Annual Report 2003

Commissioner's overview | Contents | Download

Report of the New Zealand Police
for the year ended 30 June 2003

Presented to the House of Representatives Pursuant to Section 39 of the Public Finance Act 1989.


Commissioner's overview

INTRODUCTION

This financial year began tragically for New Zealand Police with the death on duty of Detective Constable Duncan Taylor and the serious wounding of Detective Jeanette Park at Feilding on 5 July 2002.

Duncan's wife Melanie and their son Campbell, his mother, sisters, extended family, friends and colleagues are now facing the harsh reality of life without him. It is not easy, and we continue to offer support wherever we can.

It strikes very close to home when a colleague is killed on duty.

I have huge respect for all the Police staff who, despite intense feelings of shock and grief, got on with the job at hand that night and in the long days that followed Duncan's death. They are all to be commended.

Jeanette Park has now returned to duty and is an example of the service ethic upheld by members of New Zealand Police.

NATIONAL SECURITY

12 October 2002 will also be remembered as a tragic day for many families here at home and internationally. The Bali bombing claimed the lives of 202 people, including three New Zealanders and more than 80 Australians. The bombing highlighted the need for New Zealand to be vigilant about its national security.

The prime responsibility for detecting and preventing terrorism in New Zealand lies with Police. We have taken that responsibility very seriously, placing appropriate staff and resources into security activities.

International networks play an important role in countering terrorist threats and it's advantageous to have a presence in the main intelligence hubs. To this end, during the year we opened Police liaison posts in Washington DC, London and Jakarta.

The year also marked the first use of new powers under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, when I requested the Prime Minister to designate Jemaah Islamiyah and some other groups and organisations as terrorist entities.

Police was required to deal with several threatening letters containing small quantities of cyanide sent to a media outlet and three diplomatic missions. The letters could not be discounted as hoaxes, and the file remains open.

OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Staff had a busy year in other operational areas too.

New Zealand Police continued to assist South Pacific nations, with ten Police Officers working in mentoring roles as part of the New Zealand Solomon Islands Policing Project. The aim was to improve policing services through building capability among Royal Solomon Islands Police staff.

More than 100 staff were deployed on Operation Marlin to police the Louis Vuitton and America's Cup regattas in Auckland between September and March.

The event passed without serious incident despite the potential for terrorist activity that such iconic events can attract.

DNA forensic science continued to play a critical role in the resolution of crime this year.

The most prominent case to be closed was the abduction, sexual violation and murder of six-year-old Napier girl Teresa Cormack in 1987. Samples taken from Teresa's body matched DNA from Lower Hutt man Jules Mikus, who was found guilty of the crimes in October.

The verdict justified the commitment over 15 years of current and former Police staff involved in the inquiry, who had never given up hope that the person responsible for Teresa's death would be found. This resolution underscores the commitment by Police to solve serious crimes.

Another case that was successfully resolved was the attempted kidnapping of a prominent Wellington businessman in July. Two men were found guilty of the crime in June after Police foiled their plan to hold the man in a plywood box buried in Upper Hutt's Tunnel Gully.

The manufacture and use of methamphetamine was a continuing deep concern for Police during the year. The number of clandestine laboratories detected and disrupted rose to 154 - 88 more than the previous year.

Anecdotally, methamphetamine became a prime contributor to more incidents of psychotic and extremely violent behaviour.

These drugs are a scourge, and will devastate many lives. Police has dedicated more resources to detecting clandestine labs, and we take seriously our responsibility to apprehend those who seek to profit from others' misery.

NATIONAL RESULTS

Nationally, we achieved some notable results this year.

I was heartened that we recorded an overall resolution rate of 43.7% - the highest for 20 years.

Proactive policing initiatives in part contributed to the 2.5% rise in reported crime. We made good gains with these initiatives. While tougher enforcement bumped up the figures, strictly enforcing bail and curfews to ensure compliance, enforcing licensing laws and public place liquor bans, and closely monitoring truancy did improve community safety.

Other pleasing results included a 6% drop in sexual offences; ten fewer murders than the year before; increased reporting of family violence; and a 2% drop in drink drive offences.

High-visibility, consistent road safety enforcement - the basis of the general deterrence approach - contributed to the lowest road toll since records began. In the last calendar year 416 people died, compared with 430 the previous year. Speed, alcohol, intersection and restraint enforcement have all played a part in making the roads safer.

