Changes in Policing and Creating Safer Communities for the Future
Frontline Services
Building Community Reassurance
Crime, National Security and New Threats
International Service Demands
Reducing Bureaucracy and Information Communications Technology
Family Violence and Youth
Minister's Input and Further Briefings
Policing is about providing the law and order underpinning on which successful societies flourish. In this briefing we point to pressures on frontline service delivery and investigations, emergent issues such as new crimes and security threats, and a need for a longer-term investment strategy in policing that avoids 'boom' and 'bust' cycles, and enables more coherent resource and deployment planning.
The briefing also links to the two priority themes contained in the Ministry of Justice sector briefing of Justice Sector Capability and Capacity, and Justice Sector Collaboration and Co-ordination. The briefing will not duplicate the more general police organisational information set out in the Statement of Intent, the Annual Report, and Police Strategic Plan to 2006. The development of the next police strategic plan from 2006 is currently underway and we welcome the Minister's input.
There are a number of briefings that the Minister will likely expect in the first weeks of office. In this document the headline issues are noted, and we welcome the opportunity to make arrangements for topic experts to brief the Minister directly on these matters, in particular:
- The need to progress the Police Amendment Bill (No 2);
- Financial projections, including a wage round in 2006 and the impact of the Holidays Act;
- New statutory appointments are due in 2006;
- Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct;
- Police recruitment in the tightening labour market; and
- Custody management of prisoners.
Changes in Policing and Creating Safer Communities for the Future
Police are the cornerstone of Government's community safety relationship. Police interact with the public more widely, more frequently, and often more personally than any other justice agency or law enforcement body. The reality is that, police will only be as successful in reducing crime and providing community reassurance as the staff and tools available for problem-solving, investigating and bringing offenders to justice. The complex policing environment that we face requires a body of sworn officers and civilians who have the necessary skills and attributes to meet the challenge.
Police seek to increase prevention activity through more frontline staff, as their work offers the real opportunity to reduce actual crime and the number of offenders in New Zealand. Police are working to increase local government partnerships following the Local Government Act 2002 to augment both the partnership and prevention approach. Another important development has been the growth of private policing capability within the security industry, and an increased level of interest from city planners and developers to incorporate crime prevention through environmental design ideas in new buildings.
New partnerships and increased prevention activity will require additional police resources, lest we risk losing the crime reduction advantages already gained through hard won boosts to targeted crime investigation. The Minister will note our key messages with regard to staff investment in frontline policing are:
- reducing frontline workloads in key locations to increase the time available for officers to work on cases and solve problems;
- providing more opportunities for staff to deal with offending at the front end, often through options that will not result in an arrest; and
- police 'street work' being seen as an essential part of multi-lateral government efforts to provide safety and reduce harm across a range of domains from crime to public health.
Affordable new technology, global possibilities facilitated by cheaper air links, open borders, mass media, and better communication are only a few of the developments influencing communities worldwide. But, new technology is also able to be misused by criminals - criminals who take full advantage of tools like email, the Internet and mobile phones. Technology has opened up new ways of committing traditional forms of crime such as banking fraud and child sex crimes, and introduced new crimes such as electronic information theft via hacking and damage to networks through virus attacks.
Police also face challenges arising from organised crime groups that network their criminal connections around the globe, and the advent of terrorist groups that have adopted an international persona through mass casualty events and effective use of electronic media to rally attention and converts to their cause.
Policing in the 21st century sees police involved in more areas of policing activity, both traditional crime and new crime, with more partner agencies, both government and non-government, with more communities, both traditional and new migrant. It also involves more laws, both local and international law, and at times utilises conventions, memoranda of understandings, and treaties. To do this important work police staff are needed who can undertake essential traditional policing tasks as well as work in different languages, with different cultures and understand different ideological contexts to crime. There is much to be done if we are to prepare police staff to maintain safer communities over the longer term.
Frontline Services
Key Issue - A need to increase frontline response and investigator numbers
People call for police when they have a problem and they need our help. Each day we receive nearly 1,500 calls made on the 111 system and over 2,500 non-emergency calls. Providing a professional officer with the appropriate people skills, training and tools to each event is our most important daily task. The timeliness and quality of police response is an area where a challenge has been laid for us. A few high profile events have resulted in public comment and media scrutiny at times where it is considered police could or should have responded better. The recently completed review of police communications centres has been helpful in this regard and implementation of the recommendations is underway.
Sustained population growth focused on the top half of the North Island continues to stretch already busy staff in those high-growth areas. Steps have been taken to shift staff within existing structures to alleviate pressure, and the investment in communications centres has assisted with call answering and dispatch, but even with no further population growth, more staff are needed to maintain core services in some locations.
