Opinion: Police Minister Mark Mitchell is passionate about policing. Mitchell has captured the ability to use short sound bites while staring down the camera, giving an impression of sincerity and strength.
Unfortunately, this has too often camouflaged a lack of knowledge about what works in policing, ignoring evidence and forgetting lessons of history. The sense of focus he brings is important, and practical steps to reduce ram-raid opportunities are an example of his pragmatic approach. For the future police recruit, remember the greatest skill of a police officer is the ability to listen, matched by an awareness that “cynicism” is a police disease that needs addressing.
I spent 40 years in policing, focusing on juvenile offending, community reassurance, gender balance and law education. The beacon of reassurance while policing was the helmet, and it was a sad day when it was removed from the uniform. Similarly, foot patrols. They’re expensive to implement, but so important for community confidence and trust. The return of foot patrols to Auckland’s city centre should be replicated in our 10 biggest cities. However, foot patrols are staff heavy and unlikely to be maintained, so watch for a reduction in numbers or hours of coverage.
A new police commissioner to replace Andrew Coster is yet to be announced. Key flashpoint markers for future policing include protests in parliamentary grounds, Māori land occupations, industrial unrest and arming the police. Fortunately, NZ is not ready to accept rubber bullets, water cannons or tear gas as the norms of policing, or police walking by with handguns, but social media steadily erodes this safety platform. Regulations for content management and enforcement of standards for social media platforms are a key to community tranquillity, but I predict this will occur only after a major crisis.
Regulations for social media are a key to community tranquillity.
In terms of Māori land grievances, my advice to the new commissioner is read your history books, listen to the voices of Māori women, and keep calm. It is important for police to provide leadership with clarity. Combining the velvet glove with an iron fist on key elements if they arise and making haste slowly with a knowledge of history produces quality police leadership.
Protesters feed off an event that can be portrayed as strong-arm tactics or police violence. Police need to limit such opportunities and deal firmly with what most New Zealanders accept as unacceptable breaches of the law. Possessing ammunition and weapons, forcing entry into buildings, driving vehicles at bystanders or officers, lighting fires, etc, all demand strong, prompt action. Arming the police is to be avoided at all costs. It’s so easy to do, but the consequences will be detrimental for all.
The next police commissioner needs to tread carefully with a government prone to fixating on crime and punishment, while avoiding the tough-on-poverty solution. The roots of crime are in childhood poverty, and the widening gap between rich and poor. The answers to rising crime lie in state-subsidised meals in every school, redistributing wealth, making housing affordable (build lots of homes, introduce a capital gains tax) and keeping nearly all youth away from correctional facilities.
Building prisons and using frequent jail sentences to allegedly deter criminals should be at a minimum. Short sentences are a hideously expensive policy failure, making prisons more chaotic, affecting staff morale and increasing drug use inside.
Soft on crime is a stupid slogan. The Hebrew word for “simple [fool]” is pethîy (peth-ee). The simple fool opens his mind to any passing thought; in other words, lacks discernment and fails to recognise the cause-and-effect sequences. Let us hope the next police commissioner can recognise pethîy and act accordingly. l
Former superintendent Alec Waugh served in the police from 1968 to 2006, and is the author of Policing the Occupation of Moutoa Gardens, Wanganui, 1995.