The Land Transport (Unauthorised Street and Drag Racing) Amendment Act 2003, which came into force on 1 May, gave Police powers to deal with 'boy racers' involved in illegal street racing. Early indications are that it will be an effective means of preventing this public nuisance.

ORGANISATIONAL PROGRESS

Organisationally, we made good progress too.

We published a Statement of Intent, which set out our medium-term strategy objectives. It identified what we need to do to achieve the strategic goals set out in the Police Strategic Plan to 2006, and the wider goals of government and sector partners. Work began on implementing the goals in the operational setting.

In consultation with their communities, District Commanders began to develop plans to produce tangible gains in community safety and crime reduction built around the six national priorities of violence, burglary, vehicle crime, organised crime, national security and road safety.

Developing leadership and management skills among Police staff is an important factor in improving community safety and reducing crime. Several staff took up experiential learning opportunities offered through the newly introduced secondment programme, which offers placements within the public and private sectors here and overseas.

The Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Services (MPES) group was formed, and began to provide strategic advice and support to districts and to the Police National Headquarters. MPES staff also started the important work of forging partnerships with relevant agencies and communities around the country and internationally.

On the information and technology front, we completed several major projects. These were a combination of re-building the computing, network and radio infrastructures; upgrading computing training facilities; and completing the first three phases of shifting from the Law Enforcement System (also known as LES, or the Wanganui computer). Moving from LES will see the National Information Application (NIA) become the main policing information system.

AUCKLAND ISSUES

We continued to grapple with the policing challenges presented by Auckland's population growth and changing demographics.

Operation Cavalry saw staff from around the country seconded to Auckland City and Counties Manukau Districts for short periods to relieve some of the pressures on local staff. Investigators from outside Auckland also helped Counties Manukau District reduce its level of outstanding inquiry files.

A Board of Management comprising the three Auckland District Commanders developed a series of joint operations to make the most effective use of resources. Staff mounted successful tri-district operations dealing with truancy and boy racers towards the end of the year. These were some of the projects planned to improve policing in Auckland.

We put a lot of effort into boosting staff numbers across Auckland, and thanks to three recruiting initiatives, the Districts were up to target strength at year end. A successful recruiting drive in the United Kingdom attracted 74 experienced Police Officers, while a pilot trainee scheme for 17 to 22 year-olds got underway at the Manukau Technical Institute. Regular recruiting activities also helped the region reach target strength.

More resources were allocated to Auckland in this year's Budget to fund extra incident response and investigative staff, and DNA collection teams. They will begin in the new financial year.

PRIVATE PROSECUTION

And finally, this year brought some resolution for Senior Constable Keith Abbott. In December, he was acquitted of murder following a private prosecution taken by the family of Waitara man Steven Wallace, who continue to grieve the sad loss of their son.

It was a defining moment for the officer and his colleagues, and he earned my utmost admiration for the way he conducted himself throughout the ordeal.

After the verdict, I assured all Police Officers that the Commissioners would support them if they were required to take a life in the course of their duties while acting lawfully and in self-defence.

CONCLUSION

New Zealand Police staff have worked hard to achieve the results I have mentioned. I am grateful that they have risen so readily to meet the challenges of the shifting domestic and international environment, and I thank each one of them for their contribution.


Rob Robinson
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

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Table of contents

COMMISSIONER'S OVERVIEW
ACHIEVEMENT OF KEY PRIORITY AREAS
REDUCING INEQUALITIES, AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES REPORTS
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND SERVICE PERFORMANCE
    Output Classes
    1 Policy Advice and Ministerial Servicing
    2 Policing Support to the Community Thr ough Partnerships, Education,
        Crime Prevention and Youth Programmes
    3 Directed Patrol Activities
    4 Police Primary Response Management
    5 Case Management
    6 Case Resolution
    7 Enforcement of Court Orders
    8 Custodial and Escort Services
    8 Public and Personal Security
    10 Vetting and Firearms Licensing
    11 Lost and Found Property
    12 Road Safety Programme
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
INFORMATION REQUIRED BY STATUTE
ORGANISATIONAL INFORMATION
STATISTICAL INFORMATION

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This audit report relates to the financial statements of New Zealand Police for the year ended 30 June 2002 included on New Zealand Police's web-site. The Commissioner of Police is responsible for the maintenance and integrity of New Zealand Police's web site.  We have not been engaged to report on the integrity of New Zealand Police's web site.  We accept no responsibility  for  any  changes  that  may  have  occurred  to the financial statements since they were initially presented on the web site.

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