The New Zealand Police is the national police force that is responsible for enforcing the criminal law and traffic law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace in New Zealand.
Origins and History
The New Zealand Constabulary was first established in 1840 along the lines of similar constabularies that existed in Britain at that time. The constabulary was initially part police and part militia. It was known as the New Zealand Armed Constabulary from 1867 and took part in land wars against Maori opposed to colonial expansion at that time.
The New Zealand Police Force was established as a national force under the Police Act of 1886. In 1958 the word Force was removed from the name when legislation was revised.
Traditionally, most "front line" police in New Zealand have not carried a firearm. However, there often occur situations in which armed police response is necessary. In 1964 the Armed Offenders Squad was created to provide a specialist armed response unit. The AOS is roughly analagous to SWAT in the United States, and is called out as required for various emergency situations, such as hostage-takings or apprehension of armed criminals.
During the 1981 Springboks tour, the Police formed two riot squads known as Red Squad and Blue Squad to control anti-apartheid protesters who laid siege to rugby fields where the touring team was playing.
In July 1985, the New Zealand Police arrested two French Security Service operatives after the Rainbow Warrior was bombed and sunk in Auckland harbour. The rapid arrest was attributed to the high level of public support for the investigation.
In the early 1990s, the Traffic Safety Service of the Ministry of Transport was merged with the Police. Up until that time the Ministry of Transport and local councils had been responsible for traffic law enforcement. In 2001, the Police re-established a specialist road policing branch known as the Highway Patrol. Today the Police are responsible for enforcing traffic law, while local councils enforce parking regulations.
More recently, the New Zealand Police have been involved in peacekeeping missions to East Timor and the Solomon Islands, to assist these countries with establishing law and order after civil wars.
Arms
New Zealand Police officers do not normally bear firearms while on patrol, but routinely carry Oleoresin capsicum (pepper) spray and batons. Many police patrol cars do now carry a firearm in a secure container. A separate division, the Armed Offenders Squad, deals with incidents involving firearms or explosives. The presence of armed police at an incident is often considered a newsworthy event by the media.
A member of the New Zealand Police, Sergeant Stewart Graeme Guthrie was the last civilian recipient of the George Cross, which is awarded for conspicuous gallantry. He fired a warning shot near a gunman at Aramoana, New Zealand on November 13 1990, but was killed by a return shot from the gunman who also killed twelve others.
Organisation
The New Zealand Police is a decentralised organisation divided into twelve districts, each with a geographical area of responsibility, and a number of service centres, each providing a national service in their specialty area.
While sworn officers make up the majority of the workforce, non-sworn staff and volunteers provide a wide range of support services where a sworn officer's statutory powers are not required.
111 service
In 2004 and 2005, the police were criticised over several incidents where callers to the emergency 1-1-1 service received inadequate response. The incident with Iraena Asher received the most publicity.
- March 2004: Police were dispatched in Taupo after a call reporting a man dying in an attack in Christchurch.
- October 2004: Iraena Asher calls 111 from Piha expressing fears for her safety. Police dispatch a taxi to the wrong street in Onehunga to pick her up. Asher is never seen again.
- October 23 2004: A Te Puke woman rings 111 while hiding in buses outside her rural home, while armed intruders beat up her husband. Police keep her on the phone for over an hour before help arrived, preventing her from ringing neighbours for help.
- November 2004: A Wanganui man (Daniel Gray) rings 111 after being assaulted and having his jaw broken. He is told that the street he is calling from does not exist, and to ring back later. The people who assaulted him kill another man shortly afterwards.
- January 14, 2005: A Plimmerton woman who called 111 to report two distressed swimmers was put in contact with an operator who did not know where Plimmerton was.
- January 27, 2005: A Hamilton woman who called 111 after a sex attack was asked to walk 700 metres to the nearest police station to make a statement.
- March 13 2005: A driver makes five 111 calls to report a drunk driver he follows from Coromandel to Auckland, but police fail to follow up on the calls.
- April 2, 2005: A call about a fight in Christchurch is not passed on to police patrols. 90 minutes later a second fight in the same area results in grievious injury.
As of 2005 an external review of the 111 system is underway as a result of the earlier of these incidents.
External link
New Zealand Police - Official Website