Allowing for anticipated population increases and staff attrition, and recognising the need to maintain high standards in the recruitment and training process, it is suggested that a managed resource increase approach is adopted. Average police officer attrition is around 350 - 400 (4.5%) per year. Replacing those officers, and allowing for increases to meet operational demands would see the police recruiting and training around 600 to 700 staff per year. Additional staff of about 300 over attrition per year will achieve a required resource base to meet police service demand described in this briefing.
Additional staff will be deployed by the Commissioner to priority areas and improve the quality of policing, as it will provide staff in those pressured areas with the opportunity to engage in more problem solving at incident scenes. Extra staff will also allow for increased deployment of officers in high visibility roles which will assist public reassurance that police are 'out and about' in communities. High visibility policing and increased interaction with the public will also aid connections between police and the community, and promote increased confidence.
Additional staff will also be used to address important needs identified in the criminal investigations area, such as reducing the number of cases waiting for enquiry. There will also be investigative staff with available time to tackle increasing numbers of complex investigations, arising in areas such as organised crime, electronic crime, and complex fraud.
Key Issue - A need to reduce staff safety risks, bolster field supervision and improve investigation file quality for Court with more sworn positions at Sergeant and Senior Sergeant level
Increased frontline supervision will improve staff safety management and professional standards management, two areas that require particular attention in cities where we have larger numbers of less experienced staff.
Police also want to maintain high standards of investigation and file preparation, especially on prosecution files. The recent review of the police role in the prosecution process informs us that the standard of files for court has, on occasion, been found wanting. Any deterioration of file quality is a concern and we are eager to bolster frontline supervision and increase field supervision quality standards to address this.
Better supervision will assist in managing the increasing complexity and sensitivity of evidence in cases going to court, and provide experience and guidance to less experienced staff that have increasingly and necessarily taken on leading roles in some serious crime management.
Key Issue - Considering next steps in areas of road policing enforcement alongside education and engineering options
Road policing is an essential part of police capability. Police and partner agencies have made excellent progress towards the goals of the 2010 national road safety plan. However, the large gains of recent years have levelled off and it is recommended that new policy and new investments are required to achieve the 2010 road safety targets. Policy for consideration includes lowering speed limits, lowering breath and blood alcohol limits, strengthening capability to tackle drug impaired driving, enhanced sanctions (demerits for all speed offenders), and allowing more extensive use of speed enforcement tactics.
Over the next 3 - 12 months we will be asking the Minister to support proposals and consider increasing police baseline funding and/or monitor the following activities:
- funding to increase frontline staffing to achieve the service demands of policing;
- funding to improve field supervision in uniform branch and criminal investigations branch; and
- considering new road safety initiatives and policies to contribute to necessary gains toward the 2010 road safety targets.
Building Community Reassurance
Key Issue - Addressing community fear of crime perceptions and building reassurance through an increase of police staff in communities
Community policing takes time and long-term commitment, and once engaged there is a reasonable expectation from the community of police action on the concerns raised. This is an area where we assess we have lost ground in some metropolitan areas over the past decade, as we have focused on targeted crime reduction.
To emphasise this, we know that while people are often satisfied with the national targeting of specific crimes such as burglary and vehicle theft, there are other matters that concern them, such as disorder in public places, street drinking or drug taking in public, graffiti, truancy and abandoned vehicles on a neighbour's section. Left unchecked such things are signals that the community is not safer. Year on year reductions in targeted crime have not been mirrored with increases in public feelings of safety. While there are many factors that contribute to an individual's feeling of safety, it is known that addressing the signal crimes, such as street disorder, is important and has been at the heart of successful policing approaches overseas.
To be even more successful in the long-term, police need to engage with the harder to reach communities, such as new migrants, rural communities and a growing aged population. This would help build a cohesive society that will have broad benefits, and mitigate risks of marginalisation. A challenge for police is that the areas where some of the harder to reach communities are growing fastest are the same areas where police also face the greatest increases in service demand.
While new police resources are required to support increased police visibility at the community neighbourhood level, part of the challenge is not about resources, but about police leaders engaging with the community. Placing additional resource in new areas or in new communities will create some infrastructure pressures to accommodate staff in community roles. Police also seek to improve connections in the central business districts with an enhanced focus on liquor enforcement. We will look for broad ministerial support in this effort as the link for improved policing in communities ties strongly with other parts of government reassurance and building strong community cohesiveness.
Key Issue - A need to implement pro-active work on police integrity and ethics to enhance public confidence in police professionalism
New Zealand Police has an enviably high level of public trust and confidence that has remained reasonably constant over many years, but dipped recently. Maintaining those high levels of public confidence are vital underpinnings for our future. The recent 'culture' probe in Counties Manukau, comments from the Law Commission review relating to police prosecution standards, and the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct indicate that we need to reinforce some elements of police professionalism. Part of the answer will come from improving the number and quality of frontline supervisors. In addition, a programme to enhance police integrity and ethics for all staff is underway.
