Watch: Spine-chilling haka farewell for principal who lost battle with throat cancer

Watch: Spine-chilling haka farewell for principal who lost battle with throat cancer

06 Dec 01:14 AM
Watch: Napier MP Katie Nimon delivering maiden speed in Parliament

Watch: Napier MP Katie Nimon delivering maiden speed in Parliament

06 Dec 01:08 AM
More houses coming
sponsored

More houses coming

About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2023 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP