THE PRESS SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1976. Protecting the police

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 12

THE PRESS SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1976. Protecting the police

The question. “ How can the community protect the police? ” looks like a contradiction. The police exist to protect the community. But when an increasing number of crimes involve violence, and when the number of assaults on the police is increasing, the community must recognise the unpleasant reality of the kinds of tasks it is asking its police to perform.

Last year 734 policemen were assaulted—one out of every six members of the force—and 118 police were injured. The Commissioner of Police, in his report to Parliament, has noted that the use of weapons by criminals, once a rare thing in New Zealand, is becoming commonplace. “ The issue of firearms to the police as a routine measure would be a retrograde step ”, the Commissioner states “ However, if the recent trends in the use of weapons, including guns, by criminals is not checked, the concept of an unarmed police service may well be placed in jeopardy ”

Neither the police nor the community want an armed police force, except in the special circumstances where armed offenders squads are available now to deal with armed criminals. One great strength of the New Zealand police has been their status as citizens in uniform. They have remained part of their communities; they are not set apart by special powers or by the possession of weapons denied to others. One result is generally good relations between police and public: this, in turn, has been a valuable weapon of law enforcement.

The community should not lightly expect its police to face regularly thugs armed with knives, iron bars, broken bottles, and firearms. If it does, the community should not be surprised if the morale, as well as the strength of the police, is diminished. Short of arming the police, the community is not without means to make their task easier and. at the same time, to improve public safety. First, the community can ensure that the police force is adequately manned. Potentially violent situations are best

controlled by vigorous enforcement of the laws and a group of police, acting swiftly, are less likely to be attacked than an outnumbered lone constable.

More police would also ensure that members of the force are not required to work unreasonably long hours or asked to delay holidays and rostered days off. As the Commissioner’s report notes, police duties have increased markedly in the last few years. Crimes have become more sophisticated. More police have been required for duty at a variety of public functions. Crime prevention, youth aid work, and search and rescue operations take an increasing amount of the time of the force. To all this is added a disturbing increase in the number of offences. Each policeman today has an increase of more than 12 per cent in the number of crimes he must deal with, compared with the situation 10 years ago.

Second, the community can help the police in crime prevention and detection by co-operation. The “ Speak Up ” campaign has been modestly successful. The importance of public willingness to report suspicious behaviour, and to offer information to those they pay to protect them, ought to be obvious.

Third, the community, through Parliament and the courts, can extract more severe penalties from criminals who attack the police. While it is not for the Government or the community to direct the courts concerning penalties in particular cases, direction about the gravity of offences is an important part of the democratic process. Those who use violence to assist them in the commission of other offences deserve rigorous punishment. Violence has become too common for any complacency. The police, who are expected by the rest of us to control that violence, deserve all possible help. The deterrent value of stiff sentences should not be overlooked. The victims of violence are, too often, the police. If they are to continue to face it without arms, in the course of protecting the whole community, they should be assured of generous public support.