The future-focused ethics and integrity programme aims to support the current standards and address emerging issues that will include development of a police anti-corruption strategy, and ethics and integrity testing. The Commission of Inquiry will report in early 2006. Responses to its recommendations will require long-term and astute management, and likely highlight the need for a code of conduct for sworn officers. Provision for a code of conduct is contained in the Police Amendment Bill (No 2) introduced in 2001. The Bill is at the second reading stage and progressing the Bill is imperative.
Over the next 12 months we will be inviting the Minister to:
Crime, National Security and New Threats
Key Issue - To meet the changing nature of crime and its impact on policing
Crime patterns are changing and police is facing increasing requests for international engagement on issues affecting national security, trans-national crime and regional security. For example, New Zealand is moving towards sustained importations of "ice" methamphetamine driven by organised criminals, dominated by ethnic Chinese. The world's largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory terminated in Fiji in 2004 was established by an ethnic Chinese-based syndicate with links to other syndicate members and criminal groups across South East Asia. NZ Police was central to this successful interdiction.
Whilst our domestic policing focus is paramount, trans-national crime is adversely affecting New Zealand and we must address it. Police need additional capability to work effectively off-shore and be closely connected to international flows of intelligence, especially in regions where we see repeated criminal connections, such as with China. A new post in Beijing is proposed to help reduce the adverse impact of Chinese trans-national organised criminals who have already deeply penetrated our region.
Key Issue - Enhancing national security and meeting regional security needs
The foremost terrorist threat to New Zealand's interests derives from South East Asian-based terrorist groups, but an event occurring within New Zealand or Australia cannot be discounted. We must continue to strengthen our efforts to remain well connected with our regional partners and local communities to mitigate internal security risks and increase resilience to an attack. Recent media reporting of an Al-Qaeda threat to attack in our region underscores this position.
The police overseas liaison officer network has been strengthened in the post 9/11 environment by four posts in Washington, London, Jakarta and Suva. The benefits of these investments have been clearly demonstrated in the enhanced 'NZ Inc' responses to incidents such as recent bombings in Jakarta, London and Bali. More overseas posts are sought, for example a further post located in South East Asia is proposed to bolster police connection and our understanding of terrorism with our closest neighbours.
Key Issue - Improving local police capability to respond and co-ordinate assistance in a mass casualty event
Police is increasing the co-operative effort to build community safety with local government, particularly in the areas of long-term community planning and emergency management. Recent international terrorist events and natural disasters highlight the need for well co-ordinated staff and well practiced plans for mass casualty events at both the local and national levels. New Zealand's recent experience of a threatened foot and mouth release, and current planning for an influenza pandemic are compelling scenarios that highlight the need for preparedness. Police need to continue to develop staff with skills in disaster and emergency response management, particularly in the three largest cities.
Over the next 12 months we will be asking the Minister to support proposals and consider increasing police baseline funding to:
- fund enhancements to the International Services Group capability to target trans-national crime and assist in meeting international obligations to disrupt trans-national crime and counter terrorism; and
- improve police capability to respond to and co-ordinate a mass casualty event, pandemic or bio-security event.
International Service Demands
Key Issue - Increasing requests for NZ Police offshore engagements
Government is committed to combat terrorism and to strengthen post-conflict capacity in a number of parts of the world. Whereas the defence force has traditionally been the primary focus for deployment in these roles, attention has increasingly turned to using civilian police, recognising the need for a stable law and order environment for the achievement of other civil infrastructure development, including aid delivery.
Investment in strengthening police capability through police's International Services Group to manage these requests will assist more effective responses to regional security operations when deemed desirable by government, as in Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, and Afghanistan.
The United Nations is increasingly seeking civilian police contributions from New Zealand for its missions because of the professional and community focused style and skill NZ Police add to such deployments. The regional assistance mission in the Solomon Islands is considered a model internationally demonstrating how countries can work together in a near-failed state to establish a basis on which recovery can be effected.
Over the next 3 - 12 months we will be asking the Minister to support proposals and consider increasing police baseline funding for:
- enhancements to the International Services Group capability to respond to government initiatives to support off-shore requests for police services and capability building efforts.
Reducing Bureaucracy and Information Communications Technology
Key Issues - Reducing paperwork and bureaucracy to make better use of resources - New technology required to support frontline policing, and improve investigations
Police are currently preparing the next information and communications technology strategic plan and the Minister's input will be sought. The police information technology position has been considerably strengthened over the past four years, as more modern infrastructure and new applications have been put in place. However, there is still much to do in providing the most effective ICT platform for NZ Police for the 21st Century. A key focus in the next ICT plan will be on opportunities that leverage off the solid infrastructure, increasing the mobility at the frontline and speed of police work, and reducing paperwork wherever possible.
