Turbulent history documented in latest
book
The fifth volume of the official NZ Police history, More than
Law and Order, documents an organisation undergoing a period of
immense change...
Written by professional historian Susan Butterworth, the 348-page
book covers the history of policing in New Zealand between 1945
and the time of the Police/Traffic Safety Service integration in
1992.
"For most of the period covered by the book, NZ Police was
growing, modernising and diversifying at a far more rapid rate
than before
or perhaps since and its title reflects the scale of these changes,"
says Susan.
The book covers the rapid growth of specialised skills in what
had been an almost homogeneous, semi-skilled body before.
"Fingerprints and photography were the only specialties at
end of WWII but soon expanded to include radio and telecommunications,
dog handling, diving, document examination, fraud and latterly
audio and electronic crime.
"Highly-trained squads such as the Armed Offenders Squads,
land and sea-based Search and Rescue; Anti-Terrorist Squad were
formed
in response to rapidly changing patterns of behaviour within the
community," says Susan.
The developing capacity for the police to respond to natural or
man-made disasters is discussed in a photo-essay on three emergencies – the
Tangiwai, Wahine and Mt Erebus incidents.
The book will retail for $49.95 and be available from September.
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