Police has evaluated some of the most useful technology available, such as mobile data terminals to make it easier for staff to access information, automated vehicle number-plate recognition, fingerprint live scanning to increase the speed of prisoner identifications, and improved case management. The focus of technology investment on the frontline recognises the importance of ensuring the staff who work with the public most frequently have the most appropriate tools to do their jobs professionally. Police will need to discuss funding implications for new technology.
Pro-active police work based on intelligence and analysis has seen improved results in targeted crime areas such as burglary and vehicle theft. New Zealand Police is acknowledged to be at the forefront of utilising crime analysis methods, and our scientific approach to crime and harm reduction has been applied to reducing high-volume crimes, targeting youth crime and identifying families at risk. This is an area of success, and we intend to develop our information and analysis base to make further inroads in crime and harm reduction (for example, through our enhanced analysis of alcohol-related offence information).
A particular topic for discussion is the national police radio network and associated frequency and bandwidth issues. These have multi-agency impacts and are critical to long-term law enforcement and emergency management capability and safety.
The independent review of police communications centres has a number of recommendations that are being implemented, including planning for a single non-emergency number to assist delineation of priority calls for police service from general service requests. Police recognise that the service quality for all calls must be appropriate in all cases, and include mechanisms to support sound decision making on the appropriate priority and nature of response for each call.
Over the next 3 - 12 months the Minister will be invited to:
- provide input into development of police's next information and communications technology strategic plan;
- support capital budget proposals for new technology for frontline staff, (budget implications are not yet fully developed, but are likely to be significant);
- receive briefings on the implementation of the findings of the communication centre review, in particular the access and communications strategy and single non-emergency number proposal;
- receive briefings on the implementation of key projects within police's information and communication technology strategic plan (and if interested, be provided with a demonstration of police technology); and
- advance discussion with fellow Ministers over secure radio options, radio frequencies and bandwidth for emergency services.
Family Violence and Youth
Key Issue - Identification of families at risk to reduce violence
The 1987 Ministerial Committee of the Inquiry into Violence led by Justice Roper described family violence as "the cradle for the perpetuation of violence and crime in the community". It is estimated that up to 80 percent of all violence is family-based.
Family violence offending varies hugely in both significance and seriousness. It is significantly under-reported, with the police often called as a last resort when people are in crisis. Family violence situations are potentially dangerous for attending police officers and have been the scenes of greatest tragedy for police in terms of injury and death to officers. Police vigorously support the whole of government effort to reduce family violence, especially its harmful effects on young people.
One measure of effective family violence prevention across the community is fewer family violence-related murders. Unlike some other overseas jurisdictions where family violence murders have fallen by 75 percent, family violence murders in New Zealand have remained stubbornly consistent over the last 15 years. Research indicates family violence murders are relatively predictable, and this predictability gives the police and other agencies an opportunity to work with victims, offenders and families to reduce family violence.
Police gather data on family violence incidents in some districts to conduct lethality assessments, these assessments will guide future family safety planning. Police are working in partnership with other agencies to make interventions based on a probability that action is required. Police are leading the joint Family Safety Teams initiative, and we expect to see a reduction in young persons placed at risk through a reduced exposure to family violence.
Key Issue - the increase in young people in the general population
The proportion of young persons coming to police attention has remained reasonably constant over recent years. The anticipated increase in youth population that will flow through over the next decade will likely cause an increase in police interaction with young people. Thus, we anticipate an increase in youth offending, and this is resource intensive work that relies on good cross agency co-operation and a significant investment of police and partners' time.
Most police interactions with youth offenders occur without placing the child or young offender formally into the Courts process. Police ability to manage this early intervention is dependent on availability of sufficiently trained staff, with sufficient time. These are primarily youth aid officers and youth development team staff. Support for young people will also be enhanced through the activities of police education officers delivering information to equip young people to make good life choices.
Over the next three years the Minister will be interested to monitor the following activities:
- the effectiveness of family violence reduction initiatives;
- police youth services and our cross-sector interaction to reduce youth offending and re-offending;
- consider applying increased funding to police youth services to add more prevention capability; and
- the clarified roles of police education officers and their effectiveness in preventing young people entering the criminal justice system.
Minister's Input and Further Briefings
A programme for delivering specific briefings to expand on issues raised in this document and on further topics that the Minister may indicate is suggested. It is recommended those briefings be scheduled at your convenience over the next month or two. Any special topic briefings can be prepared and delivered on request.
